I'm back from my travels and once again experiencing being kiln-fired in Texas. Today's actual high is predicted to be 105° with a heat index of "lawyer's section of Hell." And that's hot.
I'm glad to say my family-related trip was a great success and gave me a much-needed emotional boost. Although I got off to a rough start when I flew into Indianapolis, the city of my birth, and then needed to drive a rental car to Mishawaka, Indiana about 150 miles away. I entered the destination into my GPS and set off confidently, enjoying the rolling scenery of the Hoosier state and the abundant corn fields.
A little too abundant.
After about a half hour, it started to strike me as odd that I was still only driving zig-zag patterns on back roads between fields so close I could have brushed my fingertips on cornstalks. I suspected a problem with my GPS but the roads were so small that there was no berm and no place to pull off to play with my phone. And I mean no place - no restaurants, gas stations, or rest areas. So I kept driving for almost five hours before reaching my destination - a Holiday Inn Conference Center in the middle of nowhere.
Only it wasn't "nowhere," of course - it just looked that way because it turned out a hidden setting in Google Maps had helpfully defaulted to "avoid highways" when using GPS and it had done the job flawlessly.
AI is not going to even break a sweat destroying me.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
• I'm still not following news in any kind of meaningful way, but I've heard enough about Trump's most recent BS indictments to be highly pissed off. Didn't we recently have hearings in Washington that failed to prove there even was any insurrection-type event or planning for same? Meanwhile, Adam "Googly Eyes" Schiff is pushing for Trump's trial(s) to be televised in the name of "transparency." Yeah, Adam, that would be transparent alright.
• I'm embarking on a much-needed weight-loss program with no enthusiasm whatsoever. To kick things off, I finally stepped on the scale yesterday and the readout said "Hey, one at a time." After which I took a saucy "Before" photo in my skivvies and no, you will never see it here or anywhere else. I look like I should be holding a chain attached to slave girl Carrie Fisher.
I've considered bariatric surgery but it still sounds too extreme and potentially hazardous. And I've heard about "Ozempic" and similar classes of drugs, but don't know anyone who's had firsthand experience with them (plus, they cost a metric assload). So for now, I'm doing it old school: calorie counting and exercise. Wish me luck.
• I see that Joe Biden has now officially passed the "one year of vacation since taking office" mark. That means that he's been on vacation for 40% of his presidency, for which we should be grateful considering the damage he causes the other 60% of the time.
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| "Jill, what's a four-letter word for woman ending in U-N-T?" "Aunt." "Um...got an eraser?" |
In other words, you can't just shrug and schedule an appointment for 6 weeks out, or 12 weeks out, or any OTHER time beyond 4 weeks...but there are also no appointments available anywhere in that 4-week window. Which effectively ends the process with the government saying "screw you and go away." Although obviously, I can't go far away.
Bastards.
53 comments:
Stilt: Do a "Government edit" on your passport. Simply change the dates...in crayon. Make them prove it wasn't a government official that made the changes for you!
HEY- for Heaven;s sake do NOT do ANY surgery which involves a bypass of any kind. My late wife had that done in her twenties and that set the course for long term health issues ranging from osteoporosis to facial bone necrosis and other things that eventually destroyed her. A bypass of any kind will prevent the uptake and absorption of minerals, including calcium and potassium, and when they put you on various drugs to compensate, those drugs will cause a cascade of other issues. If you want to keep living, do not do any "bariatric surgery", take it from a widower who would otherwise be an extremely happy married man now.
@Mike aka Proof- Brilliant! Of course, I may still have problems since my passport picture was taken almost 20 years ago. 20 hard years.
@Julian- I am so sorry for your loss and the health issues that your wife suffered. I'm not going to do surgery (and you've certainly reinforced that).
Our cell phone google maps app doesn't like the prairie states. On trips Jawja to Minnysoda it crapped out, giving odd instructions and just letting us wander in the wilderness. Once it was off i65 in Indiana (not sure how we got there in the first place) and on the other trip off I57? in Illinois. Turned out there was no signal. Ain't modern conveniences wunnerful?
