Newbie needs suggestions

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-10-2006
Newbie needs suggestions
13
Sun, 12-10-2006 - 9:34am

Hello. I'm new to this board so I wanted to introduce myself. I'm 24, female and my highest weights was 310 lbs. I've lost 32 pounds so far. I want to lose another 140 (approx). I want to try to do this without weight loss drugs and absolutely refuse to have any type of surgery.

First, my history. It's a bit long, but all important to my present situation.

I'm having trouble losing primarily due to physical limitations. I have, in the past, injured both ankles (ripped ligaments) neither of which healed properly. The orthopedic surgeon I saw when the injuries occured said because I wasn't an athlete, my injuries wouldn't require surgery and should heal fine on their own. Well, they didn't. This happened back when I was in high school about 18 months apart. Even a short walk will leave my ankles looking like someone taped a baseball to the sides because they swell so much. It is very painful, but popping some ibuprofen prior seems to help me deal with the pain. I also have a bad knee, but that due to my weight and weak ankles, not injury.

More recently, I have been having dizzy spells, I was sent to a neurologist who said I have benign proxymal positional vertigo. Somewhere between my ears and eyes, somethings wrong that cause my brain to believe that either I or the room is moving when it's not. I saw him for some treatments and the "room is spinning" type of dizziness has all but disappeared.

I was still having dizzy,weak, about-to-pass-out spells, so a local hospital did some more testing and I was diagnosed with a neuro-cardial condition in which my heart and brain don't communicate properly which causes my blood pressure to drop suddenly for absolutely no reason. If I don't sit down or lie down immediately, I'll pass out. Thank goodness, I haven't completly passed out yet, but I believe that's because I have been severly limiting my activities to avoid situations where I could pass out. My poor dog hasn't been on a walk lasting more than 10 minutes in months. How am I supposed to lose weight if I can't be active? The weight I've lost so far has been primarily due to diet changes, but now I've hit a plateau and can't seem to drop another pound.

When the doctor's did some testing to diagnose this condition, they also told me that I don't eat nearly enough salt. My sodium levels are so low that even on a cellular level, my body can't function properly because my cells can't retain enough water.

On the up side, despite my weight, I am not diabetic (yet) I don't have high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

Does anyone have any suggestions for exercises I can do?

Thanks for any suggestions,

Dee

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 12-10-2006 - 10:50am
Welcome Dee and congratulations on your terrific progress! One thought I had is that you might be able to make the most of the 10 minutes or so that your body will allow you by doing 10 minutes early in the day and another 10 later in the day. I recommend Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds DVDs/tapes which are super simple and are easily modified and broken into smaller chunks. Good luck finding something that works for you! Annie
A
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-20-2003
Sun, 12-10-2006 - 12:18pm

welcome Dee :) I'm glad you found us!

32 pounds is awesome!!! :) WAY TO GO!!! You are definitely on the right track for you caloric intake.

As for exercise - it sounds like you shouldn't really be doing anything that is really getting your heart beat up. So doing things slow should help. Did you know 15 minutes of yoga will burn as many calories as walking 3/mph? Or how about isometrics? What ever you are doing, do so with your stomach sucked in like you are trying to look skinny. (I do this when I go for my daily walk and it has pulled inches off my waist, helped my posture, and helped strengthen my lower back)

Have you talked to your doctor about what kind of exercise you could do consider the medical limitations?

Lots and lots of luck to you - and keep us posted :)

~ Kim

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-15-2006
Sun, 12-10-2006 - 2:11pm

I to have bad ankles and bad knees. The ankles were broken high school when I fell off my bike riding down the neighbors rocky lane. The knees are bad because of my weight. Anyhow it was to much for me to walk very far or for even a long period of time so while at a garage sale this past summer a purchased a used recumbant bike for 25 dollars. I felt like I hit the jackpot!!!! I started out only riding a few minutes and now I am up to half and hour and riding 5 miles a day. Perhaps a recumbent bike would help you also.
Congrats on the weight already lost and good luck!!!!

~

url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/weight-loss/w449lLl/

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-25-2006
Sun, 12-10-2006 - 3:51pm
WOW. That is a lot to deal with. Bless your heart. Even more amazing is you were don't you don't eat enough sodium?? WOW, I can live off of salt. LOL I can't offer advice, but I can say welcome to the board, and I wish you the best of luck in dealing with these medical problems and losing weight!!!

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Angela

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-20-2006
Mon, 12-11-2006 - 2:51pm
Hi,
I would suggest swimming or aqua aerobics. Both are great exercise and they don't put pressure on your joints. I'm not sure where you live but usually there should be a public pool or a gym you can go to. Best of Luck. Cyndi
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-10-2006
Mon, 12-11-2006 - 7:02pm

The ortho. doc said I would have been better off if I had broken my ankles. At least then it would have been a clean break. Now it's like my ankles are part elastic. If I put my feet up (in a recliner or something) my ankles flop to the sides much farther than they should. Very unstable.

My boss (recovering from a broken hip) has a stationary bike at work that I use when I can (hard when the phone rings every 2 minutes). I've been thinking about getting one for home - the problem is just where to put it as my fiancee and I have a small apartment. We have a treadmill that I use (as does he and the dog) but again only for 10 min most days. Occasionally I have a good day and can go 45 min - 1 hour without causing myself too much pain.

Hey! your birthday is the day before mine!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-10-2006
Mon, 12-11-2006 - 7:06pm

I'm just not big on salty foods. Pretzels and salty crackers are like corporal punishment. Despite this torture, I'm still not getting enough salt, so the doc said it's time for salt tablets.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-10-2006
Mon, 12-11-2006 - 7:11pm

Thanks for the support.

I try not to obsess about calories too much as I went through struggles with anorexia and then bulimia in my early teens. Both were relatively short lived, but did their damage.

Everyone here is really friendly and helpful. We're definitley on the right track now.

Dee

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-06-2006
Tue, 12-12-2006 - 1:29am

Hi Dee,

We are about the same age and weight and I too want to lose about 130lbs. It would be fun to go through this journey together! :)

Nice to meet you!

Patti

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-12-2006
Tue, 12-12-2006 - 7:14pm

Dee, I don't have any exercise suggestions for you but I wanted to say "Hi" and that I really admire you. Even with all the health problems you're experiencing you are still highly motivated. That's inspiring!

(((Hugs)))
Gabbie
295/260/130

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