Today I started a year-long weight loss study under Dr's supervision

[lavenderdiva]

My internist does drug studies for some big pharmaceutical companies. I started on a year-long weight loss study today, under his care. I am taking a twice-daily medication for a year, in addition to dietary changes, and daily exercise. We don't know if we are taking the 'real' deal or on a placebo. However, my Dr. says that even if we are on the placebo, every one still loses weight- it just depends how much. i.e. if you are on the 'real' medication, you will be losing more than the placebo group.

This particular drug targets a specific part of the hypothalamus, telling it you are full. You ingest it one hour before breakfast, and then again one hour before dinner. It also increases your metabolism rate. We are the last (and third) study before FDA approval. There have been 2 previous studies that were both successful, so it is highly likely our group will also be successful, and the drug will attain FDA approval.

While participating in this study, I feel like I can make some real headway into losing the weight that has been such a hindrance to me We have weekly weigh-ins, food diaries, caloric limits, and prescribed exercise. We have to wear a pedometer daily taking a minimum of 10,000 steps a day, in addition to our exercise routine. My exercise, to start, is to walk 3 times a week for at least one-half hour per session; that is definitely do-able.

Since the program is a year, I am hoping that I will develop some new habits that will feel 'normal' after awhile. The great thing also, is that Mr. ld is also a participant in the study with me, so his support and help will be very valuable to me.

I will keep you all posted on what is happening and how I am doing. :hi:

[AlCzervik]

1. Wow, thats interesting! Are you like dying to know if you're taking the real thing or the placebo?

Very cool and thanks so much for sharing and i look forward to your updates, as always....best of luck.

:loveya:

[lavenderdiva]

2. Yeah- I would like to know, but can't--

I'm pretty sure Mr. ld is on the real deal-- he lost 8lbs in week #1!! And he can't finish the portions he is supposed to have, which are FAR smaller than he would usually take at a meal. That's very unusual for him. He wants to lose about 60lbs.

I don't know if I'm on the placebo or not. The first day, I was just sure I was on the placebo because I didn't feel any different at all. My hunger was no different than normal. Keep in mind, that Mr. ld is 1-1/2 weeks ahead of me on the study. So, I am going by his reactions to things. He tells me that it took about a week for the fullness to register with his system. So, I'll keep my eye out for any different sensations that may happen between now and then.

Pretty much the only issue I'm having is getting my 10,000 steps/day in, and then on top of that, doing my walking exercise. I sit at a desk all day, working at a computer, so there's not a lot of time to walk around. We don't really get a lunch, just eat at our desk, and then go back to work. So, its not like I can go walking at lunch time. Plus, I'm in Houston, and its starting to get VERY warm already, and soon, its going to be too hot to go walking in the middle of the day. Today, I walked 2668 steps, so I'm way off my goal. I'm going to have to work on that somehow.

My next appointment is this coming Tuesday, for my first official weight-loss weigh-in.

[AlCzervik]

3. Oh Ld i hear you on the weather, i lived in Northwest Houston for 2 1/2 years

and wow the humidity!!! Where i live now it gets super hot and the air quality is awful, it's like chunky i swear so i bought a treadmill right around the time i started SB, that was so worth the money and i have to tell you i felt really guilty about buying it but it was probably the best investment in myself i ever made.

[auntAgonist]

4. This sounds wonderful!

What a great opportunity to lose weight and LEARN how to keep it off. So many of us (me) never learn how to change our lifestyle. It sounds like this is a well rounded program. I'm very happy for you that you have the chance to participate. Placebo or no, you're going to lose weight and be healthier for it.

Please keep up with posting about your successes and even low points that you may experience.

good luck!!

aA
kesha
:hug:

[elleng]

5. I'm new here,

and because 'medication' is an issue, I thought i'd mention that I've just seen some info on importance of thyroid in weight matters, as well as other stuff like fatigue and depression.

SO people may want to find out if their thyroids are doing their jobs properly, to aid with weight issues.

Good luck.

[auntAgonist]

6. You make a good point Elleng. A full blood work up

is always the first course of action IMHO when deciding to take action regarding our health. Thyroid issues have often surfaced as problems for many overweight people.

welcome to the group!!

aA
kesha.