Next time I print out my AAA TripTiks and have them send me some real maps.
As for gastric bypasses, I checked on that and it said that after it was done you have to eat six meals a day, a couple of ounces per meal. Which was also what you had to limit yourself to PRIOR to the operation. And my med plan requires you join a support group prior to and maintain meetings after. Heck with that.
@Stilt, You should never trust GPS. Always cross-check with a paper map. And look into intermittent fasting for weight loss. You can lose weight and save money at the same time. One Dr. Jason Fung has written a few books on the subject.
Oi vey Stilt, glad you are back, in relatively one piece (I may or may not be Jewish, haven't bothered with the DNA bit, but always liked that particular phrase. It is truly expressive. Hopefully I have not offended anyone and please accept my sincere apologies if I have.).
On matters of weight loss I am a total failure, guess who happens to be cheerful no matter what but is a serious stress eater? The big girl in the corner is me, by the way, lol. I lost 30 pounds leading up to last years hernia surgery and it's coming back. Again, stress eater here. No, I didn't really know I had a hernia but I've spent the last three years or so routinely tossing my guts up every month or so because of it. Things were blocked and pinched that do not like being that way. And now I can eat almost anything again unfortunately.
My brother is on Ozempic's non-denominational cousin because of diabetes. His goal is to be off all meds by the end of the year. He has lost enough weight to be at the "Oh my God you're so skinny" stage. I don't think he's been this skinny in about 40 years, honestly. It almost makes me want to try it but I'm leery of having to go on any more meds. I tend to have weird reactions to things that are the last thing mentioned as possible on their list of reactions. It's not pleasant. It does kill your appetite which is a big plus for me.
Ozempic is only said to work while your taking it.If you stop the weight comes back,but this is only stories on the net,as one man said"believe it or not".If you took your weighty photo on your phone then never fear,it will pop up on the net somewhere,I hope you had your hair done.
I had a GPS set to use nearest highway...after 3 loops onto and off of the same highway I realized there was a huge problem and guestimated my way to my destination.
Another GPS miracle...4 wheeling in the mountains of Colorado, GPS takes me onto a dirt road that eventually dies out into chico brush. We find a way home and I do some research. The road I was on was based on a 1950s map.
And these are the same people that want to give us driverless cars and control every aspect of our lives.
Yes, I'm an Old Fart; & I do not understand why folks won't still use the free paper state road maps. I'm also a retired Engineer. Do ya'll know how to interrogate an engineer?
Tie them to a chair & fold a brand new road map BACKWARD in front of them until they talk.
Living in rural Ohio, I've found that Google maps does relatively well in cities but get outside city limits and "Brigette the Navigator" appears to take fiendish delight in directing you down deer trails, cow paths & imaginary roads that may have been a road at one time or was planned to become a road but never did.
Stay away from that surgery! My wife's close friend (as close as she could be, when someone is around 450 lbs., they have their own ZipCode) had the surgery and it almost killed her. She survived the surgery fine, then went out and bought a Harley to celebrate. Not one doctor warned the poor woman about the yards of excess skin that don't go away when the fat is gone. The motorcycle had high rise handlebars, when the wind got caught up in the skin hanging down from her arms like the sails on a boat, good ol' Adrienne lost control, and went flying off the road into a ditch.
Great to have you back!
In '16 I went from La Grange TX to NYC (3 days) using Google maps in my van taking stuff for my brother after mom passed and opted for the "avoid highways". It was amazing! It took me on the Natchez Trace and every conceivable back road. I quickly learned to download the map every time it prompted. I'll admit there were times I truly wondered, but I always popped out where I needed to be. Turned out to only be about 6hrs longer than interstate.
As far as losing weight, at 60 a friend gave me "The 4-hour body" by Tim Ferriss (he has a series of "4-hour" books and a YouTube channel) and not only is it a good read but easy to follow and I just changed the way I eat, no counting calories, and 7 yrs and -40 lbs later I'm a happy guy. It's not super fast, resulting in what The Italian Meat Sauce intimated, but steady, and rapid enough that you don't quit.
