Hey thanks for the post summer *rai. That's really something that you are losing weight and still be able to take your needed meds. Especially since some of them have a reputation for weight gain, so it just shows that for some people if you really stick to your low carb that you can do it. Congrats on the loss that's great! I hope you find that low carbing helps you feel better too as so many here have stated that it helped them. The symptoms of autoimmune diseases can really be bad sometimes. And you a diabetic as well, that's a lot for you to deal with. Best wishes and thanks again!

Just hoping that you have a good day...I got on the scales this morning a Wednesday...no gain, no loss...I figured in my 3rd week would stall...I have a rheumatologis appointment tomarrow...His scales will actually show no loss because I had gained up to 210 from 197 since I last saw him. ..I'm having the constipation problem...any advise...with all the meds, darvocets, etc...?? How do you start a journal...I can't seem to find the right place????cya

A good day to you as well! Don't worry about your stall, the same thing happened to me-I gained and then lost to what I was to begin with, but you'll lose more. Other posters will probably be able to help with these issues better than me. As far as the constipation, I have it too. Really bad. For 5 years. I have to use enemas or rubber gloves and vaseline (Sorry for being graffic) I think I've tried all conventional treatments. Metimucil, eating raw bran, lactulose, stool softeners, laxatives, mineral oil-mineral was yucky! And did not help me at all-it just made a mess. I'm sure there are others here who would know more about other approaches and I would be interested to hear from them on this as well. Do you drink plenty of water? As far as a journal, I'm not sure, I've never looked for one. I do that the old fashioned way. Sorry I couldn't be more help. Take care and good luck at your appointment. Oh I just went and looked about that journal for you. At the beginning of all the forums, If you just go to the top of this page and click on the red Active LC forum icon, it takes you to all the forums. One of the forums is called My Low Carb Journal where you can tell people how you're doing and keep track of your progress. Is that what you were looking for?

I bought flax oil today...we'll see how that works...I have an appointment with my rheumy tomarrow. Actually I am beginning to feel alot better....My sugar is still normal...eury...how is your fibro doing?...I've only had a couple of bad days this month..I actually walked today and did stretching exercises. This way I can tell doctor tomarrow...yes, yes, I have started doing the exercises that you wanted me to...LOL Just gotta keep on doing it. He had upped my amytriptline to 75 mg the last time that I went in, and added the paxil...The amytriptline does help with the pain. I am having trouble with my left hip...I'm hoping that I can strengthen the muscles there by stretching...I feel the best that I've felt for a long time. I had a serious bout with lupus/fibro two years ago, and am finally coming out of it and feeling normal...My doctor warns me that it will happen again...I can always hope that it won't. ...I hope that you are feeling good...A cold front is coming in tonight. I live in south texas and the fronts make me ache. I love the warm south winds that come in once the northerner passes...well thanks again....

Wow Texas-you're a long way from me. I'd love to go to Texas one day. It is a totally different type of weather and type of climate than way up here in the rainforest of the north! Thanks for asking. I was feeling pretty rough for a while. I had to deal with the government over some disability issues and that was very stressful, I'm just starting some new thyroid meds so that's what I'm concentrating on now. Having to get used to them and I take xanax to sleep, but it makes me feel horrible when I get up, but if these thyroid pills help, then that should be the beginning of straightening out some of my ills. Yes, flax oil is supposed to be really good for all kinds of things. I have to start stretching. I have degenerative disc problem so my back slides in and out all the time. I should go and see what I can do exercise wise and what I can't with that happening. On a good day, I have a bike and I ride around this nice big park right by where I live, sometimes I put my music on my walkman and walk around and look at the trees and the squirrels. Yes, I found that the amitriptyline helped me with feeling better too, actually, maybe I should go back on it. I was afraid because of the weight question, but you seem to be beating it, so there you go. I'm glad you're feeling better. Take care summer*rai.

Hi eury...and everyone.....Went to the doctor yesterday...and actually had a good report...right now after 10 years, my lupus test are showing negative and right now after 3 weeks on this atkins diet the fibromyalgia is " behaving".....My rheumy was very happy that I had started the atkins diet...I told him that I was concerned about taking the amytriptline 75 mg, synthroid .088, paxil .25...and zanax (like you to sleep)...plus all my other medicines to long to list...He said amytriptline is only a " little " pill...it cannot make me gain weight, however, it can my my appetite increase...He said "when your hungry do like the books said...eat the protien"...and also with the paxil, and zanax...He thought that the atkins was a good program for me to be on with the fibro...I'm also taking alot of supplements, which I have never been good to take...I am feeling so much better...I told him that I was afraid that I might do something crazy like try to go back to work, or finish my nursing school....and He said NOOOOOOO.....you can't do that...just enjoy feeling better and not try to put myself in stress like the way I have done in the past...He said that he saw so many people swing High when they feelg good, do too much, then fall flat on their faces...My persoanality is a type "A" with a "F" body...Sheesh...It's cold here in Texas today...however, we took a ride down the coast...we live about 11 miles from the gulf...as soon as the south winds come back, we'll be back in the 70's...well hope everyone has a good weekend.....