[Longhorn]

7. This sounds very promising!

Congratulations on both of you getting into the study and good luck! I'll be interested in updates! :hi:

[lavenderdiva]

8. 1st week results:

I went in today for my one week check-in, where we went over what I had eaten, how much I had walked daily, and how much I had exercised. I really did well with the dietary changes I needed to make to begin the program. However, my job is a desk job where I get no walking in-- nowhere near the 10,000 steps they want me to put in daily IN ADDITION TO the 1/2 hour of exercise I'm supposed to do 3 times per week. I did about 4500 steps daily this past week. I have to really work on finding the time for the half hour exercise this week. Tomorrow morning, I am going walking first thing when I wake up.

This past week I lost 2 lbs. I kinda thought it would be a bit more, but they told me that even with the 'real' medication (remember we could be on a placebo) the target weight loss is 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 lbs per week. So, with that as my target, losing 2 lbs is good I think.

[Longhorn]

9. It definitely takes time, I think, to build up to that many steps!

I never managed 10,000 steps but I didn't stick with it long enough. I did notice that the more I walked, the more I walked, if that makes sense. :)

Congratulations on a great first week! I only average about 1-1/2 pounds per week, including the big loss the first week after my surgery. But as long as it comes off, I don't care. :yourock:

[lavenderdiva]

11. thank you and aA for your continued support-

It means so much to me! I have been adding in exercise, but the most daily steps I've managed to make is close to 6000. The nurse told me that they aren't as worried about the daily 10,000 steps, but more concerned that I get in 3X's/week 1/2 hour exercise walking as a pretty fast pace. I'm trying to do that.

I'll post at my next weigh-in on Tuesday, April 1.... :hi:

[auntAgonist]

10. 2lbs lost is 2 NOT gained! You're doing so well.

I really have to get myself exercising. I'm just plain lazy! Good for you for being so motivated. It will be so rewarding in the end.

aA

[Systematic Chaos]

12. Losing two pounds is great no matter what!

One thing to think about is that, since you are exercising more, you are going to "wake up" muscles which may not have seen a lot of use for a while. When that happens, it's natural for those muscles to want to strengthen, and for that to happen they gotta grow a bit! In the time it took you to lose those two pounds, you might have actually gained a pound of muscle but lost three of body fat. And, the best part of all is that the more in shape your muscles are, the more fat they'll burn simply because they're there. :)

Stick to what you are doing and continue to do the best you can, and the process will just take over and kind of run its own course. You're already well on your way! :applause: :hug:

[lavenderdiva]

13. thank you Kirk for sharing that with me-

it makes a LOT of sense. I'm a bit nervous about Tuesday's weigh-in, 'cuz we had a guest in-town, and were eating out a lot more than we normally do, and eating a lot of things we don't usually eat. I'm hoping the scale doesn't reflect that, but wouldn't be surprised if it does.

Mr. ld has already lost 15lbs in 3 weeks. Sometimes, that can be really disheartening to me, but I have to keep my eye on the goal. I can't tell you HOW MUCH everybody's support, here in this forum, means to me, and keeps me 'at it'. :loveya:

[lavenderdiva]

14. 2nd week results:

week #2 weigh-in resulted in an additional 2.4lbs lost this past week. I was very excited to see any weight loss at all, as we had a guest in-town from the middle of last week thru the weekend. Of course, that meant eating out more than we normally would, and not being able to really control what was going into what we selected. So, we seemed to (pretty well) control our portions.

I got in 1/2 hour of walking exercise, which was one more than last week, but still less than the 3X's per week goal. I have to do better about that this week. So, successes and challenges....

[Systematic Chaos]

15. That makes for another great week. Congratulations!

You were able to lose weight this week, even having to cope with eating out and being crunched for time. That combination is the downfall of many a dieter but you came through just fine. Go into this week with a sense of accomplishment, and your focus intact.

You're in the zone now, so keep it up! :hug:

[auntAgonist]

16. that's really awesome!

I wish I could get motivated to walk. I told my husband we MUST walk after work. We're both home shortly after midnight and it's nice walking out here if it's not too terribly cold. We didn't go tonight, far too windy and raining a tad. We'll shoot for tomorrow. I know I'd feel better and sleep better with a walk and fresh air at night. I just have to convince my husband :)

That's my excuse :rofl:

Congrats on your achievement, you're doing SO well.

kesha.

