It’s Saturday again, time to step on the scales, and I also think it’s time we talked about a difficult topic. Yes, we need to talk shit. Today hasn’t been a good food day. We were supposed to have spaghetti bolognese for tea but, it smelled off. I mean off. I was upstairs and the smell turned my stomach, and so with no other option (it’s shopping day tomorrow) we ordered takeout. I got chicken strips and chips, but ate far too much. I ignored all my own rules (it was 8pm when it arrived and I was very hungry), and felt sickly when I finished from eating too much. I’m not expecting to lose any weight this week, in fact I am expecting a gain, but I know the reasons for it.
- I have exceeded my syns allowance, and
- I have had oral morphine 3 times this week.
Talking Shit.
Gains are going to happen every now and then. It is part of the journey, but I don’t think the scales are telling the whole tale right now. My wedding ring is really loose. A ring I have only recently started wearing because the other became too tight (perhaps I should have said I have several rings in different sizes!), which would suggest that I have lost a few pounds. But. And one could say at the moment it’s a big but. A common side effect of opioid pain medication is constipation. Morphine slows the digestive process and as a result more water can be absorbed by the bowel. I am not immune from these side effects and I think this week and the extra pain medication has affected me. In fact I am today taking some Dulcolax and Senokot tablets to help alleviate the problem.
Weight loss or gain?
As a reminder my weight last week was 15st, 5lb, 8oz.
On Saturday 1st August 2020 I weighed: 15st, 6lbs, 1oz.
A gain of 9oz or as recorded by my app 1/2 a lb.
I decided to run a tiny experiment. I wanted to see if my theory was accurate, if constipation was the root cause. So, I planned to weigh myself on Sunday morning, after the shit had cleared – so to speak, and, thanks to the senokot and Dulcolax, it did. I stepped onto the scales this morning .
Weight 2nd August 2020: 15st, 2lbs, 2oz
This would suggest that last week I actually lost 3lbs, 7oz.
Looking forward.
My plan for the next week is to continue to follow the plan, to keep my food diaries (although I am not going to share them on here now- you guys don’t need to be bored senseless) and keep my focus on the goal: regaining my confidence, and feeling happy in my skin. I am going to really concentrate on getting my fluid intake up, as I don’t really like taking extra drugs, even those that are herbal like senokot and with a bit of luck I won’t be taking any extra morphine anyway.
Some of you may recall I had a selective nerve block on Wednesday, this was a diagnostic procedure, that will help to decide if surgery is indicated. They injected a local anesthetic and steroid around the nerve and then we wait to see how it helps. It can take 2 to 3 weeks to see the benefit of the steroid, and if it does ease the pain it isn’t a permanent fix. In cases where people have mild pain it is most effective lasting 3 to 4 months. With moderate pain patients, 2 to 3 months and with chronic pain 2 or 3 weeks if at all.
As my pain is chronic and severe we are actually expecting it to not work. When it doesn’t work, it will prove that surgical treatment options are the only viable option left. In essence its about the hospital covering it’s back. They have to do it even though they don’t think it will work. Personally I think it is a waste of resources but I am not in charge.
It’s August and this year has been shit so far, for so many people, not just me, so let me just take a moment to share some fun things to do. My two photo projects are open. The theme this month for Fun Theme Photo Meme is Beach Party, Sun, Sea and Sand and then there is my new Body Positive Project, Love Your Selfie, which is all about learning to love yourself. Both memes are open to everyone over the age of 18.
Sweetgirl x
PS.
When I say everyone I mean everyone!
Health Alert: Constipation.
Constipation is a problem that affects many people, and I am lucky that it is only occasionally that I am afflicted. For those who suffer chronically it can be life affecting, with the symptoms that accompany it.
However, changes to your bowel habits can be an early symptom of bowel cancer and if you have any concerns or want more information about this click HERE to visit the Bowel Cancer UK website or HERE for the NHS website, or visit your own GP.
Take good care of yourself ♥
I hope the procedure you went through helps, Sweet! Good to see the numbers moving in the right direction with your weight loss journey!
~ Marie xox
Thank you. ❤
Ditto Marie’s comment
I have added to love my selfie 😉 Wishing the nerve block thing well with u –
xx
May More recently posted…Loving my private members & my selfie
Ohh thank you, I shall have a look!
Well I suppose if someone had told you you were full of shot on Saturday, they would have been right. Glad you actually lost weight—and an impressive amount too! I was hoping your nerve block would work. How does the surgery work? Do they fuse parts of your back after releasing pressure on the nerves?
Collaredmichael recently posted…I’ll Be There With Bells On! Really!!
LOL there is that hehe.
It is misleading really as the block while it will work for some we were not expecting it to work more than a few days for me. This short period of relief is the diagnostic part – proving that we are beyond non-invasive procedures. There are a few surgical options. They are very likely to do a fusion of the L5/S1 joint, this will space the spine and prevent compression of the disc happening. They may also do a discectomy at the same time to remove the area of disc that is bulging and irritating the nerve at the same time. some of this will depend on the surgeons decision making at the time. I am going to be asking them to do both so that we tackle both problems at the same time, and hopefully resolve my back pain.
Sweetgirl ♥