'IC and weight loss programs' survey

[playethic]

I was kind of disappointed by the ICN survey about different weight loss programs.

As a severe IC patient, it is hard enough getting taken seriously in the medical community about just how completely disabling the disease can be, and how bed-bound it can make some who have the disease. If we're well enough to be debating whether to do Zone/Atkins/Weight Watchers, how serious a disease can it be?

I would have preferred either
- that this discussion and link were within the 'people in remission' thread,
- or that it at least was premised by,
'Some are completely debilitated by the disease. For those with mild IC or
who are in remission, a survey not meant to seem frivolous but to weigh
IC diet against weight loss' ...
or some such thing.

Am I overreacting? Did anyone else feel that ICN Facebook survey came across as too frivolous for a disease making them desperate?

[ICNDonna]

I don't see a problem with the survey. The vast majority of IC patients find treatment options that work well and for those of us who are overweight, the results of the survey could be a huge help.

Donna

[Mothergoose]

I didn't see the survey for what ever reason my face book is not working right and I need a teenager to figure it out for me.

But my IC was severe for years, finally I found a good gp and uro who together gave me my life back.

I like alot of peopel with IC had put on weight with the combo of age, beening house bound, being glued to my bed or on a good day the couch, all the weight gaining meds they get you to try, and eatting out of boredom or tring to distract myself from the pain.

Yes my symptoms are much better controlled now so I finally decided to do a diet, I really don't think I could have handled it when things were bad, but last Sept I did the HCG diet, i lost all the weight I had to loose and then some.

So yes I feel it is important to have the survey, but I do understand your thought about it minimize our conditions, although I am quite sure that is not what it was ment to do.

MG

[curlycue]

weight watchers

Has anyone tried the weight watchers points program?

[Julie B]

The Weight Watchers program is one of the most respected and helpful programs out there. Year after year the American Dietetic Association rates diets and they consistently come out on top. :-) What's nice is that you don't need special food to be successful on the WW plan. You just log the foods you do and can eat. :-)

[plmokn]

I can see where your concern comes from but with that said I gained about 30 lbs from when I developed IC in 2007 and now. It came from a mixture of being on Lyrica which causes a lot of weight gain, going from being an active swimmer and athlete to a coach potato because of pain and as someone else said from eating to distract from pain. Now that my medication and very strict diet allow me to live a lower pain life I need to think about losing the extra weight which in itself can cause health issues. I have lost 13 lbs in just over a month from going on the "17 Day Diet" which with a very few modifications works really well for someone on the IC diet.

[kadi]

Honestly, I'm glad to see the survey, because my becoming overweight has been a very unpleasant aspect of how bad my IC is. When I was well, walking 4 miles a day, doing any kind of exercise I felt like, and able to eat healthy things like fruits, soy, etc, my weight was never an issue. But, now that IC has limited my diet, limited my exercise, and I'm on a medicine for IC that causes weight gain & slower metabolism, I'm really struggling with my weight and am 25-30 pounds overweight. My doctors have just shrugged and consider it part of being sick. I'm really wanting to deal with it though, because I'm not just a giant bladder, and it's not good for the rest of me (especially with family history of heart disease, strokes, diabetes) to be so limited.

Weight Watchers is really helping me and the suggestions here about how to exercise with IC are helpful also.

I think that dealing with a secondary serious health concern like weight management doesn't take away from the seriousness of our IC, it actually reinforces the life-damaging aspects of the disease.