Physical Check-In #2

@Fern goals are to lose about 10lbs (realistic) and 35-40lbs (ideal). I had already lost 5 total (i think now), but as I said, gained back the 3lbs. My realistic goal is to get back down to the weight I was before meds. Not really any other goals besides trimming down, except I guess to keep consistent, like exercise most days of the week, if not all (just doing something) because I'm pretty inactive for the rest of the day these days.
PLUS-gaining flexibility so that I can do splits fully (center and left and right splits) as well as this pose called the pancake. (it's kinda like middle splits only you lean your torso forward over a seated split)

Tonight's update. Did bis, tris, and shoulders strengthening for 20 min (i'm counting/tracking weight amount and reps/sets, but was also curious of the time spent). And warmed up with 20min of yoga/stretching. I love stretching! Oh! I suppose that's another goal...I'll post above.

It will ebb and flow. I go up and down all the time. I was overweight after I had my kids. I lost about 30 pounds over the course of a year. I got to my 'ideal weight' and stopped there because it was the most I could imagine for myself. Later I started exercising formally and dropped another 15 while also eating well. I've been at that new weight range for about 3 years now.

I went on meds for the first time a little over a year ago. I started gaining weight fast. I tried eating a little less at first. That didn't help. I tried moving more next. That didn't help. I ended up needing to track my food and stick to a strict calorie intake. I also did a circuit training program 5-6 days a week that was 30 minutes and included cardio and strength training.

That worked for me and the 10 lbs I gained on meds came off over a couple of months. I think the magic mix is probably different for everyone. It sounds like you're off to a really great start. I'm sending you supoort and well wishes on your journey.

hurting because I had a shower today.

my whole body aches..

Went to the doctor today for my Abilify injection - I've dropped 12 lbs.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

I have another appt. with my podiatrist on Wednesday so he can check out the achilles tendon/bone spur problem that has me climbing the walls with pain.

I've been off Seroquel for about 3 months - eating the same (I don't overeat or eat junk), hardly exercising because of the foot pain - and I've lost 10lbs.

oh, I am sorry you are in so much pain.
I hope you can get relief asap.

Congratulations on your weight loss.

I am very sorry you go through so much pain when you are simply attending to hygiene.

If I am recalling correctly, you are challenged with fibromyalgia?

Does the water hitting your skin cause pain?
If so, maybe consider an adjustable showerhead?

Some people enjoy attachments to the pipe that feeds the showerhead. These have flexible tubing and a "wand" at the end where the water comes out. This allows more control of the water and stops the "pelting" sensation you might be feeling from the current showerhead.

There are many styles. You can take the wand out of the holder at the top and hold it in your hand, self-directing the water flow. Can usually also choose from a variety of levels from softer water flow to a stronger flow.

Just one example:

Waterpik 9-Spray 4.5 in. Single Wall Mount Low Flow Handheld Rain Shower Head in Chrome-YAT-963ME - The Home Depot

It's quite possible the shower causes you pain for a different reason.
I truly hate to see you suffering from a shower.

Congratulations to those who've lost the weight!

BethRags, I hope the podiatrist can help ease your foot pain. I wish my Seroquel XR dose could be lowered. I know that would help me lose weight, too, but this is definitely not the right time for me to take less. It tends to be a lot more weight neutral when I can get down to doses of 450 or 500 mg, or less. I haven't been able to take that little for about two years now.

I now know for sure that I have started my spring mood upswing, a little earlier than usual. Hubby, pdoc, and tdoc have noticed, and so have I. I'm zipping around a lot, a lot more productive than usual, and loud, even more talkative than usual, quick quick quick, and slightly impulsive. I try to curb all this, but can't fully. Physically, I find myself sweating a lot. My body seems to turn into a furnace. I have slept OK, thanks to my Seroquel XR, but in the mornings I start to accelerate, usually reaching a peak at around 4 pm.

That's impressively insightful BirdDancer. How do you typically handle it? Do you take countermeasures or just enjoy it until it reaches a certain point?

I confess that when my hypomania is mild, I do allow myself to enjoy the ride a bit. But as I wrote, some less than ideal symptoms show themselves. When I struggle to curb them sufficiently, or if the mania level rises, I start to take prn Seroquel and/or my psychiatrist raises my Seroquel XR dose. I prefer the former rather than the latter, of course. Sometimes the prns keep the beast at bay as long as other factors are not at play, such as stress or over-excitement.

