Need to Lose Weight | Arthritis Information

Since my Rheumy put me on Lexapro last year I have packed on 40 lbs. I have tried EVERYTHING except taping my mouth shut and strapping myself to a treadmill to lose weight. I was thinking about going on presciption diet pills from a reputable diet clinic .. Has anyone else tried prescription diet pills? I know they aren't the smartest thing, but has anyone else taken them while being on Remicade? I need something to stop the pounds before I start having more problems. Maybe the gaining of weight is what was the beginning of my back problems. Let me know what you have experienced. kskrause2139242.7828472222yeah, i have tried xenical. the recently released that new non-prescription diet pill that works like xenical but it isnt as strong.

it only works for people who eat a lot of fat.
if your a grazer.. it wont really work that well. but if your the type that has an occassional big mac or something, then it may.

Kskrause;

10 years ago I had what I think was a mild stroke after being on phen-fen. To this day I have problems with short term memory.

Me - I'd strap myself to the treadmill and get braces and wire my jaw shut. The new pills seem to work by inhibiting endocannibisoids in the brain. That's how you dream. Do NOT touch them - you'll hear success stories until people start dying in droves.

Sorry, as you can see I'm very emotional about this.

Can you switch RA meds? I think that would be a heck of a lot safer.

Pip

Hi,

I tried diet pills once, from a reputable diet clinic too. I thought I was fat, weighed 119. I will never see 119 again...I will never see my feet again BUT my advice, based on my experience, is that you have enough problems without creating more. Losing weight is good for you if done correctly and sensibly.

I used to go to the diet clinic and sit with all the other people there and look at them and think they were so hyper and what in heck was wrong with them. Then we'd start talking after seeing each other there each week and we'd trade stories and I found that all of those people had houses just as clean as mine. Turns out none of us could sleep, we'd be scrubbing floors all night, washing windows after work, working out on the treadmill like lunatic gerbils at 2AM. I don't know what the doc gave us but I had more energy than General Electric.

I went on a vacation and forgot the pills he gave us each week. (Little brown bag too...not in a bottle.) The first day I was okay, the second I felt bad, the third I was a wreck and right in the middle of the vacation I was taken to the ER, flat on my back, couldn't walk, in terrible shape and I was exhausted. I had crashed.

I stopped the diet, the weight returned immediately and my house got back to its old self, lived in. I was sick for awhile too and all of the doctors were angry with me for being so stupid. Eventually I went to Weight Watchers and it works, it's the only thing that really works because you eat less and that's the only way it does work.

Don't do it. Not worth it. Eat less, exercise, be healthy.

I feel your pain. I got on lexapro and put on 30 lbs which I am still in the
process of trying to lose. I have been far worse with the additional weight
on. You could try switching away from the Lexapro. There are a number of
other SSRIs that would probably do the trick, and different SSRIs tend to
have different side effects so part of the process is finding the right match
for you. However, Lexapro also is supposed to have lower incidence of side
effects so I don't know how successful that would be. If its for depression,
you coudl switch to an NDRI (wellbutrin) or SNRI (Effexor). They work on
different neurotransmitters and people tend to report losing rather than
gaining weight. I have had good results with wellbutrin, but everyone is
different so ask your doc if he think it'd work.Weight Watchers. It is the only diet that keeps my weight down.
Hi, more pills doesn't appeal to me, but Weight Watchers would seem like a good 'try' (I know people who lose, then put it back on with WW, also), but gaining weight for us puts so much stress on our joints, knees, ankles, feet, that I do believe it is smart to take it off or keep it off or whatever it tkes. I gained on Prednisone (ate with both hands!!!, gained and gained) and still can't get it off. I take a diuretic, to combat the water retention of the pred, but still eat tooooooo much food. 4 bowls of 'low fat' choc. ice cream yesterday AFTER my drive in a bright red corvette!! so, overeating is my problem. Good luck, I've been battling this for years. Sarah Lynda

Unless your RD would be willing to recommend something....I'd stay as far away from any of those diet pills as possible. I agree with Pips post other than the "I'd strap myself to the treadmill and get braces and wire my jaw shut." comment.

Peace & Love....Neasy

the name of the fat blocking OTC diet pill that acts like xenical, is alli.
im sorry that my reply hasnt been as "no no no" as the other ones, but as someone who gained 70 lbs as a result of RA and no activity.

WEIGHT LOSS IS SO FREAKING IMPORTANT.
personally, i have purchased a very expensive exercise machine, and with a combo of elliiminating trigger foods, and ra flare up foods like dairy and wheat, i have lost 65 of the 70 lbs gained.

WOW Sophista CONGRATS!!!! That is great!

I really don't think weight loss comes in a pill but in a total change of lifestyle like sophista did. Now that I am off the pred (and thankfully Danielle does not crave sugar) we have had a total change of how we are eating in the house. Plus getting my own bike and a membership to the YMCA up the street. I feel it really takes getting up and getting moving and making the right food choices. I also really feel very strongly that diet pills are very dangerous to take. Even if you can't get up and move around a whole lot, there are chair exercises that you can do to get the heart pumping.

I too took phen-phen years ago and lost 70lbs in 3 months. I went off it when the news came out about heart problems. Well, guess what, now I have a heart murmur, gained all the weight plus some back. Not a good idea. I learned my lesson. I try to make it a lifestyle change and eat right but with ra it's so hard to shop for the right foods let alone prepare them. I have started walking in the evenings and doing stretches in the morning (if I can). My son is over weight and my daughter is packing on the pounds too. I gave up soda for Lent and lost 11 and a half pounds just from not drinking it. We don't have soda in the house anymore unless it's diet.

Good luck on losing. Does anyone have any good easy, light recipes to share??? Maybe should start a new thread???

Have you tried a raw food diet? You can eat as much as you want. Raw food has extra fiber so it fills you up. Raw food also takes more calories to digest so you burn more energy just trying to process it. I did a 90% raw diet for just a week and the weight just fell off.

Raw food like fruits and veggies? Salads?? Do you have an example of what a day of meals would be?? PM it to me if you want. I am kinda interested in this. I have finally stopped my pred and with that my appetite has stopped also. I barely get down a bagel, yogurt, and a piece of fruit for breakfast in the mornings. I have had no between meals snacks...I don't have the appetite for it. I eat very little and that kinda worries me since I KNOW I have to eat better than what I am.

I am also withdrawing from sugar. I have such a headache from that I just want to scream. I stopped the pred and I have no more craving for sugar. I think my body is wondering just where in the heck those sweet tarts are at lol. Any hints on how to ease sugar withdrawl?

Please don't consider diet pills as the answer. I don't have the personal horror stories to tell you but being a nurse I've seen the worst of the worst.

The bottom line is what we eat and how much we eat. I've gone on a low fat, low carb diet and have lost about 25 lbs. I've also been able to reduce Pred. to 7.5 mg. so my appetite is much less and I don't have cravings any longer. I was never a stress eater. I packed 40 lbs. on when I went on Pred. and it stayed until I started to diet. Besides low fat and low carb I'm eating about 1/2 the amount that I ate before. I'm also eating 5 times a day to keep my blood sugar on an even keel.

No diet is easy. You have to be committed and truly want to be healthier. I finally decided that I wanted to be healthier. Pred. sort of fogged any rational thoughts. I go to the Y for "little ole lady" exercises and use the pool. At home I lift and curl cans of baked beans for upper body strength. They're not on my diet so I might as well put the cans to use.

You're on the right track and I hope that you find what diet works for you. This works for me but it might not work for you. Lindy