Ready to start

[sugarplum_sassie]

After a few delays I'm finally ready to start the diet, tomorrow is loading day 1. I take alot of vits/supplements but I think I'm going to have to stop some of them as I take gel caps and they contain soybean oil, I am right in thinking I have to stop those during p2? but can take them again in p3? is p3 for 3weeks? I read not to have carbonated drinks as it blocks absorption of nutrients but I've bought sparkling spring water as plain tap water just doesn't do it for me, is this ok?
Feel excited but anxious at the same time, really want to lose the weight but am scared of losing my emotional crutch of comfort eating.
Sandie.

[shelbyla]

1. I stopped my vitamins with oils or starches (some have rice flour) for P2. Others keep them and do fine. YMMV
2. P3 (no sugars, no starches) is for 3 weeks and yes you can start up your vitamins again in P3.
3. I'm not sure about the sparkling water. I've been drinking it occasionally. Anyone else have the answer?

Welcome!!! As a reference, I am down 20 pounds in 25 days of P2. I've got 4 more dosing days so hoping to get off a few more! It REALLY works!

[halebop]

Tomorrow is loading day 1 for me too! I'm so excited...but also scared. I really intend to follow the plan strictly but I know part of me is worried it might work for everyone BUT me (silly, I know)

So far I haven't found the Grissini bread sticks but I'm going to check Whole Foods tomorrow. They just sound more appealing than the Melba Toast.

shelbyla - I'm in Los Angeles too ("the valley"). Have you been able to find the Grissini anywhere locally?

sugarplum sassie - I'm glad we're both starting tomorrow! I'm 100% with you about worrying about losing the emotional crutch of eating for comfort...

[shelbyla]

Halebop - I found the grissini at my local Ralph's next to the pasta in the Italian isle.

To you both who are starting tomorrow - when you see the scale numbers dropping EVERY DAY, it's a big incentive to not eat for comfort!

[emel]

Simeons said you can have sparkling mineral water. I use Pellagrino or Perrier.
I researched a little and found no objection to carbonated water without sweetners or phosophoric acid in it, so I've been having seltzer some, too. Club soda has salt in it. Seltzer does not.

[luvthebeach]

Emel...

What is your take on diet soda?

[emel]

Originally Posted by luvthebeach

Emel...

What is your take on diet soda?

I had limited it before, and I quit it for hcg plan. I plan to nearly omit it from my life plan, having it only as a rare treat, like a girl's night out, or some ginger ale if I'm sick.
I believe the artificial sweetners are counter-productive to losing or maintaining weight because they mess with our brain's signal that we're satiated from a sweet food. I think phosphoric acid (colas) contributes to bone loss.

[sugarplum_sassie]

Shelby- thanks for your responses and WTG on your weight loss!
halebop- goodluck with the diet, I'm slightly scared it won't work for me too, as I know someone who it hasn't worked for (homeopathics never worked for her)
I've just started taking Melatonin which has rice flour in it, my sleep is terrible, I wake several times a night and was hoping the melatonin would help with it, the amount of rice flour in it surely would be tiny? If I stop the melatonin how long into the diet do people feel an improvement in sleep? I'm desperate to get a good night sleep, it's been months and months since I last slept through the night and it's not doing my health any good having sleepness nights (I'm hypothyroid,anaemic and have adrenal fatigue, endometriosis and PCOS)
One last question about toiletries, I have terribly dry lips and skin, I think my facial moisturiser will be ok because the first ingredient is Aqua, so not oil based, but I get through lipsalve like nobodys business, it's the Nivea one but I don't have the ingredients listed so not sure if that's ok? I had heard Vaseline was ok to use though, is that right?
I was very surprised taking my HCG pellets how sweet they tasted, I know you take them 15mins before mealtimes but do you need to not eat and drink for a certain time before taking the pellets?
Thanks
Sandie

[sugarplum_sassie]

Just thought of another question, I want to do the 23 days, but I'm confused about when is day 1, is it when you first take the hcg and you stop after 21 days on hcg? or is day 1 first day on VLCD? just trying to figure out the date I need to stop taking the hcg and when my 2 days off hcg but still on VLCD.
Being hypo I'm still very brain fogged and struggle to take in info even after reading it 3 times:blush:
Thanks
Sandie.