Good luck Stilt.
I've been a map aficionado since I was a kid. We visited NYC for the World's Fair in 1964 and I bought a street map of Manhattan. Within a couple of months I could have been a cabbie, if they gave driver's licenses to people of single digit age. Later, as a geologist, I made my living off maps. They are the only way to go, although web-based maps can be handy for finding restaurants and the like on road trips.
Regarding the weight loss, I don't have much to add, seeing as how I have trouble keeping pounds on my aging frame. I do recommend avoiding any surgery if possible, so much can go wrong under anesthesia.
Stilt:
I dropped about a hundred pounds. My wife is disabled, so I've been doing the cooking for about the last five years. So we no longer have pasta twice a week. No spaghetti, no lasagna (homemade! SOB!), etc. Instead, lots and lots of protein, mostly red meat, pork, and chicken. Also lots of fiber (chia seeds, flaxseed, sesame seeds) that I mix in with my morning bowl of steel cut oats, and my evening protein shake.
I am also on Ozempic for diabetic control. But I'd already lost the weight by then, and it hasn't helped me lose any more. Now I've plateaus at about 285-290.
And yes, it costs a metric buttload.
Good luck.
We just applied for passports at our local library. No problem at all making appointment and they even took the photo that you need!
Stilt, remember the Pharma mantra, "A patient cured is a customer lost." Please stay away from Ozempic. Eat healthy and exercise.
Good luck with the weight loss. I could lose about 15 pounds. It doesn't sound like much, but my 70 year-old legs can feel every pound peddling the ebike up a hill.
I refuse to use the misdirection that the GPS map services provide. I will use the maps, I'm old enough to know how to read them.
I lost 80lbs in 1968, kept them off for 30 years, then started following the gubbermint recommended Standard American Diet. Which is truly SAD.
I started the same thing again last August - low carb, which is now called keto. But now we have nutritional labels and good directions. I recommend Dr. Eric Westman's program, he's the director of diet and nutrition @ Duke University. (Not necessarily a fly by night outfit. High praise from a UNC grad....)
You can take his class, or simply buy the book. I did both. I'm down 52 lbs so far. If course I no longer have a 19 year old metabolism. But I can do things today that I couldn't do a year ago. Like see my feet without a mirror. It works. All the naysayers don't really understand the true concept, or don't understand metabolism.
IT WORKS!
Snark
Another vote for no surgery. I increased my exercise and did Nutrisystem. I've dropped 51 pounds so far.
Glad you had a good trip. I should have sent this to you before you left so that you would be prepared:
https://i.imgur.com/Sa4R8zW.jpg
Check out the Eat Like a Bear diet. Low carb and intermitant fasting. Simple, affordable and the only thing that has worked for me. Much info on web but start here: https://eatlikeabear.com/3-day-challenge/
Wow, I forgot we had a caption today (everyone may wish I had not remembered).
"The legacy media's image of Hunter Biden"
Good luck, seriously, with your diet.
A comment for the last post. My sister in-law picked up Covid flying back from Hawaii. What a way to end a vacation. Now we wait for a while to see the pictures.
Take care and remember to have some fun,
jack
Caption: Pre-transition or post-transition?
Welcome home, and so glad your trip went well. No doubt that quality human interaction boosted your emotional state. Because as awesome as we are here, we really don't count as "human contact". In fact, you all you know, everyone here is are just part of an AI simulation designed to mess with your head.
GPS: Yeah, I kind make a point of verifying where my GPS is taking me before I start. There have been a few episodes where the Google has taken us and our travel trailer on routes that really weren't suitable for vehicles bigger than a roadster.
Trump Indictments: Is anyone else getting the impression that every time more embarrassing revelations about Hunter drops, another charge against Trump is filed?
Weight Loss: Might I suggest veganism.