Hi...Since I have been on the Atkins for the last 3 weeks on have not cheated at all...the sugar obsession is not longer with me...I can't understand how that "It" just went away after the first week of being on the Atkins diet....I have been on the diet 3 weeks, starting my fourth week tomarrow....My sugar was ranging from 45-285....really swinging......and though I can't believe it, I have lost 15 lbs and people are starting to notice...I haven't felt this good in years...I'm even have been able to quit taking my diabetes meds....Two years ago I spent 4 months in bed and because of being so "out of it".... with fibro/lupus ...I couldn't even drive a car...now 2 years later...I am beginning to feel good...Now you have to understand that "good" for me is still living with pain and the effects of fibro...but it's managable right now...I have to keep myself out of stress...and I take lots of meds...Perhaps the Atkins will help you too..I understand what everyone on this board is going through...I've been diagnosed for 10 years....I also have hashimoto's...a thyroid disease...Eurydice...have you ever been diagnosed with hashimoto's.????...

That's really great news that you're feeling well summer*rai! You must do as your doctor says and don't over do things now that you are feeling better, wow, and 15 pounds that's wonderful! I dont' know what the heck is happening with me. I feel like I have malaria or soemthing. I am just assuming what it feels like to have malaria and am certainly not making light of it if anyone here has had it. What I mean is, I just feel so weak and freezing and sweating and my mind feels the same, I walk around my apartment in my night shirt with my robe on and a blanket wrapped around all day and I sit in a wretched daze. All I know is that my TSH is high. My doctor's dont' know exactly what I've got. I have the symptoms and pain and tender points of fibro and chronic fatigue syndrome, I throw up my food very night over and over, but dont' feel nausea-it's more like regurgitation, like reflux, but most every day, almost every time I eat-no matter what I eat. Even liquid. I've pretty much had it. What dosage of xanax do you take for bed, if you dont' mind me asking summer*rai? I take 1.5 mg usually. Sometimes, if I feel like I can't breathe in the day, I take a half a pill, .5 mg. When I wake up in the morning I feel so sick and hungover-I know all about these pills, so I dont' need to be told about them, but I have to sleep somehow. Do you feel rough in the morning summer *rai? Take care.

erydice...I only take .5 to 1.5......I am trying to get off them...I am trying to ween off of them and use just when I'm really stressed...I have some Ambien which is a sleeping pilll that I have had and have been taking them this week. When I go to bed my mind won't shut down...I am an artist and so I paint in my brain at the same time I'm counting sheep...moving my foot with the beat of a song that is in my head...I have too much imput ...Just wish I could turn the "motion pictures" in my head...so it's hard to relax and go to sleep....(Gosh that sounds psyco doesn't it?
Eury you might want to have the doctor test for the antibodies that causes hashimoto's...(a thyroid problem)...The disease can make you feel terrible....I know they found it with a test for antibodies..Back in the 80's before I was diagnosed with lupus in 1991..I found out that I have allergies to most everything and my allergist diagnosed me with cf because I felt sooo bad...Lupus is all in my family...grandpa, aunts, mom...cousins...etc plus other forms of autoimmune diseases...so when I got very, very ill around 1991-92....a great doctor in houston diagnosed me...over the years I would have several years like you that I couldn't do anything...now my new rheumatologist is testing me and my lupus test are normal...but still have the fibro....I really hope it's true...cause people with lupus in my family die young. I'm 50..I remember one time when I was really bad....and had mostly 30 days of the month down in bed...I looked at the sadness in my husbands eye and made myself get up and do as much as I could that day..He was so afraid that I was not going to make it. I made myself get up....gradually over a year...each month I would have more good days...then it came when I was having more good days than bad....and finally I'm down now to maybe 3-5 bad days where I have to stay in bed....I worked with the doctors to get me on the right mix of medicines...I was allergic to viox ...had a severe reaction when mixing it with other meds and predisone...I'm finding that the antidepressants help alot with my paint..I know I got depressed....If you can...get up , shower, put on make-up and pretend if necessary that you are well...We all have to fight the nasty depression that comes with fibro...I am finding that we can learn to live...I may try that calcium that' y'll have been talking about...I'm also gonna try to find some herbal tea that might help me to sleep...Doest anyone know of a tea that will help???..........

eury...no the zanax does not make me drowsy in the morning...I guess because I have been on all these drugs for years...How much of the amytriptline are you taking...I started with 25 then they raised it to 50 the next year, and now I am on 75 mg of amytriptline...

