Being sick working to my advantage?

Pretty sure, I'm delusional!

I went into work on Sunday, feeling horrible. All morning I had to run into the back just to keep my dry heaves to myself. It has been awful. Seriously wouldn't want to wish this crap on anyone! I've been doing my best to behave my eating habits, but it's been difficult. The weekends are always hard, because we usually order our food out. On Sunday, we ordered from an Italian place. I ended up getting a half order of stuffed shells, which included three of them. I couldn't even finish one. I was way to nauseous to eat, and I couldn't stomach anything more than a few bites.

So after not having an appetite, you'd think I'd be losing weight? I haven't lose an iota of this water weight. I'm seriously hoping that I'm down at least two pounds, even though I was striving to lose five. I'm not really sure what's been going on with me. I've been waking up multiple times throughout the night, either dry heaving or running to the bathroom. I'm starting to wonder if I do indeed have some kind of a bug. Anyway, this sickness is not contributing to any amount of sleep for me at all! Thank God I have NO plans on Wednesday, so I can sleep in as late as I want. I'm guessing I'll probably sleep in like a teenager. 

I called the body shop this week to check on my sun visor. They didn't call me like they were supposed to, come to find that it's on back order. It's supposed to arrive this week, and I've been anxious to get it. The sun is out, and you don't realize how much you need it until you go without it! My Bans aren't cutting it anymore, and the fact I drive a five speed doesn't help either. Can't block out the sun, shift and have hands on the wheel at the same time! GAH! 

No worries, in a few more days I'll be off and things will turn around for my week off. I hope!

Oh happy day!

Wednesday weigh in!

I had a GREAT day yesterday! I went for an early appointment before work to weigh in. I'm convinced now that Jen has left, because I haven't seen her in a month. The new nurse that's there, Ciarra has been at most of my appointments now. She's nice and everything but I really liked Jen. Anyway, I hopped on the scale and LITERALLY ALMOST PASSED OUT. I MELTED AWAY 6LBS IN ONE WEEK! HOLY CRAP. I've never lost that much weight in one week! So now with my calculations, I'm down to 191, which is 16lbs total done away with! Only four more measly pounds until I'm at my 20lb mark! I could almost die, but I won't because I have more weight to shed off!

During my appointment, I brought up to Dr. Cusimano that my vision has been off. I'm not really sure if it's the Metformin or not. I am due for an eye exam after all. I forgot to take Metformin for a day and my eyes DID NOT feel weird at all. The only way I can describe the sensation is like fuzzy and heavy. I'm starting to squint more, and it's like I'm exerting more energy to focus on things. I only go to the Optometrist every other year, he doesn't think my eyes are bad enough to go every year. That's fine, I have plenty of really nice frames and I don't need like an abundance of them. She suggested taking me off Metformin for two weeks and reporting back to see if it's actually the medicine. That will kind of suck, considering I think it's really helping my weight loss. I was under A LOT of stress over the past couple of days, so that may have added to it also.

I got a text message from Verizon that my bill was ready to view. I clicked on my app and was stunned to discover that my bill was only $30.42, wtf. I'm not complaining at all, but it should really have been $100 more! So I quickly logged onto their site to review my account. They credited me $100 for NO APPARENT REASON. Like I said, I'm not complaining but something seemed pretty fishy. I called customer care and the rep even was puzzled. Turns out that they gave me the credit for upgrading my phone last month! They were running some kind of promotion or some crap and I got it! WHAT A GREAT DAY! I called to make sure that it wasn't a fluke and get a $200 bill next month, but looks like I won't have to worry about that now!

Because I'm feeling SO lucky, I may just go out and play the lottery a bit. The Powerball jackpot is up to $170 million! Like the commercials says, "Hey! You never know!"

Lipo huh?

What a day, what a day!

Miss Badu, you about summed it up!

This morning I woke up doubled over in abdominal pain. It was so bad, I thought I'd at least have to call in for the first half of my shift. I'm not sure what's going on in there, but there was definitely a storm brewing! Needless to say I'm sleep deprived today, but managed. I seriously think I'm part robotic.

