While “Transformation Day” has long since passed, I’m still making progress toward meeting my goals. I thought I’d start posting regular updates again for those who’re interested.
I had some labs ordered at my last doctor’s visit. I went and had them drawn on the 19th, and I got the results relatively quickly. The results revealed both good and bad news.
Since I’m a positive person, I’ll start with the good news. My kidney function is still improving. My BUN improved to 20 and my creatinine improved to 1.4. My doctor says that once my creatinine goes below 1.2, I can start taking my Metformin again.
I was also less anemic this time around. Both my hematocrit and hemoglobin improved slightly, so things are getting better there.
The best news of all was my A1c though. In March, my A1c was 8.3%. When it was rechecked in August, it was down to 5.7%. There’s still plenty of room for improvement, but an A1c of 5.7 equates to an average blood sugar of 117. I can live with that!
I had an order to check B12 and vitamin D levels also. My B12 was perfect, but my vitamin D was very low. I am now the proud owner of a vitamin D prescription. I’ll be taking a 50,000 IU capsule once a week for three months, and then we’ll re-test my levels.
My weight is essentially stalled for now. I’ve been bouncing around the same 2 pounds for weeks now, and it’s not because I’m “cheating” or overeating. In fact, I’m almost wondering if it has something to do with the fact that I’m not eating enough. I’m really struggling with lack of appetite, so I’ve tried to make a serious effort to eat more food. Six to eight hundred calories a day can work, and remember that I am under a doctor’s care as I get healthy, but since the scale isn’t moving right now AND I’m losing a great deal of hair, it’s clear that my diet is nutritionally deficient. Planning and prepping is hard, but it’s something that I know I have to work at. Eating very few calories is not a sustainable eating plan certainly.
Ever since I quit taking the Metformin back in July, I’ve also been struggling with IBS with constipation. It actually seems like veggies have been making it worse, so I have to do some experimenting to figure out what’s going to be right for my body. Again, since my focus is survival and sustainability, I have to do something that fits all my needs, and like I tell my kids, “Everybody poops!”
Recently inspired by a weight loss show that my best friend told me about, I also had Fred take some photos of me that’ll show where I’m at on my journey. When I weighed 280, the last thing I wanted was someone coming near me with a camera, but now that I’m down in the 230s, I wish I had those pictures to look back at. I put on bathing suit bottoms and a sports bra, and we took a front view and a side view. It took a lot of courage for me to let him take those pictures, but I know I won’t regret it later on.
There was something interesting about those photos though. Once I got to see them, the first thought that hit my mind was, “Wow! I guess I don’t look as fat as I thought I did.” Don’t get me wrong. I’m clearly obese, and I can see that. I expected to look a lot fatter though. I guess I was still envisioning the 280-pound Sarah instead of the 237-pound Sarah. Taking those photos was definitely a smart move, and in the end, I’ll have something to share so that others can be as amazed as I know I’ll be.
I’ve also been putting a good deal of thought into exercise. I started doing some body weight exercises last week, and I got the treadmill out. I HATE the treadmill, but it’s all I have for now. As a blind person, a recumbent bike would work much better for me, and I’m currently trying to find one. I’m prepared to start exercising reguarly again though because I know how much better I’ll feel once I actually get started. I’m SO tired all the time right now, and I’m pretty depressed because of the degree to which I’m isolated, so doing some intentional exercise that I enjoy will really benefit me. I’m excited about that.
My biggest focus right now is getting adequate calories into my body though. I won’t be able to exercise or do much else if my nutrition isn’t adequate. I have no problem sticking with foods that are low-carb. That’s very comfortable now. Eating adequate food is the struggle right now, and I hope to report improvements in that department when I post my next update.