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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 2 of 2. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Shay Sweet on August 4, 2006, at 15:43:54
The title speaks for itself, but here is my partial history with the medication itself. The weight gain is simply horrific. But this place called Summer House, which I found on the web through a link from my own employer's site, sounds too good to be true, with medicating ease promises like, "...that nostagic feeling of slipping into a nod..."
I went up to 75 mg and my bf was teasing me because, although I hadn't gained any weight after three months, he warned that I would hit the 1 year/100 mg mark, and others at the clinic chimed in to tell their own personal tales of woe, some coming down on their doses and losing weight, and others complaining that their girls "blew up."
Suffice it to say, five months after starting MMT, I learned that I was pregnant. Now, this really did come to a surprise to me since I had stopped getting my period a few months [i]before[/i] starting MMT. Now, you're probably thinking, okay, so she got pregnant and got fat...so? Not so.
In my eighth month of pregnancy, June of 2002, I left my bf because he would not get serious about giving up using (Methadone was just a way for him to sustain the possible sickness he might incur if he did not get a bag, or he would alternate and use cocaine). "Nesting" had set in, and I knew intuitively that I could not "clean up the mess," so to speak.
Cozy with my old pre-drug friends a thousand miles away from him, I let myself eat a quart of ice cream a day (I won't specify which kind because I could be identified :shock: )
My new OB, who I was lucky to find considering I was a high risk pregnancy in the last term of her pregnancy, was in utter shock when she saw me. I was wearing the same clothes as when I wasn't pregnant, but I didn't think it was a big deal since they were stretchy jogging pants. But I had only gained 8 pounds and I was only weeks away from my due date. I wore maternity clothes after that, and it helped, but the ice cream probably helped more. See, this was the worst time to be pregnant because I had no idea if Methadone was to blame for my sugar gravings (I was disgusted by other food, even fast food and pizza).
After I had my baby, was and is healthy and vibrant and smart (I'm her mom, what do you want?), then the pounds began to pile on. I would eat virtually nothing during the day, but after the baby went to sleep, I would post on Babycenter for hours and consume an entire box of special K a night. Sure, it was healthy cereal, but I just gained so much weight after she was born.
I am heavier than I have ever been, having gained a total of 70 pounds, and have since become both expert and advocate in the Methadone arena. Here is what I've learned:
* Even I lose three pounds a day eating no carbs (no sugar or starch).
* I can't go more than four days without eating sugar.
* Nurses will tell you M'done doesn't ruin your teeth, but indirectly, of course it does: so does Prozac and most medications, as they give you dry mouth, which leads to tooth decay if you don't properly care for your teeth two hundred percent.
* I will be thirty in thirty days; as we get older, our metabolism slows down. You can't ignore other life facts that occur whether or not you take Methadone.
* Hormones absolutely play a huge part in the weight gain, as do the retention of water and sodium. Drink lots of water! Not only will it help with the fluid retention, but it is a major factor in getting over the constipation phase.
* Some do not come out of the constipation phase; I know more than one person whose intestines became so blocked and inflamed that they nearly died when their colon burst. Worse still is that they wish they had died when they consider the alternative--wearing a colostomy bag from age twenty something indefinately.
* Listen to your body. There are too many people on Methadone who blame all ailments on Methadone and miss what's really going on in their bodies; not EVERYTHING can be traced back to Methadone.
__________________________________________________
Respectfully,
Shay"I'm standing tall on my last leg..." ~Antigone Rising
Posted by llrrrpp on August 12, 2006, at 17:42:07
In reply to Summer House for Methadone: Real deal or Faux?, posted by Shay Sweet on August 4, 2006, at 15:43:54
Hi Shay Sweet,
I'm so happy to hear that you're doing well on methadone. I don't have a history of substance abuse, but it sounds like you are doing the right things- getting prenatal care and getting rid of your toxic bf.I only wanted to suggest a few things to help you manage your sugar cravings. I have pretty bad sugar cravings too. Eating 5 small meals a day helps, and making sure that each small meal includes some fiber and some protein. For instance, my last small mean was a piece of whole grain toast with jam (sugar!) a piece of cheese and a small container of cottage cheese (protein).
special K and most cereals are mostly refined carbs, which will lead to sugar crashes and eventually insulin resistance. Also, not eating much during the day sets you up for evening binges.
Another suggestion is to get a dietician. You will get some hints on how to manage weight loss with a baby in the house, and some suggestions for quick easy meals that are nutritious and will help your body recover from addiction and having a baby.
Enjoy your little one- I bet you're a terrific mom :)
-ll
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