Speaking of stress/over-excitement, another strategy is for me to "lay low" as I call it. Sometimes even a trip to the grocery store can be enough to accelerate the beast. It may still live, though, but it is better for me to "write some of it out" at home, perhaps not always on forums. The writing transfers some of the racing thoughts from my brain through my arms and then fingers to my laptop keyboard. Part of the benefit is that my fingers dance and bang on the keys. Boom, boom, ba ba, boom, tala ha ha phooey chick, bada bing louie. It's an exhaling of sorts, a type of release. Pleasurable and yet at the same time relieving.

I really don't want my Seroquel XR dose to go up to 650 or 700 mg. I've found over the years that my base dose is increasing. It's frustrating, and yet it's necessary, sometimes. I've got to be honest and say that I would not be among those who could quit my medications. After 34 years with bipolar illness, that is not likely an option for me. That's not to say I don't wish my Seroquel XR dose to be lower. But gone? That would be a pipe dream. Thirty four years having bipolar disorder. Fifteen years of being told I had bipolar disorder by likely 10 different psychiatrists and 15 different therapists. More times than I can remember that the illness proved itself again and again. It's not a joke. It's not something I can wish or think away. The course has worsened over the years. Though I have gained great insight and coping skills, that help greatly, my medication proves its necessity. Again and again. I can't just make the same mistakes and expect a different result. Einstein was right, at least for me.

The last time I reached full blown manic with psychosis was in May of 2018. It was hard to stop since my husband and I were traveling in Portugal. Too many stressors overwhelmed me. We do plan to return to Europe for a vacation this year, but hubby and I agreed that the autumn is better. Spring is too dangerous for me. Even in the fall, I now know what to avoid. I feel that I have learned a lifetime of lessons. I'm excited to learn even more. That motivates me.

Those all seem like good strategies. I like how you approach it from so many angles. I agree about having outlets for the excess energy. Allowing it to build and build without a pressure release seems risky.

I hope things go well for you this spring. Let us know if there's anything specific we can do to support you.

I got on the scale and I’ve reached my February goals and am a good way to my March goals. Yay! I had a wellness consultation at a Nutrition Store and the consultant was pleased with my eating habits and supplementation except for protein intake. He recommended I increase it since I eat meatless a lot. Most of my protein comes from 30 grams of protein added to a green morning smoothie.

I’m currently working on consistency in working out. On a good week I work out three times. Would like to get that up to 5 times consistently.

I have several pounds to lose and and many months to go so I choose to celebrate each small victory.

I echo birddancer's sentiment, congrats to those of you losing weight.

Unfortunately the number on the scale has been going up again for me. Sigh! I haven't exactly been motivated to work out lately, probably because I want to go visit the kitties and watch Netflix and just don't get time plus energy to work out later. This is only temporary though, but still, I feel guilty and I can feel my body craving to maintain healthier habits. :/

Hugs and love to everyone in physical pain

THANK YOU FUZZY!

Thank you, Fuz

Woke up with a bit of a sore throat I hope it's just from not having the humidifier last night...or pms...or from sleeping awkwardly on extra pillows.
And I was up until after 3am...could be a combo of things, but maybe I took black tea too late last night.
Whatever the case, I'm still sleepy now and a little down (again, pms...)

Well, I decided today that I would try eating more food, so I did, but now I feel like puking. I ate some mashed potatoes and a tiny bit of pasta, but that was enough to give me this horrible discomfort and nausea.

I ate probably what a 5 year old would eat, and I STILL feel sick. I should have only eaten like 3-4 spoonfuls of mashed potatoes and left it at that because now I am going to feel pukey all night at this rate. But honestly, I wouldn't be too bothered if I puked because I think that would get rid of the discomfort. I am not gonna try to make myself puke though. No way.

On the upside, I haven't had any reflux, so yay?

My home scale says I'm down about 5 pounds from what I had been. This is about 28 pounds from my highest. Its just that I still have a lot to go. Today, I went for a long walk- it took me an hour to get home and a little less than that to get to the park. I was hot and tired when I got home, but I feel good now. I had something to eat when I got home, too.