[emel]

It's 23 days of hcg and 23 days of VLCD, but it is skewed a little.
You start the hcg on your 2 load days, then do 21 VLCD with hcg, then stop the hcg and do 2 more VLCD.

[shelbyla]

Sassie - I am also hyothyroid/hypoadrenal. As far as the sleep goes, are yolu waking in the middle of the night with a pounding heart or racing thoughts? Can't get back to sleep for a while? That's pretty common among "us" and if this is the case the melatonin is doing more harm than good. These kinds of things are caused by low cortisol, which causes adrenaline surges in the middle of the night which wakes us up. Not fun! Melatonin LOWERS cortisol so taking it can make these things worse. What are you doing to sort out your thyroid/adrenal issues? PM me if you want more info/help...

On the lips I used to be a lip balm ADDICT. Seriously. I found a decent product called Aquaphor that works well for lips and they sell it in most drug stores in small, lip-sized tubes. I don't use a lot of moisturizer but Neutrogena has a good oil free one that works pretty well.

On the 15 mins, you should not eat or drink ANYTHING before or after taking your hcg. That includes water, coffee, tea, etc.

[shelbyla]

Sassie - well, shoot, you're new aren't you? Probably can't PM yet. Let me know here is you want more info and I will try to help!

[Izzysdream]

Hi everyone, I'm starting loading today. I'm nervous about eating so little, but hopefully I won't have the hunger.

[shelbyla]

Izzy - I was really nervous too! Have fun loading. Try to keep it lower carb and as high fat as you can push. Marscapone cheese is fantastic for a high fat treat. Melt a little dark chocolate and mix in with the marscapone--yumyum. Can you tell I am dreaming of P3?

On P2, it's actually a whole lot easier than I expected, more BECAUSE the choices are so limited that you don't really have to think about it much. AND I'm almost 25 pounds down in 28 days--something that I could have NEVER done any other way. I am following strict protocol.

Good luck and WELCOME! There will be a new "newbies" thread that I'll start later today--come join us over there!

[sugarplum_sassie]

emel- thanks for making that clear, I'd got that so wrong.

Shelby- I've been ill for 10yrs, diagnosed with ME but finally found out the real reason for my suffering 0ct 2010 through a wonderful private Dr (ex endo turned nutritionist) I'm in the UK and the NHS diagnostic/treatment guidelines are so restrictive they keep us ill! Anyway I've been selftreating for almost 4mths now so still early days, paying for labs as and when I can afford them. Did the 24 adrenal saliva test, did glandulars for 2mths no improvement so am now on 27.5mg HC and my temps are stable with the odd fluctuation on the day after I have been to work (work 2 days a week). Thyroid I started on NDT got up to 2 grains but didn't really feel the difference I was hoping for so was advised to add in T3 aswell, which I did, still felt no difference, so took the decision to go T3 only and check out RT3. I'm still awaiting my test results but don't need them as I'm finally starting to have good days, I'm on week 4 of T3 only and still increasing (on 75mcg). I belong to alot of Yahoo groups, it was my thyroid group that suggested the Melatonin, I'm really surprised to hear it lowers cortils, as that's not what I want! The adrenals group told me to get aldosterone checked but that's way out of my price range (£190) so I thought I'd try the Melatonin first, although I am toying with the idea of getting Florinef on a try and see basis (although I'd rather not have to take another med). I was advised to try the diet first and see if things improve, hence I asked when people felt an improvement in sleep on the diet. When I wake I don't have palps, or racing thoughts (I have suffered with night terrors and experienced those symptoms but they are now very infrequent thankfully), I just keep waking up, most of the time it doesn't take too long to drop back off. I split my T3 by 5 doses, bedtime dose is 12.5mcg, HC dosing is 10-7.5-5-5, at bedtime I also take my iron with vit C and coq10, I tried Magnesium oil spray but that made no difference to my sleep and just made my skin dry??? Any help to get me to stay asleep would be greatly appreciated, I'm desperate for a good nights sleep. Let me know if there's anymore info you need to help.
Thanks for the heads up on 15mins before and after the HCG, would have stuffed that one up by drinking.
Will try and have a hunt for Aquaphor not sure if it's available in the UK.