Or might I suggest adopting another dog. That's what we did. Now I'm walking at least two miles a day, because he won't poop before anything less.
Biden's Vacation Time: Wanna have fun? On your Progressive friends social media timelines, search for "vacation" to find their posts going on about how many times Trump went to Mar-a-Lago, and say "Well, that didn't age well".
Personally, I like it when our politicians are on vacation. It's less time devoted to f-ing up our lives.
Passport: Can't wait until these people are running my health care.
Stilton, I feel your pain in trying to manage your weight. Try the Tomorrow Diet. No, not that one. The one where you say "There will be more food tomorrow, and I don't have to eat everything I see". Then proceed to eat what you want, but always leave 1/4 or 1/3 of it on your plate. Simple, satisfying and effective. Have fun!
Glad you're home safe. Sounds like your adventure turned into and ADVENTURE. I got a passport a couple of years ago. One needs it to board an airplane with a Montana driver's license. With all the lists I'm on, I'm surprised they issued one. Ah, the government. such adroit individuals.
@John the Econ:
Regarding the indictments following Biden perfidy, as Bing told me: Goldfinger said, “Mr Bond, they have a saying in Chicago: ‘Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, the third time it’s enemy action.' "
Thanks for bringing back comedy captions - one of my faves.
Hi Stilt,
I just went through that passport sh*tshow earlier this year in Phoenix. I found ONE appointment in the next 4 weeks in the entire metro area. I jumped on it, drove 45 minutes, spent 5 minutes at the window, and my passport showed up magically in the mail 11 weeks later (their site shows a 6-9 week SLA). I was getting worried that I would need to hire a reverse mule to get to my daughter's wedding in Puerto Vallarta...
And 105 is peanuts. The last few weeks I've seen "120, feels like 125" multiple times.
Good luck with the weight plan. I need to get after that myself!
Mike
Look into low carb and intermittent fasting. Check out Ken Berry on You Tube and Jason Fung for fasting advice. I've been doing carnivore for about four months and in my fifty plus years of various diets it is the easiest and most successful thing I have ever tried.
We use gps when travelling out of state in the mh. Once, my sister-in-law gave us gps driving directions which took us all over the place but not to where we wanted. Come to find out, her gps was sent to bike routes which really screwed things up. Real men don’t need maps…but dead reckoning doesn’t necessarily get the job done either.
Be warned that if your doctor prescribes metformin, you WILL get gas and will be farting loudly and odiferously and might even knock out a wall if you aren't careful...
As someone who has yoyo dieted all my adult life, lose and gain, and on and on, I came to realize that no matter which plan you use, the true success of losing weight and keeping it off is in your own brain. The motivation and willingness to change your eating habits comes from sheer will and determination. Having said all that, I did have the gastric sleeve operation when I was 65 years old. There's no harmful effects like in bypass. They merely remove a portion of your stomach, so your capacity is diminished. It makes it impossible to overeat. Bear in mind it is a tool not a magic trick and you still have to maintain a healthy diet. I settled on Weight Watchers and decided to not try to lose weight quickly. I now have an entirely different attitude towards food. Bottom line, I lost 137 pounds and have kept it off for many years. Good luck in whatever you choose to do.
Those who misuse Ozympec just to lose a few pounds are really irritating (putting it mildly) to Type II diabetics who need it for medical reasons and can't get it because the rich and not really fat are convincing their medical people to prescribe it. OK, rant over.
I was on Ozympec for a while, then my insurance required a switch to Trulicity. It does the job, and I noticed exactly zero weight loss. The only thing that guarantees permanent weight loss is to permanently alter what/how you eat. I moved to mostly keto and I feel so much better.
But I do so miss bread and potatoes and rice...
@Dan- I think the GPS maps were probably fine as long as the "drive the dumbest way possible" option wasn't checked in the preferences. Regarding bariatric surgery, it's clearly a one-way street that you might not be happy with after surgery.
@JustaJeepGuy- In fairness, the GPS got me to my destination. And with no annoying, speedy, direct highways!