Today I met my fate with the scale and it was not my friend. I gained back three pounds. Honestly it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would, because I'm pretty sure it's just water weight. I'm bound to lose it by next weigh in. I'm still trying to reach that goal of 20lbs. Five more pounds to go and I'll be there working my way to 25! Having weekly appointments has really made me commit. I swear, the only reason why I got out of bed today was because of that appointment. I knew if I dragged my butt there, I most definitely could drag my butt across the street to work. 

The Metformin hasn't made me nauseous like it did before. Dr. Cusimano told me that acute abdominal pain was associated with it. Was it possible it was just from that? I'm not sure, but I really hope this doesn't become a regular thing. It was one of those pains that woke you up from a dead sound sleep. The kind of abdominal pain that makes you borderline scared and then it goes away an hour later. 

Cody asked me if I had tried their Lipotonix injections. A good many times Sarah has asked me when I'm checking out if I had one or not. I'm always like shocked to find out that these services are available there. I need a menu! Lipotonix is used as an injection to promote sustained vitamin levels, lower cholesterol and speed up your metabolism by breaking down lipids and working with your liver. I usually get B12 shots in the office, but this is a little different. It's primarily composed of vitamins. It promotes weight loss in low calorie diet programs. I've heard good things about it. It's supposed to even out your body a bit more. People claim that they have lost their inches from it, but not necessarily pounds. We'll see how this goes.

This injection is FDA approved and safe to use. I'll be getting them in the office every week from now on. It's a bit strange. My regular B12 shot goes into my arm, but these shots go into the side of your hip...aka my fat pad love handle lol. Shots don't bother me, I could really care less. It didn't really hurt when she did it, but she pinched my love handle and that kind hurt. I really freaking hate when people poke me and pinch me...because it freaking hurts! I especially can't stand when people poke me. I have the incredible urge to want to poke them with a speedie skewer and see how they like it! For those of you who don't know what speedies are, they're pretty much just chunks of marinated meat that are indigenous to the upstate piece plot of land I hail from. They're really good, and a food I'm missing terribly. There's only one place I like getting them from around here, The Char Pit! 

((wiping up my drool...))

Anyway, I'll let you all know how the injections go. As for now I'm working on getting back on track. Target as of now, lose 5lbs for next week. I think I can, I think I can, I KNOW I CAN!

Well hello there Miss Cranky Pants!

And by saying this, I do mean myself.

When will this nausea ever end?! I rolled into work today pretty much running to the bathroom after I punched in. Anticipating I was going to throw up a rainbow into the porcelain pee hold, I was sadly mistaken. GRRRR. I just sat there crouched on the floor holding my hair back. Dry heaves will be the death of me.

It's been suggested to me to maybe get my meds switched. I'm stubborn, and prefer to stick it out and wait a few more weeks. Mixing around with too many medications is never a good idea. Maybe I'm just being a baby about this whole thing. The nausea only seems to last for about the first two hours. Usually I eat a protein bar or fruit with it, and ya know what?! I'm going to say eff that and eat a piece of toast instead. 

Does this magically happen to anyone else or just me? Whenever I'm not feeling well, everyone needs to ask me a million questions about this that and the other thing!? Apparently some people don't know how to tell, I'm not really into listening or answering their questions right away--go ask someone else! I was visibly pissed today at work, and I really don't like to be. Because A it looks bad and B I don't need people talking more shit than they already do! So maybe eating a normal breakfast will be a good idea. 

I've got some serious decisions to make concerning work. There have been some different openings, but I'm still on the fence. I REALLY REALLY LOVE MY SCHEDULE! It's against hospital policy to say anything negative about the company online via blog, facebook, whatever so I won't even go there. Should I sacrifice working a great schedule with the usual pisses and moans about it, or transfer to a different position with a CRAP shift I've worked before and despised it--at risk of starting at a new facility where I may or may not like it?! Ugh, I don't know. Looks like I'm going to have to make a pros and cons list--kind of hard to do when there are ZIP ZILTCH for details on this new place.

What's a girl to do, what to do? Guess for now, I'm going to have to keep on keepin' on and see how things pan out. What would any of you do? GAHHHH I don't know!

Are you preggers?

GAWD.

Why does everyone assume you're pregnant when you say you're nauseous?!

