The Past Seven Months

I haven’t written anything in the past severn months. Why is that?

Mostly because, well, I’ve just been living my life. My new eating habits are “for the rest of my life” so I’ve been figuring it out. I have my routines and mostly stick to them.

I continue to walk the dog at least once a day, and on the weekends I walk up to 3 miles. At the Gay Pride parade I marched with different contingents and walked over 5 miles. I can do this! I still have back back pain because my back is really screwed up, but I can deal with it day to day. Some days it’s worse, some days better.

I still do yoga. I have lessons weekly and try to do my practice at least a few times a week. It really helps. I had a whole course of physical therapy for my back, and that helped too. Mostly I learned some good mobility, strengthening, and stretching, and it nicely complements the yoga.

I went bowling a couple of days ago. All good.

I walk around our property, do physical things around the house, and all is well.

I’ve done 2 plane trips and 1 driving trip and did really well. Didn’t even board with the disabled people, and I’ve stopped parking in disabled spaces.

So what do I eat? I generally eat some protein and fruit and decaf coffee (with half and half) at breakfast, a salad with protein for lunch, a snack of crunch protein things like nuts or parmesan crisps, and dinner of protein, veggies, and sometimes a small amount of carbs. I snack at night, which continues to be a problem, but I try to keep it “clean” – sugar free candies or other treats or some more protein. I average about 1400 calories a day, under 75g net carbs, about 100g of protein. I drink about 100 oz of water a day. It’s all a good routine. When we travel it’s worse because there are other treats available, but we bring foos so as not to snack on the plane or at airports, and get groceries delivered to hotels so we eat our normal food and not more junk or restaurant food. I let myself indulge a bit, and have been as high as 1900 calories and up to 100g of net carbs. I still track what I eat most days because it keeps me accountable. I skip days that are particularly stressful or busy, but I try not to skip more than one day a week.

My weight was 207 when I had my original plastic surgery. I got down as low as 192, and then hung around 196 for a while. I’m hanging around 200 now. I’m OK with the weight, but my shape is weird. I’m having a “revision” plastic surgery on September 17 to deal with some of the upper belly fat. I’m doing that because I look funny in clothes, narrow at the hips, small breasts, and a round midsection. I can’t get clothes to fit right either. My hips are a size 7 and my belly is a size 18.

My A1C has been steady around 6.3 which is great for a diabetic. I’d like it lower, but my body will do what it will do. All other blood work is great. The only meds I’m on are Candesartan for its kidney protectant properties and to keep my blood pressure in check, and a low dose of Lipitor to keep my good cholesterol high enough.

Great outcome – all a rousing success in terms of my original intention for having the surgery.

Cutting Meds

Saw the doctor today. My blood test numbers are so good that she removed one of my two blood pressure medicines, and cut my cholesterol medicine in half. I haven’t taken a metformin (diabetes) pill since December, and I only use my long acting insulin about once a week now. Amazing!

Diabetes meds – less and less

Another evolving non-scale victory: I have not had to take my diabetes pills (metformin) for 3 weeks. (I take it based on my fasting blood sugar.) I’ve had to take a few doses of my nighttime insulin during that time, but I’m pleased so far.

Another NSV: Diabetes Medications

A year and a half ago I was taking 5 metformin pills a day for my diabetes, 2 in the morning, 2 in the evening, and 1 at noon. I now take it only if my morning blood sugar is high enough to warrant it. Over the last 17 days, I have taken 2 metformin pills. Doing the comparison, a year and a half ago I would have taken 85 pills over that same time period.

Similarly, a year and a half ago I was taking 180 units of long-acting insulin a day for my diabetes. I now take it only if my evening blood sugar is high enough to warrant it. Over the last 23 days, I have taken insulin only 3 times, totaling 21 units. Doing the comparison, a year and a half ago I would have taken 4,140 units over that same time period.

Further Reduction in Diabetes Meds

It is now a week since I needed to take my once-a-day Metformin pill, based on my morning blood sugar measure.

Over the last 2 weeks I have had to take insulin in the evening only twice.

While the weight is coming off agonizingly slowly, I’m clinging to the non-scale-victories (NSV’s).

Reduction in Medication

Every morning I check my blood sugar. Depending on the level, I take a Metformin pill. Almost every day since surgery I’ve had to take one. However, this week there have been three days when I didn’t have to because my blood sugar level was low enough. Another NSV!

No Insulin for 2 weeks!

I just realized that it’s been 2 weeks since my blood sugars were at a level that I needed to take insulin. However my A1C is a bit higher (6.2), so we may tighten controls so I will need to take it again. We’ll see. But I’m still happy with the progress.

Diabetes Meds: great progress

Every morning and every night I check my blood sugar. Based on those values, I might have to take one Metformin in the morning and some amount of Lantus (insulin) at night. The wonderful news is that since 6/16 I have taken Lantus only 3 times, totaling 53 units, and one Metformin on about 2/3 of the days, for a total of 14 pills. During that time period last year I would have taken 3,780 units of Lantus and 105 Metformin pills. Amazing!