@mamafrog- I'm a big-time stress eater and, having recently experienced big-time stress, have ballooned. And my joints (and mirror) aren't happy about it. Regarding Ozempic and similar meds, I'll continue researching but hope to do it without them.
@Bones- I took my dreaded "before" picture with my phone and the image instantly appeared on my Google Photos page (and is probably on my Amazon Photos page). I nuked it, of course, but who knows what that even means anymore? I expect to eventually see my picture turn up on a "Save The Manatees" poster.
@SanJuan- GPS definitely has failings. Like telling you to "turn left now" when you're halfway over a bridge. I just can't see driverless cars ever being a good idea.
@Rod- I like maps, too. But when driving by myself it's nice to have the GPS calling out the directions audibly.
@Jerry- The question is always whether the GPS just doesn't know what it's doing, or if it's deliberately leading you to a cabin in the woods that shelters a serial killer.
@The Italian Meat Sauce- I'm guessing that if I lost all the weight I wanted, I'd have enough loose skin to stretch out my limbs and glide like a flying squirrel from the tops of buildings. That being said, I feel sorry for Adrienne and hope that she has recovered fully.
@Spec-Ops Medic- I like the sound of being an undocumented Bolivian satire writer. And the government-issued perks and privileges would probably be great. I think you're on to something here.
@Neighbor Dave- I like Tim Ferris and will check out his book. And congratulations on shedding that weight and keeping it off!
@TrickyRicky- I used to like the maps included in issues of National Geographic magazine. They were colorful and surely helpful for young boys wanting to know how to get to remote villages where topless women walked around balancing jugs of water on their heads. Regarding surgery, I'm not going to do it. Period.
@Anonymous- Congratulations on the weight loss and my sincere best wishes for you and your wife. It can be hard to be a caregiver and be hard to need care, but love is a wonderful thing. I like your ideas for weight loss and am going to try steering in that direction. If it works, I can treat myself to $1000 worth of toys every month since I saved that money on Ozempic!
@Subside6491- I just found a reasonably close library that can do the job for me! And yet not a SINGLE post office has any openings? Color me suspicious.
@Prarie Lion- Fine advice and I'm taking it.
@Dr. Strangelove- I must lose 50 and would ideally lose 100 pounds. I feel like it's a race against time with my 70-year-old knees and hips!
@Snark- Thanks for sharing your personal experience. I'll take a look at that program - and congrats to you for your success!
@Chuck- Well done on the weight loss front! And my trip was very good. I'm in a better mood than I've been in for ages. It's special when twins (like my brother and I) get back together. Although we're not identical and it gets a little old hearing him called (appropriately) "the cute one" for 70 years.
@Sally Fomoco- I'd never heard of that but followed your link to learn more. Thanks!
@TrickyRicky- I like it!
@jackjr- So far I appear not to have gotten Covid, which was one of my real worries. Granted, my flight to Indiana was only two hours - not like that long haul to Hawaii (which I've taken multiple times).
@John the Econ- Actually, the regulars here do count as "human contact" to me, although the face-to-face interaction with family and old friends was something I really needed. And "amen" to the rest of your comments!
@Will Hepburn- I like the sound of the Tomorrow Diet, but I'm too much of a skinflint to waste food. So I'm going to work on portion control instead.
@Lee The Voice- There is almost no chance that I'll actually need a passport for the rest of my life (I've never used the passports I've had before). Still, I'd at least like to have that door open if some interesting opportunity presented itself.
@Dan- Exactly!
@jayjay- Glad you enjoyed the captions. I enjoy making them!
@Mike- I'm glad you got that passport and could attend the wedding. It annoys me that I can't renew by mail because it's been (just) over 15 years since my last passport was issued. But I haven't changed my name or address in all that time, so you'd think renewal would be a breeze. But nooOOoooo.
@James- I've had success with low carb and keto dieting in the past (did you know you can make a tasty parfait from pork skins and mayonnaise?) I'll look at those resources you mentioned - thanks!