Dr. C upped my dose of Metformin on Wednesday. I'm to take 2 tabs 500mg a piece per day. I take one in the morning and one 12 hours later, so 9 and 9. Remember when I posted how sick I  was?! Well it came back again...

Usually my coworkers can tell when something is bothering me. I don't carry a poker face very well. So when I was cranky and constantly taking deep breaths in they asked. Why is it that every time someone even mentions they are nauseous---people think you're knocked up?! Like no other ailment exists where you might feel nauseous. I  had to have at least eight people ask me today if I was pregnant. DO I LOOK FREAKING PREGNANT TO YOU?! It's the meds talking...lol

My friend Michelle is an RN. I feel bad bombarding her with questions all the time, but she doesn't mind. She's also a diabetic. She's been following my program and what I'm doing so naturally when I upped my dose of Metformin she had some questions for me. Jen from the office told me today that she's using it to treat a metabolic disorder in me. I did some research and increased amounts of insulin in the body, tends to mess with your metabolism. Bingo. If I'm truly not a diabetic, that's the only other reason I can think of for taking it. Michelle covers once in a while in my department and she was there today. She suggested that we test my sugar.

The finger stick meter test is really no big deal, however I definitely could see how pricking your finger multiple times a day can get old. We tested my sugar before I ate and it was at 115. Completely normal. Before eating a meal, glucose should be at 80-120. Two hours after I ate my lunch we did another stick. My sugar was at 120, normal range should be 80-150. I suppose that my glucose is slightly high, but not enough to put me at risk. I'm getting a full panel drawn in two weeks, so we'll see how it looks then. My Tricor seems to agree with me okay I guess. I can't do an easy test for my cholesterol, so I'll just have to be patient and wait.

It's been really encouraging and nice to hear people tell me I look like I'm shrinking! Melllllting, I'm mellllllllting! I'm super pumped to get some new threads. First and foremost scrubs. I've been wearing the same sets for a long time, and they are starting to become baggy parachutes. If MC Hammer was in healthcare, we'd be wearing the same scrubs. Shaking my head lol. I'm planning on going to the city for a shopping extravaganza soon, and I intend for it to be complete and utter retain gluttony. Speaking of which, I'm cooking up another reward for myself. What to do, what to do at my 20lb mark! It's coming up soon people so I need a treat!

First weigh in of 2012!

Woot woot!

So I got up this morning only to find that it was literally 1 degree outside. WOOF. I drive a 5 speed manual, so naturally I cursed myself out this morning for not buying an automatic. I have love for driving 5 speed. Living in the suburbs definitely helps a lot, you wouldn't catch me dead driving one in a busy city. It's just a pain in the ass having to stop and shift all the time. Luckily we haven't gotten much snow, but generally speaking I like the way it handles in it. 

Driving on the way to my appointment, it didn't even occur to me this was my first weigh in of the year! Yippy skippy! I waited patiently for my turn to be called back. I was super excited when I got on the scale. I lost 3lbs this week! I'm still kind of amazed considering I've not only survived the holidays, but I'm officially 13lbs down and on my way to 15! 

Dr. Cusimano told me how proud of me she was today, and it made me feel good. Her program is not easy and is definitely not for everyone. I've been seriously grateful that I've found her and she's been such an amazing doctor. She increased my dose of Metformin to two tabs of 500mg. My friends who are diabetics, are actually on the same dose as me. Which always makes me wonder, if I really am a diabetic and she's not telling me or she's using it purely to help me lose weight? I guess I should have asked her when I was in the office today...

My next office visit, I'm hoping to have lost another 2lbs to get to me a running total of 15lbs melted away! I get another set of labs taken in 3 weeks, so we'll see if the Metformin and Tricor are working. Wish me luck! :-)

Let's not do that again...

No more drinking for me, for a while.

So, I went out with a bunch of my friends Thursday night. It was so great to see everyone again! People were in from all over the US that had moved away, bright shiny smiling happy pappy faces! I do love seeing all my friends from High School. It's really crazy because even though everyone is older, we all seem to agree that we feel like nothing has changed at all

My nausea was still present with me today when I took my meds. It seems to only last a few hours in the morning, with or without food. I still don't feel like I'm that hungry anymore. I'm still doing my shakes and eating my protein bars. They're filling me up just fine.

