As I've said in other posts, my doctor put me on Adipex to help me lose weight. Since that was less than a week ago it's still too early to know if it's working. This drug (along with most weight loss meds) works in two ways, one of which is an appetite suppressant. That is probably great for most obese people but sucks for me.
See, the problem is my appetite is suppressed all by itself. I am not fat because I eat too much. If anything I often eat too little or too rarely. Sure some of my food choices aren't great, but an appetite suppressant isn't going to help me choose the whole wheat toast with sugar free all natural jam over the "hot now" Krispy Kreme doughnut. (If anyone comes up with a pill that does that, let me know kthanx?)
I knew all this when I agreed to take the medication. My thought was that sure I don't need the appetite suppressing part, but the other part, that part could be useful... you know, the part that releases chemicals to break down stored fat. I knew it might not work as well for me as it does for others, put it can't hurt either right?
Wrong.
It has suppressed my appetite even more than normal. I got up at about 9:30 am, got a 16 oz bottle of apple Crystal Light and a 90 calorie oatmeal raisin granola bar. It is now 4:30pm - seven hours after eating breakfast, and I'm not remotely interested in eating anything else. I know I *should* eat. I should have had lunch hours ago. But my brain is like "nah, that's okay... I'd rather just sit here and starve for a while longer..." Sometimes my stomach growls so I know my body is hungry, but my brain doesn't care. Getting up and making food will mean I miss part of the Top Chef rerun I'm watching, and that will just not do.
Its an odd feeling similar to having a horrible stomach flu. I know my body needs nourishment, so I go in the kitchen to find something. I open the fridge or the pantry and then my brain goes "Hold up, wait right there. You don't want food. Food = bad. Food makes you sick. That delicious chipotle sliced turkey breast was planted there by Satan HIMSELF!" so I just go and sit back down again. Darn you norepinephrine induced fight-or-flight response. *sigh*
So I have decided that I will no longer be taking the Adipex. At this rate my metabolism is going to slow down to the speed of a turtle trying to walk through molasses in the winter, and I just don't need that. I'd rather not lose the weight, or do it super duper slowly, than yo-yo right back after going of the medication.
I can't speak to the Adipex, but Metformin really helped me when my doctor put me on it 5 or 6 years ago. Between that and changing the sugar in my morning pot of tea to stevia (I can recommend a brand that I think isn't as bitter as supermarket ones), and a few other minor changes, I lost 30 lbs. Now, I've been at a plateau for a few years that's hard to get below, but I'm trying to break thru via nutrition, supplements, and (sometimes but needs to be more times) exercise.
ReplyDeleteYou should see my pill holders! All shapes and sizes and colors, but most are vitamins and supplements. Still on Metformin, though. Let me know if you ever want to talk more about it!