@Anonymous- Come to think of it, I recently had my GPS start suggesting bike routes. Which it wouldn't do if it saw my physique.
@John Holton- Actually, I've been on metformin for years. Although now that you mention it, I've also been farting for years...
@Shelly- Good for you! I'm so glad that you've had success and stuck with it. I agree that the one real factor in successful weight loss is your mindset. I most recently had success using the "Noom" app which combines calorie counting with positive reinforcement and encouragement. I'm basically trying to replicate that now without the app or subscription fee. But it was a good program!
@MAJ Arkay- I agree about "fad" uses depriving people of needed medication. In my case, I think I weigh enough that there are mortality issues that could make the use of the medication legitimate - but I'd rather try willpower and leave the meds for those who need them more.
And I like the foods one can eat on a keto plan, but those carbs are always calling...
Caption: Oscar Wilde after bariatric surgery in June, 1900. Six months later, he is dead.
A former co-worker had bariatric surgery and looked fantastic. Within five years, she was dead.
Here endeth the lesson.
Attaboy on the Dangerfield-level "scale" joke.
Not sayin' he used it, just that he should'a.
Cudos on the Petri and Ford references for us Boomers.
Don't have any good captions for you,
but I'll throw this out:
https://sondraksgulch.com/unidentifiable-as/
Yeah, Ozympic may force you to lose weight from slowing down the digestive system, but it won't force you to learn your lessons.
Not sure that I actively changed what I was eating, but I started doing brisk one hour walks and over a few years it's made a real difference and with zero excess skin despite now being in my early 50s (magical skin contraction in line with weight loss evaporates as you make it through the decades).
AHHHH Stilton!
I was going to Lawrence, KS the other day and KNOW IT ONLY TOO WELL ON A TOLL ROAD. Unfortunately I forgot to turn off where I normally do and there was a Cluster F at the next exit so I drove on to TOPEKA paid them their $4.50 and turned around back to LeCompton for another $1.50. Eventually back home for another $2.50.
I really guess I need to look into getting a K-Tag again but when I left KC THEY CHARGED ME! which everyone tells me THAT should not have happened. I had them taking like $5.00 a month out automatically so I figured OK well I should have money in there to cover what you're asking but OH NO!
But if I keep driving to Topeka LOL a K-Tag just may be worth it.
Glad you finally reached your destination. I was also going to a friends house out in Stillwell, KS one day while I was still in Lee's Summit. Google took me on the corn row and empty field route. I kinda sorta knew where I was but it was ridiculous as again NOTHING out there other than road with HUGE country potholes that almost ate my car several times. Luckily I did not go back to Lee's Summit that way!
Do hope you enjoyed getting to see your family and bro.
Glad you are safely home.
Regarding the post office - they lost my change of address notice, I went to Lee's Summit and to Mission IN PERSON to find out WHY I keep getting the previous owners mail and NONE of my own about 6 wks...Finally getting my own but had several very unpleasant experiences because the post office sent some expensive meds to the town house in Lee's Summit and then the ORIGINATOR would NOT reship to me or give me my money back...meanwhile no meds... Finally after my credit card was FRAUDED AGAIN...I called Discover and disputed the refusal to refund my money and expecting me to go to Lee's Summit again to the address where I'd lived...and got an email from THAT PLACE telling the that lot of robberies going on over there etc. If anything HAD been delivered there, someone would have swiped it anyway. GEEZ! LOL
And the POSTAL SERVICE GET ON LINE TO CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS DEAL ABSOLUTELY WOULD NOT WORK REGARDLESS of how many times I tried. The post person would NOT accept the previous owners 6 weeks of mail that was filling up one side of my garage so I took it all to the Mission branch and LUCKILY that guy said he'd take it.
LOVE TO YOU ALWAYS!
Weight loss under the Whole30 works.
Understanding their model in the nerdier book “It’s All About Food” (something like that) made it clearer.
Modest exercise - swim a bit, walk a bit, seems to help.