[sugarplum_sassie]

Forgot to mention I take Metformin for the PCOS (was also told it's likely I have insulin resistance) but have never been monitored whilst on it and did have some concerns about going hypoglycaemic (got a glucometre and on just a few occasions was low at 2.8). Taking Metformin has given me back a normal regular cycle, prior to Met I'd be lucky to have 4 cycles a year. I really want to come off this drug though and am also hoping the diet will allow me to do this without losing my cycles, is this asking for too much? I've been on Met for a year now and was going to try a month or 2 off it anyway to see if my cycles would maintain and am hoping the diet will only help with this.

[shelbyla]

Sassie - I will write more later but must dash off to get my taxes done. One thing I will suggest though is try taking 5-HTP instead of melatonin at lights out unless you have REALLY high night time cortils (and I do mean VERY high--it's common for us to have high'ish nighttime cortils to compensate for low daytime). It has a lot of the same seratonin boosters as melatonin but doesn't have the drawbacks of lowering cortils.

[sugarplum_sassie]

I considered 5-HTP but the reason I didn't go for that was because I was worried because of my conversion issues with thyroid (RT3) that I might have issues converting other hormones correctly so thought I was best off taking the readily available stuff, little did I know about the impact on cortils, my nighttime cortils are not high, can't remember exact numbers off the top off my head but within range low. Look forward to your reply later, thanks.

[bjbw8]

Hi Izzy/Everyone, I'm starting loading tomorrow. I'm not nervous about eating so little, because I eat very little already which is part of my problem. For breakfast my husband made bacon and eggs on a roll. I had water with that. I am now drinking Clear american sparkling water and telling myself that I need to get up and go eat something.
I will need all the support that I can get. I picked up my HCG today.

[shelbyla]

Originally Posted by sugarplum_sassie

I've been ill for 10yrs, diagnosed with ME but finally found out the real reason for my suffering 0ct 2010 through a wonderful private Dr (ex endo turned nutritionist) I'm in the UK and the NHS diagnostic/treatment guidelines are so restrictive they keep us ill!

Sorry to hear you suffered for so long! It seems to be really common, not just in the UK but everywhere!

Originally Posted by sugarplum_sassie

Anyway I've been selftreating for almost 4mths now so still early days, paying for labs as and when I can afford them. Did the 24 adrenal saliva test, did glandulars for 2mths no improvement so am now on 27.5mg HC and my temps are stable with the odd fluctuation on the day after I have been to work (work 2 days a week).

Sounds like you are on the right track. Be wary of being really really HOT, as in feeling hot when others are cold. This was a big indicator to me that I was on too much HC and that my adrenals had healed enough to start weaning. Also, I know you mentioned something about high blood sugar (didn't you?? if not--sorry!). Be aware that when yo are on TOO MUCH HC, it can cause your blood sugar to get really high, if if you are feeling fine.

Originally Posted by sugarplum_sassie

Thyroid I started on NDT got up to 2 grains but didn't really feel the difference I was hoping for so was advised to add in T3 aswell, which I did, still felt no difference, so took the decision to go T3 only and check out RT3. I'm still awaiting my test results but don't need them as I'm finally starting to have good days, I'm on week 4 of T3 only and still increasing (on 75mcg).