Anxious to get out of work, I quick changed my clothes and was running to the time clock. Marissa came home from Italy and this was the first time I was going to see her! We spent like the first 40 seconds screaming and jumping up and down, like any other besties would do! There were so many others I was so happy to see while I was there. I decided to try and have a beer, which didn't work out so great. 

I have been accused of nursing my drinks, which I have no shame in doing. I don't like being out of control, I have issues. I don't like being at the mercy of someone else. The whole idea of being wasted and not knowing how I got home, or remembering things properly freaks me out. I've been over the whole black out drunk phase. I don't care if anyone else does it, I always tell my friends they don't have to explain anything to me--concerning their drinking habits or occasional reefer smokeage. As far as drugs are concerned, of course I'm going to try and deter you from using, but if you still do--keep that shit away from me!

It wasn't even half gone when I started feeling REALLY sick. I felt like I drank a whole CASE of beer! UGH. It was so bad, that I seriously don't think I'll be drinking for a long while. I really shouldn't anyway, but sometimes I cheat and do it. Not good, not good. No one really gives me crap about it either. They all pretty much respect my decisions to drink or not drink. I've been told drinking long after I take my Metformin is ok, but I'm still scared.

I'm not that sad over it really, just don't ever want to feel like nauseous grossness like that again! WOOF!

RRRRRAAAAALLLF.

As in nauseous and I want to throw up!

I began taking my medication after my appointment on Wednesday. At first I didn't feel anything funny, I read the label correctly and took it a half hour before I ate anything. As luck would have it, we were busy and I didn't have a chance to eat my protein bar until noon.

Dr. Cusimano has me on 500mg of Metformin, and I am to take 1 pill a day. Usually it's supposed to be taken 2x/day, but it could cause stomach pain and she didn't want me to over do it. I thought of stomach pain, as more of like a stomach ache. Well it isn't. It's more like dull aches around your abdomen. I began getting super nauseous that day and felt like dry heaving. 

I talked to my friend John at work about it. He's a diabetic and on Metformin and we came to the conclusion it was the Tricor. He was on Tricor for his cholesterol also, took it for a week and couldn't do it anymore. Apparently most cholesterol medications make you feel sick. It's one of those types of meds where if you start, you should try to avoid at all costs missing a dose. I'm still new to these, I've never really had to be medicated for anything before. I'm hoping that this all works.

I haven't had much of a appetite at all, not sure if that's a good or bad thing! It's just kind of hard to want to eat anything when you feel like ralfing.

Wednesday weigh in

Another weigh in!

Here we are playing the catch up game again! Lots to tell about my weigh in. So first off, I ended up gaining 1lb back. Blah. Whatever, no big deal. I'm not going to let it get me down.

Dr. Cusimano went over my lab work with me and I found out some new things. My HDL levels (which is the good cholesterol) went up, so that's fabulous. My LDL levels (lousy cholesterol) stayed exactly that...lousy. After gathering all of my labs over the past few weeks and comparing them, she came to the conclusion that this is genetic. My dad has high cholesterol as well, so there you have it. My trigylcerides were still also high. They should be around 150-200 and mine are on the edge of 300. 

She went thought this whole explanation about insulin production and out put. Because all of my other labs came back with big improvements, yet again she concluded that his was genetic. My aunt and uncle have diabetes, and I am doing everything I can go avoid it. Although she did inform me I'm NOT a diabetic, I could develop it in 5 years if I did nothing about it. Thank god I started going to her. She goes through all of my medical history very thoroughly, which my primary doctor does not do. I met a woman at the hospital who started going to Dr. Cusimano and began the program as a diabetic. She is now off of her diabetes medications and has lost over 100lbs. Super boost of confidence.

Needless to say, she prescribed me medication. I'm taking Tricor to regulate my cholesterol, and she also put me on Metformin. Metformin is a drug that is used to treat diabetes, polycystic ovarian disease and other conditions. Wait, what?! I thought you said I WASN'T a diabetic! That's right, I'm not. She has me starting Metformin to regulate my insulin. I read online that people also use it as a form of appetite suppressant. Your body released insulin to break down sugars in your body. Apparently with excess insulin in your blood stream, hunger is associated with it. We'll see how it works out!

Nurse visit this Wednesday. I'll keep you posted!