Has the doctor tested you for lupus?...I am assuming that you have had that done...I took Plaquinel for years which is actually a drug for malaria...It was for the lupus..I had sever stomach and gastric problems...my liver enzyme ggt was about 3x normal...seizures, malara rash, false positive on a syphlis test, and a positive ana... (cant spell)

Find you a good rheumy....

gotta get...7 year old grandaughter has a basketball game...

Thanks alot for your kind replies summer*rai. I'm sorry I sounded so negative yesterday, it was a bad day. You've had lots of bad days too and now you're feeling better, I really think that's great. It's nice to speak with someone who knows what it can be like though. I was on 10 mg amitriptyline, then I went off it. I went off it because I gained a few pounds and panicked. But that could've been due to something else too, I don't know. I'm only on the xanax for now. I should go back on the amitriptyline, as I do feel a bit better physically and mentally on it. I have been tested for lupus, that was negative. I'm not sure if I've been tested for thyroid antibodies, I looked at my records and I think I was tested for it but was negative. My TSH is high, that's really all they ever found. And my am cortisol was low, but they stimulated it and said it was ok. I've never had my T3 done but my free T4 was normal. My doctor did say he would refer me to a specialist here who's got a great reputation among patients. He's the head of Endocrinology at Vancouver General, so hopefully he may be able to help. I've never seen a rheumy yet. I was wondering about Ambien, I've never tried it. That's cool that you're an artist, I can't say I'm an artist, but I would like to take art classes one day and I like to sing and write and take pictures. I love going to the websites that show all the masters paintings, all the Renaisannce artists and Van Gogh. I love William Bouguereau too. I go to this website http://www.artrenewal.org/ and look at all the paintings. I love color. Thanks for your support summer*rai. I said to my roomate "I was talking to a nice woman from Texas today!" HaHa I've edited this 5 times already, my brain! Anyway, about the tea, camomile of course, there's a Sleepytime Tea by Celestial Seasonings.

Hey...I'm not that great ...but I love to paint....If you have a desire, you can learn to paint. I was not born with an enate talent...just a desire....Thanks for the great website...Nice...I hope you find out what is wrong....Ambien helps me sleep without drug hangovers in the morning...If you have fibro...the amytriptline is suppose to be the one drug that rheumatologist like to use...it is suppose to be the most effective....i KNOW. something has really helped....Did you have a productive day today?...I hope so...Today the diet was hard..I'm just not hungry...I had bought some cheddar cheese and some salami...it wasn't bad I'm sure, but the smell and the taste....well.....hubby and I just couldn't stand it...I threw it away....My smell and taste buds are changing...I ate egg omlet for breakfast...threw away my lunch...and ate pork rinds with good shredded cheddar that I melted in the micro for about 30 seconds. It was great...for dinner we had steak on the grill and salad with olive oil and vinegar. I've got to start cooking something other than just meat and salads...Hubby and I are just really not hungry, nor do we crave. I made myself eat tonight. I'm taking all the recomended vitamins...well gotta run cya

Hey...I'm not that great ...but I love to paint....If you have a desire, you can learn to paint. I was not born with an enate talent...just a desire....Thanks for the great website...Nice...I hope you find out what is wrong....Ambien helps me sleep without drug hangovers in the morning...If you have fibro...the amytriptline is suppose to be the one drug that rheumatologist like to use...it is suppose to be the most effective....i KNOW. something has really helped....Did you have a productive day today?...I hope so...Today the diet was hard..I'm just not hungry...I had bought some cheddar cheese and some salami...it wasn't bad I'm sure, but the smell and the taste....well.....hubby and I just couldn't stand it...I threw it away....My smell and taste buds are changing...I ate egg omlet for breakfast...threw away my lunch...and ate pork rinds with good shredded cheddar that I melted in the micro for about 30 seconds. It was great...for dinner we had steak on the grill and salad with olive oil and vinegar. I've got to start cooking something other than just meat and salads...Hubby and I are just really not hungry, nor do we crave. I made myself eat tonight. I'm taking all the recomended vitamins...well gotta run cya

So funny you mentioned Bouguereau....I am taking a portrait class and we are trying to draw, then paint Bouguereau's "The Story" painting...LOL....I would love to do portraits. His portraits and paintings are wonderful....I'm not sure I can do portraits...I like to paint animals...tigers, lions, etc...

cya again...sorry everyone about the double post. I hit refresh button...

I looked for The Story on that site but couldn't find it. I didn't do anything today. Mostly I eat broiled meat or fish for supper with vegetables too. I was also admiring the Jean-Leon Gerome paintings he did in Cairo on that site. He's got ones of tigers and lions. I wasn't really hungry today either. These thyroid pills make me feel weird, I had to take some xanax because I couldnt' breathe. I dont' know what a person's supposed to do if they have a high TSH, but can't take thyroid medication. My roomate has been to south Texas and said he was at a park called Big Bend and that he was really impressed by it. I'm going to take an amitriptyline tonight I think. Take care.