I am also on 75mcg. I kept trying to raise it and tinkering with my HC dose. All that got me was REALLY high pulse--like 120-130bpm. If you find you're having a high pulse, it is probably too much HC pushing the T3 into your cells too fast for it to use. I think a lot of people try to get as high as possible on T3 which can cause us to mess with the HC dose too much. As soon as I started reducing my HC, pulse went down.

Originally Posted by sugarplum_sassie

I belong to alot of Yahoo groups, it was my thyroid group that suggested the Melatonin, I'm really surprised to hear it lowers cortils, as that's not what I want!

The long and short of it is that 5-HTP is not a hormone so you shouldn't have any issues with converting it because it basically bypasses the conversion process and goes straight to increasing the seratonin which in turn increases melatonin but without the issues of light sensitivity. Some more stuff to read if you're up to it! http://hamptonroadsnutritionaltherap...Difficulty.pdf Obviously up to you if you want to try it. HOWEVER, I would say that if you have lowish nighttime cortils that you should definitely STOP the melatonin. It might not hurt to try the 5-HTP but your choice obviously.

Originally Posted by sugarplum_sassie

The adrenals group told me to get aldosterone checked but that's way out of my price range (£190) so I thought I'd try the Melatonin first, although I am toying with the idea of getting Florinef on a try and see basis (although I'd rather not have to take another med).

How is Florinef related to Melatonin? I hadn't heard of that one. Did they tell you about the various non-blood aldosterone tests? The best one is the sitting/standing blood pressure test. You take your blood pressure sitting after staying quiet for 15 mins. You then stand and take it again, being sure to keep your arm at heart level. If your blood pressure DROPS when standing, it's pretty sure you have an aldosterone issue. Might be cheaper to have this test done than to buy the blood test! I sure hope you don't have to have another med. Knock wood but that's the one hormone I have that isn't completely whacked!

Originally Posted by sugarplum_sassie

I was advised to try the diet first and see if things improve, hence I asked when people felt an improvement in sleep on the diet. When I wake I don't have palps, or racing thoughts (I have suffered with night terrors and experienced those symptoms but they are now very infrequent thankfully), I just keep waking up, most of the time it doesn't take too long to drop back off.

Still sounds like a cortisol issues to me. Do you drink a lot of water at night? i.e. having to get up and go to the bathroom... I've basically stopped drinking most liquids past about 4pm and that's cut down my awakenings to once or twice per night.

Originally Posted by sugarplum_sassie

I split my T3 by 5 doses, bedtime dose is 12.5mcg, HC dosing is 10-7.5-5-5, at bedtime I also take my iron with vit C and coq10,

Your schedule sounds good. Why are you taking the T3 5x per day? Just curious--I take mine 4x per day at the same time as my HC.

Originally Posted by sugarplum_sassie

I tried Magnesium oil spray but that made no difference to my sleep and just made my skin dry???

It makes my skin itch! It really HAS helped raise my RBC mag though. I was bottom of range before starting and am up to a healthy mid-range now.

Originally Posted by sugarplum_sassie

Any help to get me to stay asleep would be greatly appreciated, I'm desperate for a good nights sleep.

As I mentioned, stop the melatonin and try 5-HTP. Also are you taking your bedtime HC right AT lights out? i.e. not a minute before? If not, try that. Ifyou take it too early it actually "wakes you up."

Originally Posted by sugarplum_sassie

Thanks for the heads up on 15mins before and after the HCG, would have stuffed that one up by drinking.

No problem!

Originally Posted by sugarplum_sassie

Will try and have a hunt for Aquaphor not sure if it's available in the UK.

If you can't find it, use Vasaline. But I bet you can find it online if nowhere else. It's made by Eucerin if that helps at all.