Too much exercise forced a calories craving that more than offset any calories burnt.
Wishing everything good in your efforts - just telling others you’re trying makes a difference!
It must make you proud to think you may end up a greenpeace PIN UP.
Hi Stilt! Just want to add my 2-cents' worth (well, in Israeli currency let's say my 10 agorot🙂) re dieting suggestions. I recommend checking out a book titled "The Life Transforming Diet" by David Zulberg. I tried implementing it some years ago. Lost a significant amount of weight, painlessly, and it stayed off.
Whatever route you choose, I wish you success!
here ya go...bestlifeonline.com /ozempic-side-effects-new-report-news/
"My Body Violently Rejected It": Ozempic Patient on Harsh Side Effects
Abby Reinhard 8/10/2023
The idea of using Ozempic or Wegovy (brand names for semaglutide injection) may be enticing, since the drugs have been shown to assist with rapid weight loss and life-changing transformations. For a while, these medications seemed almost too good to be true, with many—including celebrities—touting them as a solution to years of struggling with extra pounds. But although some don't have any adverse effects, more and more patients are speaking out about the painful symptoms they've experienced, with one telling The Washington Post that her body "violently rejected" Ozempic. Read on to find out more about the drug's harsh side effects.
RELATED: Ozempic Patients Report Debilitating New Side Effect: "Wish I Never Touched It."
Woman Holding Her Stomach in Pain
While Wegovy is approved to treat obesity, Ozempic is just approved for the treatment of diabetes and prescribed off-label to help people lose weight. According to a report in WaPo, both medications can cause unpleasant side effects.
A 305-person study published in May by the Mayo Clinic found that half of patients taking semaglutide for at least a year experience side effects, with most reporting diarrhea and nausea. In an earlier Oct. 2022 study published in Nature, 82.2 percent of participants taking these drugs reported adverse events "of mild-to-moderate severity."
WaPo spoke with several patients about their experiences, including 40-year-old Courtney Blair, who told the outlet that she was taking Ozempic for weight loss, starting with the lowest dose and gradually taking more over the course of several months. However, debilitating stomach pain caused her to miss work and eventually required her to switch medications.
"My body violently rejected it," Blair said. "I was projectile vomiting and other gross things. It was so painful I thought I was going to have to call 911."
... she conceded that Ozempic was more helpful in terms of making "better food choices."
RELATED: Ozempic Maker Sued Over Alleged Side Effect Sending Patients to ER.
Another patient, 52-year-old Robin Demoy, lost over 60 pounds while taking Wegovy, but she told WaPo that she also experienced dizziness similar to motion sickness, weakness in her legs, nausea, vomiting, and a reduced desire to eat. Meanwhile, Tia Koch, a 40-year-old woman, had to be hospitalized due to her severe nausea and pain associated with taking Wegovy.
In addition, CNN recently spoke with several patients who have been diagnosed with a painful condition called stomach paralysis, which their doctors believe could be connected to these medications.
Stomach paralysis (formally known as gastroparesis) isn't listed as a potential side effect on the drugs' labels, but in a statement previously provided to Best Life, Ozempic and Wegovy maker Novo Nordisk noted that gastrointestinal (GI) events "are well-known side effects."
RELATED: 4 Foods That Spike the Same Weight Loss Hormone as Ozempic, Experts Say.
Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly (which produces another diabetes drug) were hit with a lawsuit earlier this month, with a patient alleging that she was hospitalized due to her side effects, and had even lost teeth from vomiting. According to WaPo, the patient's law firm has been retained by over 500 clients who had similar experiences with the drugs.
Stilton, from time to time, I've engaged in programmes to lose weight. (I have a tendency to let my weight slide a bit.) In the last month or so, I've lost about 10 pounds, mostly by walking 3-6 miles a day and doing calorie counting. The first part, the walking, is key. If you can find a good route, a walk is low-impact, but will have its effects without risking injury. Good luck!
