Back from doctor after fainting again *long*

rachelh

is loving the soup?!
Although I felt fine when I got up this morning, I fainted again at my desk a little later.
Went to the doctors, he took blood sugar and blood pressure among other things (luckily he had my test results from 2 weeks ago to compare to).
The blood sugar results he didn't tell me, but my blood pressure had gone from 115 systolic to 95 systolic, presumably only in the 5 days since I started LT (as I've had regular blood pressure checks since I started dieting and it's always been 120-115), so that would explain the fainting!!!
He was absolutely horrified, and actually had me eat some of the doctors' biscuits in the surgery before he'd let me go home.
He said he doesn't want me doing this again - in fact that he now refuses to sign off on the VLCDs that require it as he's seen so many problems from them, including gallstones and liver problems in formerly healthy patients.
That said, he agreed he couldn't stop me doing it, and said that it was the sudden drop in blood pressure that had caused the problem - not that the blood pressure was actually low enough to be dangerous.
He told me to leave it for the rest of the week and start at the weekend again, if I still want to, when I can have a couple of days resting up. He then said to come in on Monday for another blood pressure check, and then he wants me to have weekly checkups, and if my blood pressure drops below 90 systolic, I will absolutely have to stop for my own health.
Sorry if there is confusion because I really do not understand medical terms and possibly became a bit confused!
Anyway, thanks for all your support, I am off (reluctantly) to tuck into a tuna sarnie (with low fat mayo lol).
R xxx
 
Did the Doc explain why he/she thought LT was the cause of your low bp? Or is it just the Doc's assumption, putting 2 and 2 together?
 
Well, it was an assumption, but one which I believe is based on very strong, if circumstantial, evidence. The fact that, as I said in the post, I've had my blood pressure checked regularly since starting dieting 18 months ago, and it has ALWAYS been between 115 and 120 systolic. I am not ill, and the only thing that has changed is LT. I started fainting shortly after beginning it.
Also that the doctor said he has seen the same thing over and over again with VLCDs.
So of course he had no proof, and I am not in any case here to badmouth LT, which obviously is working very well for many people. But I think it is common sense on my part and the doctor's to attribute this problem to LT. I actually feel I'd have pretty serious denial issues if I didn't think LT was behind it.
In any case, if I stop LT and the symptoms go, I think I shall have my answer.
 
Did the Doc explain why he/she thought LT was the cause of your low bp? Or is it just the Doc's assumption, putting 2 and 2 together?


Good point.

I banged my leg a few months ago and still have a rather large hard lump under my skin from it - obviously lipotrim was the blame for it not healing as quickly as it should do! lol
 
Did the Doc suggest which diet would be allowed for someone with bp issues?
 
The thing is that I DON'T have blood pressure issues!

He said he'd advise I went back to what I was doing before - 1700 calories a day, healthy foods. I did lost 3.5 stone on this and felt amazingly healthy, but after a bout of stress at work I regained weight and wanted to lose it more quickly.
 
Good luck, if it has worked in the past, no reason it wont work again.
 
is somebody getting a little defensive of LT? LOL

LOL - it wasnt meant to sound that way, certainly wasnt intended to be LT-Nazi, just curious!!
 
I just wanted to add that I really wasn't trying to badmouth LT in any way. I wish I was one of the people it suits - I still hope I might be. I guess I just wanted to share my experience and tell you all what happened today.
All diets have pros and cons, and LT does too. We choose to do the diet despite the cons, because of the wonderful pros. However, I hope we can use this forum as a place to talk about the cons as well as the pros, and that there isn't some kind of policy of shouting people down when they do. Because that smacks of denial to me.
 
Rachel, i personally think you are wise to stop the LT especially after the fainting bouts, I guess we must all admit this diet doesnt work for everyone(unfortunately) The key issue is your own health and i think your doing the right thing. Ok your overweight juding by your BMI but you only have 2 stone to lose, something im sure you could probably do with say the south beach diet or similar others. Most of us on here start off being Obese reaching serverly/morbidly so our energy is being burnt by hugely massive excess of fat, obviously your body requires more calories. I hope it pans out ok for you hun and keep us posted on how you get on. Remember once your in the LT family, your in for life.;) xx
 
Rachel, when your health is in question or you have any concerns or worries about it, I think you are absolutely right to stop LT. It can't be the right diet for everyone and it would be wrong to assume that it would suit every person. Whilst I would say that LT has given me back my life in a way (because I had tried so many other diets and failed), I still don't believe it is a healthy way to lose weight. It was kind of a last resort for me and thankfully it worked, but if it hadn't I don't know what I would have done. I would have loved to have lost weight in a healthier way (i.e more slowly and whilst eating food!) but unfortunately I didn't have the willpower. At least you know you can do that because you have before. So, don't feel bad about coming off for your health cos nothing is worth putting that at risk for and Good Luck hun, with whatever you decide to do. xxx
 
Thanks guys! I did start off at BMI 34 but had lost some. Honestly speaking, I don't feel at all able to go back onto the calorie counting plan at the moment. I really feel terrified about it - with the binge eating problems I've had in the past I'm...not optimistic.
 
Thanks guys! I did start off at BMI 34 but had lost some. Honestly speaking, I don't feel at all able to go back onto the calorie counting plan at the moment. I really feel terrified about it - with the binge eating problems I've had in the past I'm...not optimistic.

If you have binge eating disorder you might want to try some 1:1 therapy and/or Overeater Anonymous as well :)
 
I have had as much therapy as I can get on the NHS as far as I can work out, and can't afford private. I didn't get on with OA but might give it another go. The therapy really really helped but I'm not managing it well at the moment anyway. The time I've been on LT has been completely binge free and such a huge relief. Anyway, thanks very much xx
 
good luck to you in the future,whichever diet path you may take.xx
 
I have had as much therapy as I can get on the NHS as far as I can work out, and can't afford private. I didn't get on with OA but might give it another go. The therapy really really helped but I'm not managing it well at the moment anyway. The time I've been on LT has been completely binge free and such a huge relief. Anyway, thanks very much xx

It's a shame you can't have more therapy if it was helping, would you consider private health insurance? I know what you mean about OA, I used to go to some really big meetings in London which were fab, the ones near me now are small, without a lot of recovery which just doesn't work for me.
Good Luck!
 
hi rachelh, i was around 13 and a half stone when started on lipotrim last august and unfortunately by day 3 i was having too many blackouts and could hardly stand. so it was not for me either, but have managed to shift the weight at a slow pace with just watching my food quantities and increasing exercise slowly. i know part of it for me was that i could not manage the 3 shakes a day so was only managing to get 2 packs down me so was on lower than recomended calories but just could not stomach the 3rd one...so in part my own fault it did not work for me, but these things do happen and health does come first and i can imagine your bm had dropped too but you said the gp didnt tell you your blood sugar level. i went to a lloyds pharmacy to get my bm checked the morning after all the blackouts and my bm was less than 4 but the pharmacy assistant clearly didnt have a clue as she was only concerned if it was high. fortunately, with being a nurse i knew it was low and ended up having a whole snickers and actually felt miles better. so the morale of the story is....lol... find a diet that works for you as theres a range and the supports available for them all.
take care
x
 
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