[sugarplum_sassie]

Originally Posted by shelbyla

Sounds like you are on the right track. Be wary of being really really HOT, as in feeling hot when others are cold. This was a big indicator to me that I was on too much HC and that my adrenals had healed enough to start weaning. Also, I know you mentioned something about high blood sugar (didn't you?? if not--sorry!). Be aware that when yo are on TOO MUCH HC, it can cause your blood sugar to get really high, if if you are feeling fine.

I have experienced no hyper or high cortils symptoms as yet, I'm still feeling cold on occasions but much less than I use to. I mentioned low blood sugar not high.

Originally Posted by shelbyla

I am also on 75mcg. I kept trying to raise it and tinkering with my HC dose. All that got me was REALLY high pulse--like 120-130bpm. If you find you're having a high pulse, it is probably too much HC pushing the T3 into your cells too fast for it to use. I think a lot of people try to get as high as possible on T3 which can cause us to mess with the HC dose too much. As soon as I started reducing my HC, pulse went down.

Definately no high pulse here, my morning and evening resting pulse is around high 60's to low 70's

Originally Posted by shelbyla

How is Florinef related to Melatonin? I hadn't heard of that one. Did they tell you about the various non-blood aldosterone tests? The best one is the sitting/standing blood pressure test. You take your blood pressure sitting after staying quiet for 15 mins. You then stand and take it again, being sure to keep your arm at heart level. If your blood pressure DROPS when standing, it's pretty sure you have an aldosterone issue. Might be cheaper to have this test done than to buy the blood test! I sure hope you don't have to have another med. Knock wood but that's the one hormone I have that isn't completely whacked!

Florinief isn't related per se it's the sleep symptom that links them, the adrenal group thought my sleep problem might be low aldosterone, but my thyroid group suggested trying Melatonin before getting onto Florinef. Does that make sense?
I will definately consider the 5-htp thanks.

Originally Posted by shelbyla

Still sounds like a cortisol issues to me. Do you drink a lot of water at night? i.e. having to get up and go to the bathroom... I've basically stopped drinking most liquids past about 4pm and that's cut down my awakenings to once or twice per night.

Not really, I have a couple of glasses of drink in the evening and then I take my meds with a glass at bedtime, I don't wake to go to the loo and I don't wake needing to.

Originally Posted by shelbyla

Your schedule sounds good. Why are you taking the T3 5x per day? Just curious--I take mine 4x per day at the same time as my HC.

I dose 5x as advised by the thyroid group because it puts less stress on the adrenals, although I had toyed with the idea of 4x because that would make things easier.

Originally Posted by shelbyla

Also are you taking your bedtime HC right AT lights out? i.e. not a minute before? If not, try that. Ifyou take it too early it actually "wakes you up."

No, I don't always take it right AT lights out maybe a few minutes before, so will try doing that.

Originally Posted by shelbyla

If you can't find it, use Vasaline. But I bet you can find it online if nowhere else. It's made by Eucerin if that helps at all.

I've been hunting online and saw the Eucerin brand connection, Eucerin is available here so will try to get some of that.
Thanks for all your suggestions. need a little hug/thanks emoticon.
Sandie.

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by shelbyla

On the lips I used to be a lip balm ADDICT. Seriously. I found a decent product called Aquaphor that works well for lips and they sell it in most drug stores in small, lip-sized tubes. I don't use a lot of moisturizer but Neutrogena has a good oil free one that works pretty well.

I love this stuff. I just put the Aquaphor on my lips---literally just now And the tubes are so convenient for my purse. And I love the Neutrogena line of products too. That is what I use while in P2.

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by shelbyla

Sassie - I will write more later but must dash off to get my taxes done. One thing I will suggest though is try taking 5-HTP instead of melatonin at lights out unless you have REALLY high night time cortils (and I do mean VERY high--it's common for us to have high'ish nighttime cortils to compensate for low daytime). It has a lot of the same seratonin boosters as melatonin but doesn't have the drawbacks of lowering cortils.

I am also in adrenal fatigue and love, love love the 5-Htp. Wonderful stuff!!!