So you need to lose some pounds. Our house went on a low sodium diet. I mean 1000 to 1500mg of sodium a day. One Chick-fil-a chicken sandwich will blow a whole day of sodium. Popeye's is even worse. So we eat at home all the time. One thing needed to comply with this lifestyle is portion control. 5 unsalted saltine crackers is 60mg. So you eat 5 and then must stop. In fact, you stop eating a lot of things, chips, soda, booze, lunch meat, dairy, processed food, and baked goods. Lots of berries and vegetables are allowed. However, after being on it for almost a year both of us have lost 10 pounds and dropped out blood pressure to low normal. Just something to consider.
As with any health decision, age must be considered, and expected longevity. A procedure that makes no sense for a 30 year old may make a lot of sense for a 70 year old.
My best friend is an M.D. (forty years plus now) and he is adamantly opposed to ANY surgery the isn't an absolute necessity. We have all heard the stories of someone who went in just to have wisdom teeth removed and died in the chair. Or the schmuck in South America who had it all, a billionaire, but he decided the one more thing he needed in life was a bigger penis. He died on the table.
@Readers- Thank you so much for all of the additional information and advice, all of which is appreciated! Surgery is definitely off the table at this point (I take it as a truism in life that horrors happen in hospitals) and I'm not currently seeking any shortcuts which would be medically questionable or unsustainable. Rather I'm doing casual calorie counting; not depriving myself, but making sure I stay below 2000 calories (that allows for quite a bit of food!). Over the course of about two weeks, I'm down 8 pounds or so and will just keep at it. I'm also exercising - nothing crazy, but I got a watch that counts steps and reminds me to move. So far, so good!
RE: weight loss... I try to have at least a few ounces of protein per day... mainly 93% lean ground sirloin or chuck... or the cheap but good tasting Nathan's beef hot dogs. For 2 to 3 days per week, I eat only fruit for breakfast, lunch, & supper... watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, bananas, oranges, apples, and Kiwi. In 2 weeks, I lost 6 pounds which has motivated me to get back on my treadmill. I used to walk 2 miles after breakfast, and again after lunch and supper for a total of 6 miles per day. The last time on the treadmill, like a year ago, my legs cramped up big time, so it sits behind me in my dining room/office/with the treadmill. If you don't own a treadmill, go to a gym to try one out, then if you feel like it would help you to loose weight, buy one. I bought mine 21 years ago at Kmart, which closed up the 3 stores we had. It was on sale for $129 and it's still working great. I sort of want to get you to have a pact with me on how much we loose every 2 weeks. I have 28 more pounds to drop to get to my normal weight. For the arm flappers, buy 1 kettle bell and after a few weeks of just using 1 kettle bell, you'll want to buy another one for different exercises. My 1st bell was an 8 pounder and my 2nd bell is 10 lbs. I will admit to accidentally throwing a bell into the walls, on one foot, and damn near into my 55 inch TV. Just don't go super fast with those bells... but if you do, pad the furniture and walls LOL Stay well everyone. I wish you all, days filled with love and laughter! Mary in Minnesota
How did she know it was "covid"?
Just passing this on:
https://babylonbee.com/news/deaths-caused-by-hurricane-hilary-to-be-labeled-suicides
Random Comments.
1) My wife is taking Ozempic for diabetes. A couple notes on it: it is a weekly self-injection. As said before, if you miss a week, weight starts to come back. For 1-2 days after, you might feel queasy ... my wife does (perhaps that is why it works?). It was very scarce for awhile because of people using it for weight loss. This means my wife at times went several weeks without a prescription fulfilled. Might be a good investment because "everyone wants it".
2) For your passport, try you congress person. They may be able to help with the red tape. That is why they grift the big bucks.
3) Your GPS comments remind me of an old cartoon of a car driving off the cliff while the voice from the car was saying "... Recalculating ...". An old GPS map once led me to a bad route that ended in a near cliff over the Rio in New Mexico with a dirt-road switchback down several hundred feet to the river. Didn't elect to take that route.
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