[Maraya1969]

17. Here's to you getting the real drug! Then again with the diet you'll

lose weight anyway and lean all sorts of healthy habits. Congratulations! :party:

[lavenderdiva]

18. 4th week results--

well I went in today for my one month weigh-in, and I lost another 2lbs in the last 2 weeks. That makes a total of 6.4lbs lost over the last month. I have decided that for my own motivation, I am recalling the tale of the tortoise and the hare. I am the tortoise. I just keep telling myself that: 'I am the tortoise'!! Slow but sure.

I asked the nurse today, if at the end of the study, we would be able to find out whether we were on the real deal or not. She said no. I then asked her if the drug would be marketed over the counter or by prescription only. She told me that it normally takes 2 months after this study ends, for the FDA approval, and that the drug would be by prescription only. She did say that my doctor knows the name of the drug, and would be able to prescribe it for me, after the study ends, should I need or want to continue with my weight loss. That was good news.

So far, I haven't felt deprived of anything, and have kept myself motivated. The only temptation I have is to weigh myself on my scale at home, rather than at the Dr's office. They wouldn't care if I wanted to weigh myself at home, but I feel it might be better to stick to the same scale each time. I do need to take body measurements, and do it monthly, so that I can see progress there as well.

Mr. ld lost '0'lbs at his last weigh-in (2 week period). I think his initial burst give him a sense of over-confidence, and he hasn't kept as closely to his calorie count as perhaps he should have. This week, he's back on track, and I expect he will reap the rewards for that effort!

:hi:

[Ms. Toad]

19. That would be odd.

>>I asked the nurse today, if at the end of the study, we would be able to find out whether we were on the real deal or not. She said no.<<

That would be odd. Generally once the study has ended you have the right to know. Keeping that knowledge from you might hamper your ability to get appropriate medical care in the future - depending on what happens long term with a drug, it is sometimes important to know if you ever took it (think DES and increased cancer risk for DES offspring). You might want to check again - with the doctor - closer to the end of a study. (You might also want to check the consent forms you signed - they probably set out your rights.)

Good luck.

[lavenderdiva]

20. you make a good point, Ms. Toad

I hadn't thought of future situations, and I will be asking more pointedly near the end of the study :hi:

[Ms. Toad]

21. My spouse was on the tamoxifen study

that ended early because of good results. She was on tamoxifen - and since there are some significant potential long tern side effects we made sure she would have access to the information post-trial.

[auntAgonist]

22. here's hoping you're doing well. Just thought I'd check

and see if you had an update for us :)

:hug:
aA

[lavenderdiva]

23. Hey, aA-

aren't you sweet to check in on me! I'm on monthly weigh-ins now, and my next weigh-in is this coming Tuesday, May 13th. Even though these are the 'official' weigh-ins, I have been keeping track of my weight loss on my home scale. To date, I have lost 12lbs total in the month-and-a-half that I have been on this program.

I'm very proud of myself, for finding new ways to handle my appetite that are ways that I can live with the rest of my life. This is really the first time, in a very long time, that I have been willing to do other things to handle a certain craving, and finding that new 'way' satisfying. That has always been a stumbling block in the past. I'm certainly NOT saying that I have conquered this problem-- its just a day to day thing.

I'll post what I find out on Tuesday as well- Thank you for thinking about me :hug: :loveya:

[lavenderdiva]

24. 8th week results--

Tuesday of this week was official weigh in day. Its been 8 weeks since I started the program. I got on the scale, and had lost an additional 3lbs for the month. That makes a total of 9.4lbs in 2 months. Truly, I was very disheartened at my progress this month. I was hoping to see at least a 5lbs loss for the month. Everyone's been very supportive, telling me that its better than gaining, and it is slowly coming off. All are true, but sometimes you just want to see a bit more.

[auntAgonist]

25. 9.4 is almost 10 divided by 2 is almost 5 a month.

I know what you're saying though! I got so used to seeing huge losses after surgery that when I started ONLY losing 10 or 15lbs a month I figured I was the only one the surgery had failed on.

I can't emphasize enough that SLOW losses are better for your body and you're more assured of keeping it off!

Don't get disheartened, treat yourself to something even if it's just a cheap paperback novel and a quiet night with a glass of your favourite beverage.

You're really doing well Lavenderdiva, believe that!!

