Thread: Just registered!

Hi, I'm Shirley and I just registered. I'm starting the Atkins diet today. Kinda a weird time to be starting a new diet (Christmas eve). But I can't stand myself anymore and I also can't live with the pain I'm dealing with every day. I weigh 270 with a goal of 140. That's a big loss but my rheumatologist said I have to lose weight to be able to feel better. I have major back pain from hernaited and degenerating disks, I have a blood disorder (Essential Thrombocythaemia) for which I take a chemo type med to supress my platelet production. I'm a stroke risk (I've had a stroke after surgery about 3 years ago). I walk with a cane or using a wheelchair whenever I have to walk more than a few yards. My doc is testing me for RA and gout now - will have the results in about 3 weeks when I go back to see him. I'm diabetic (type 2) and take insulin 4x /day. My diabetes doc says I need to lose weight also. I can't sleep because of the pain in my back and hips, and I have major fatigue and shortness of breath. Lately I'm having swelling and pain in my hands also.

My lifestyle is very restricted because I can't move about or lift much of anything. I need to do something, I'm pretty desperate because I'm finding myself getting depressed due to the limitations and the daily pain. Once before when I was in my 20's I tried eating lowcarb and lost weight then so I'm going to try this again. I was never much overweight as a child or teen or in my 20's (I was very active, playing sports daily); I gained wight in my mid-30's when I had my daughter and my back went out aro my 7th month of pregnancy. Ever since then, I've been overweight and kept gaining despite trying different diets.

Anyway I figured I better not put it off any longer, I need to start now, I turned 57 this week and I definitely want a better life for what I have remaining.

Thanks redneck... I'm only wondering what the doc will say because he's testing me for gout and I've been reading that treatment for
gout requires a low purine diet which this is not!. I'm going to drink lots and lots of water and have more salads I guess than I would have otherwise. Although if I lose weight before I go back to see him on Jan 17th, he may not mind at all.

Thanks Terese, I do have an Adkins book, and older one, but I think I'm going to buy the latest one and download it to my kindle if its available for the Kindle.

I know I kept seeing a coupon of sorts on the Atkin's Web site... i think it's for their new book, not sure about the Kindle thing... but I think many places have those electronic books now.