Time for a Change

In past years I've been very successful with following the WW's plan.  I've always met my goal weight and kept it off for a good period of time.  Things like medications and pain restricting my exercise for periods of time let me slowly gain it back.   My latest issue has been a medication I was taking for the fibromyalgia.  I've been off since the beginning of April but I'm in a rut.  I'm stuck on weight I started at back when I started WW's in the fall.  I was 2 pounds from my goal weight when I started the medication and slowly climbed up to where I started and stayed there every since.

I've taken into a lot of factors.  I've increased the dosage of my antidepressant from 20 to 40 ( under advise of my psychologist ).  She said the increase could also be effecting my weight.  I'm also aware that the older you get the harder it becomes to loose weight.  It's always been pretty easy for me.  I have a lot of will power so sticking to the plan has been easy.  So imagine being super strict and you get NO results.  

One thing I'm really thrilled about is I've been back in the pool now for two weeks.  The water temp has been awesome.  I've started slow with walking first.  This week I did some water jogging.  Increasing time a little each day.  It's just unbelievable how my back pain just disappears when I step into the pool.  With that in mind I have to really be careful.  I did a lot of stretching the first day and I was so so sore the following day.   

Speaking of stretching, the bursitis in my shoulder has greatly improved since I've been getting in the pool.  It's really hard to do the PT stretches they asked of me.  I'm a very compliant patient because I want to be better.  However, sometime it's just so painful I cheat and cut the reps or time I spend.  In the pool I've been able to do it mostly pain free.

Back to my title "time for a change".  What am I planning?  I've been doing a lot of research on becoming gluten free.  One of the things that attracts me to the idea more than weight loss it is really supposed to help with inflammation.  I've tried so many things to help with that.  Inflammation is one of my biggest culprits.  In my research I read you loose weight also.  If that happens, great.  My biggest hope it that I will just feel better.  I'll take 50% better.  The fibromyalgia has really had me beat.  

Here is my plan...I have a book I plan to pick up and hopefully read before the end of month.  ( saw on Dr. Oz )  Continue to research what I can and can't have.  I want to slowly start buying the things I need a little at a time.   My WW's plan ends at the end of the month and I hopefully will be ready to get started on a Gluten Free diet.  I figure even if it doesn't work for my pain maybe I will loose a few pounds.  If I don't loose any weight but start to feel better that would be the BEST outcome.   

I have a friend who is gluten free that I spent some time with this past week end and she was in a car accident a while back.  Days later she started having a lot of neck pain.  After getting checked out at the doctor she discovered she had to bulging discs in her neck.  A period of time when by when she couldn't get the pain level down with PT and home care and they put her on pain medication.  She is a health nut so that didn't go over well.  Even though she was hurting bad enough to take it she told me there was not way she was just going to continue to take it and mask the pain.  Like me, she could tell she had a lot of inflammation in the area.  That's how she got started.  Within a couple of weeks she didn't need the pain medicine at all and she's feeling so much better overall.  

I'll share with you two things I've started doing as a "pre prep" to start some healthy habits.

1)Some time back I mentioned my new obsession with coconut oil.  I've been using in cooking, popping homemade popcorn and baking.  I knew about benefits of using as a replacement for other fats and  a lot of uses for it.  What I'd never looked at was the benefits of ingesting coconut oil.  There are plenty I could tell you about but if your interested just goggle.  It's all there.  

I mentioned to my friend and she said she put in her coffee every morning.  That was one of the ways I read about.  I gave it a try and I loved it.  There is an adjustment for a few cups because you can SEE the oil.  I loved it though because it made my lips so moisturized.  I usually put powder creamer in my coffee but read it helps to use milk ( I don't like anything cold in my coffee) and it helps make it creamer.  The second cup I used a little almond milk in place of the creamer.  I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk so it didn't add any sweetness to the coffee.  It's a new and exciting thing at breakfast!  

2)She also told me about the benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar.  Another that there are plenty of....but like the coconut oil ingestion google it.  I dont' mind sharing but don't want to keep this post going on and on.  The main one I tried is for detox.  As part of balancing the body's PH apple cider vinegar creates an overall detoxification of the body.  Research shows that it can help stimulate cardiovascular circulation and help detoxify the liver.  

Another that caught my eye the aid in weight loss.  For daily weight management add 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to 16 oz of water.   You can sip throughout the day or just drink all at once.  I added juice from half a lemon to cut down on the acidic taste.  With that added it tasted like lemon water with a taste of apple.  Enjoyable and good for you.  I drink two glasses of lemon water a day anyway so it wasn't like I really had to make a big change with this one.  

I'm hoping trying gluten free may help my hives go away.  I must say it's been the best year ever for the reduction of appearances.  Unfortunately, they've still been around.  Especially on days when my pain level is up or I'm having some really bad break though pain.  The week after returning from the cruise was the worst flare up I'd had all year.  In reading the benefits of the Apple Cider Vinegar it didn't mention hives ( at least on the sties I viewed )
but it did talk about the benefits if you have allergies.  I'm always hopeful.

I could use to see Mr. R for an adjustment but I have several programs that I'm really pleased with.  I seldom turn it off anymore.  When I go to bed I just turn it down really low.  In the first year I'd try that but it would wake me up when it would come on and off.  I think because it's in a better place now it's more comforting than disturbing.  I'm having to charge my battery every couple of weeks.  A huge difference from the first year to year and a half.

I have a follower who recently had a SCS implanted.  I started following her blog and I hear myself in her writing in the beginning months after surgery.  ( She's a better writer and much more positive)  I'd just like to say to her not to be to discouraged in the first year.  I'm sure your doctors have told you but the longer you heal the less movement you get in the stimulation.  It also means you have to have less frequent adjustments.  Both of my scars are still tender to some degree.  The area in my spine where the paddle leads are placed always stays somewhat sore.  There is a little "connecter so to speak" that sends the leads out to the IPG (battery) and it's like a bump or knot in the lower back area of my spine.  Some days if I lean against something hard it reminds me it's there.  

As far as my battery site I've excepted it is what it is.  The revision surgery we did a year ago helped so much.  A smaller battery and going deeper helped it to not protrude so much so it's less sensitive.  I still need a cushion everywhere I go but I'll take that any day over a wheel chair.  I remain certain I made the right decision in having a Spinal Cord Stimulator placed.   My pain is still there but the stimulator does help relieve it and help me from taking the amount of pain medication I once needed.  

Dallas is doing amazing.  He had a successful surgery.  They completely removed the tumor and stalk that was attached to it.  There were three arteries coming from the stalk.  She cut and tied all off.  That is where all the bleeding was coming from.  This past Monday he had his stitches removed and seems almost fully healed.  He came a long way from having 3 months to live to a surprising recovery.  The lab results showed the tumor to be something called Eosinophilic cystitis.  Very rare but the few number of cases they've seen has been with dogs that previously had a bladder stone.  Yeah, we're so happy he'll be around some time longer.  

If you have any advice or tips for me on my plan to move gluten free, I welcome it.  I'm pretty nervous about being prepared.  Not about "what will I eat" but will "I have what I need?".  I've found a great web site to refer to and my gluten free friend has told me of several sites that will be helpful to me.  Wish me luck.  As with this and my daily struggle of coping with chronic pain I have H.O.P.E.

Happy Mothers day !!

Gentle Hugs, Theresa

My son and A

Poppa & Nonna at AJ's dedication day

The whole gang