You are a success already, keep it up (or off :) )

:hug: :applause: :hug:

aA
kesha

[lavenderdiva]

28. thank you sweetie-

you have been a constant source of encouragement for me; I can't tell you how much it means :hug:

[AlCzervik]

26. thats really good! Don't be disheartened, that's 9.4 pounds you probably won't gain back.

that's 1.17 pounds a week and that is a good healthy pace imo. Look how long it's taken me but this time i think it will stick, every time i've lost weight in the past it's always happened quickly but i always gained it back because i never learned to live a new lifestyle, i only learned that if i constantly deprived myself i could shed pounds but sooner or later i would start feeling really deprived and that was the beginning of the end of losing weight.

I think you're doing great.

:loveya:

[auntAgonist]

27. truer words never spoken. You hit the nail on the head!

:hug:

aA

[lavenderdiva]

29. Thank you for your input, chimpsrsmarter

I've followed your own weight-loss journey and saved many of your posts as something I can look to for a roadmap. Thank you for your encouraging and uplifting post. You make me feel better! :hug:

[lavenderdiva]

30. 12th week results:

-4lbs gone for this past month, bringing the total lost so far, to -13.4lbs. The nurse told me today that they are upping the dosage of the drug this month. So, I think it will be interesting to compare the results going forward with what has happened so far.

My biggest problem has been portion size. I really have to be conscious about how much I am serving myself to eat. I have started purchasing certain items in single serving portions, as I find that helps me.

I have yet to experience any gnawing hunger or binge feelings. I am very satisfied with what I am eating, which will help me sustain the program for the rest of the year that I am on this program.

[Longhorn]

31. Yes, that will be interesting to see if the higher dose affects you --

you may be able to determine if you're getting the new drug!

You're doing so outstanding! I know 13.4 pounds doesn't seem like a lot but an average of over a pound a week means that you could be down by more than 50 pounds in just 32 weeks! And you'll be much more likely to keep it off when you reach your goal. Way to go! :yourock:

Thanks for the update! :hug:

[lavenderdiva]

32. thank you for your encouragement!

I don't know if I wanted to feel a difference, or if there was REALLY a difference, but this evening, I took my pill an hour before dinner, ended up taking a much smaller portion of dinner than I usually would have, and felt very satisfied with it. Its now almost bedtime, and I'm a bit hungry. Yet, I'm not jumping out of my skin wanting to down anything I can get my hands on. I'll have an Atkins shake and then kiss myself goodnight. I'll be fine till breakfast tomorrow.

For me, this is very unusual. I'll keep you posted on how these next few days goes-

hugs to you: :hug: :hug: :hug:

[JimDandy]

33. How's the study coming? Just checking in.

[lavenderdiva]

34. hey, JimDandy-

thanks for checking on me!

Funny you should ask, as today was weigh-in day! Unfortunately, this go-round I gained 4.4lbs. However, overall I've lost over 22lbs. Mr. ld had his weigh-in 2 days ago, and lost 8lbs!! :mad:

This last weigh-in period, I sort of lost my focus. I need to get back on track, and really watch my portions. That is my weakness. Mr. ld has been MUCH more diligent about his portion size than I have been -- and his results show it! He's lost over 30lbs so far. I think we have about 3 more months to go on this program, and I really want to make the most of it.

The Thanksgiving meal is gonna be kinda hard, but I just have to remain focused on my goal. If I do eat, then get right back on track on Friday.

Thanks SO much for asking about me.... :hi:

[Longhorn]

35. That's great, Ms. Diva!

I'm glad to hear that it's working out so well and I hope your progress continues! :hi:

[lavenderdiva]

36. Hey!

Thanks for the wave and good wishes! The time has flown by. It doesn't seem possible that in 3 short months, we will have been doing this one whole year! My only hope is that I can lose more weight by then. I had really wanted this year to bring about a significant visible change in my appearance. Losing over 20lbs hasn't changed my size or appearance all that much -- I need to lose about 80lbs overall.

I'm hoping that I can lose at least 20 more lbs before the end of this program... Keep your fingers crossed for me! :hug:

[JimDandy]

37. Slow but steady weight loss is best .

A 22lb loss has GOT to be good, even if it's not so noticeable to you (I read down post.) You're doing great just by keeping off what you've lost, so don't compare yourself to anyone else.
:fistbump:

It must be tough completing the last three months of a weight loss study during our biggest holiday eating season! I'm pulling for you and I hope your family and friends are giving you great support! :applause:

[lavenderdiva]

38. your encouragement means a lot

Thank you for your good wishes and good thoughts-- They mean a lot to me! :hi: