POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Pre-HAART Long-Term Survivors => Topic started by: jkinatl2 on November 24, 2008, 01:28:42 am
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Honestly, I do not know whether this belongs in LIVING WITH, NUTRITION, or here. But seeing as how there are far fewer people here that I can't stand, I will try here.
:)
Ever since getting back from the hospital with a T Cell count of ten and a viral load off the charts, I have been eating.
The new regimen has, in only two and a half months, given me an almost undetectable viral load and a CD4 count of 200 plus.
But that 25 pounds I lost in the hospital, you know, the ones that made me look a little AIDSy? I have found them. And also ten of their friends.
For the first time in the longest time, I really am getting chunky. I am ravenous All. The.Time. Not for candy or sweets, that I could write off as emotional eating or something. We are talking meat, beans, veggies, stuff that is good for you. Only bags and bags of it. I've gone from a guy who forced down protein and fiber shakes to make sure he didn't have to buy new pants to... well, a guy on the cusp of having to buy new pants, only int he other direction. And in such a short time!
I have started to work out again, and yes, I am sore. Especially my middle, which is bearing the brunt of all my activities in the gym and the kitchen, it seems.
Does this happen a lot when one bounces back as strongly, as high as I seem to have? Should I go with it, embrace the fatty? I used to be a nibbler. Now I seem to have passed nosher and gone right for the gourmand. I don't think they MAKE a workout regimen that can keep up with this.
Excuse me, the microwave just announced that my fourth serving of chili is ready. Can't miss THAT.
Jonathan
and the ferrets
until he eats them too
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You're too intelligent not to know the answer to this. And I say that with the greatest respect--no snark intended.
What're your cholesterol and triglyceride counts? Normal or not?
What's your height and your actual poundage? Your age? Are you within normal or overweight parameters?
What is the actual change in your waist measurement? Are you really a "fatty," or are you "feeling" that more than anything?
I sense that you were so underweight for so long that you have difficulty accepting normalization.... A "nibbler" becomes "ravenous." That's such a radical change, but you're now taking a HAART regimen that's actually fighting your infection. You need more nutrition.
Love or what you will....
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Wow, thanks for responding so quickl! And thanks for the kind words!
My cholesterol is within normal levels, as are the triglycerides. My blood pressure is a little high, but not worth prescribing over.
Thing is, I have not experienced this phenomenon before. And I havebeen on and off meds many many times. and come back from low CD4s more than once. True, not this low... but then again, not this quickly either.
I am wondering if the introduction of an entry inhibitor (Isentress) in conjunction with the test that showed I have a CCR5 mutation is doing more to fight HIV in my body than other drugs have in the past.
It's jst amazing, humbling, and a little scary to have a sudden burst of health. it's as if, between my energy level and appetite, I am living at about two hundred percent. And part of me is waiting for the other shoe to drop.
I am 42 years old, have had HIv since January of 1993, my height is 5'7" andf weight is 165, heading towards 170. When I was modeling and working out a lot, my weight was 170, but that was all muscle. This is not :) I have always had a big build, so I canhandle and need more weight than the BMI would indicate to be healthy. But I am amazed at how extraordinarily quickly I have rebounded, in a very visceral way.
It is nice to worry about being fat. As worries go, I prefer this, relish it even. I shall not, of course, let it get too out of hand. If for no other reason, I can't afford new pants.
It's just not something I have seen on these forums before. I am used to hearing stories about people on meds for years, with tiny, almost unmeasurable incremental increases in CD4s and slow, slow drops in viral loads. It;s as if I have some sort of mutant viral strain that, now that it has found a genuine nemesis, is conked out.
The downside, of course, if that I am getting every pimple, every slight infection, every little problem that my depleted immune system overlooked all these years. Including the latent PCP infection that landed me in the hospital, and God/dess knows what else. Iknow first hand that the immune reconstruction can be life threatening. And I was wondering how long it lasts, and how insidious it is.
Hopefully there will be some insight from other LTS folks? Because I do not know the answer to this, intelligent or not. Because I have never been here before.
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I eat enough for FOUR healthy young hard working men :o
I am just under 6 foot tall
My PROFILE picture is from a year ago July ,i must update it LOL
I eat like a pig !
and like you it is not crap , I cook good healthy food , lots of food .
I still get a look now and then :P
I am vain ...............................................
I do NOT use any bath oils ! none ! I turn into to a pimpole factory !
I use " hydrophiic Ointment " I receive from the V.A.
this stuff is great for dry hands ,feet skin .
Sometimes I blobb it on my face and let it soak in , very nice results , not surgical ,but nize.
love , karl :-*
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Ever since getting back from the hospital with a T Cell count of ten and a viral load off the charts, I have been eating.
The new regimen has, in only two and a half months, given me an almost undetectable viral load and a CD4 count of 200 plus.
But that 25 pounds I lost in the hospital, you know, the ones that made me look a little AIDSy? I have found them. And also ten of their friends.
Jonathan,
I can only tell you, that I went through this period back in 2003, after I had gone through a 30 pound weight loss. It seems the day I started on meds,( with the help of prednisone), I also couldn't get enough to eat. Unfortunately, some of that was junk food, so I got off that stuff pretty fast, and tried to eat only nutritionally. ! I was stuffing all this food down my throat, as if I was starving. It was quite a site. I just couldn't get enough to eat. Even Ed had to say ,"Hey, slow down a little " Had quite a few cravings back then!
So for now, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables around the house. If I want to snack, or I feel hungry( even though I just had a full meal), it's an apple or banana, or peach or pear. Whatevers available. Celery, carrots, radishes, this is my munch food !
Fish, and lean meat, a few times a week. Whole wheat breads. Vegetables and fruits are probably one of my biggest expenditures weekly ! and because of the tough times, I've had to cut back a little.
When the weight came back, it came back pretty fast, and evenly ( perhaps more in the gut ) I look at pictures that I took of myself back in 2003 before meds, and there is no comparison to what I look like today. It's night and day. Maybe some day I will post them. The chest is back, the shoulders are back , legs are back, ribs aren't showing. It's great to look somewhat good again, taking all into consideration. Believe me, I know what it's like to look a little "AIDSy"
I was always pretty much physically active, but still not exercising enough. I try swimming for about an hour everyday, in the complex pool, which is now cooling down a little bit. We also enjoy biking, several times a week, which is also a little easier to do due to the weather down here. We also like our power walks, that seem to help. I do not work out in the gym, but it's not something that I have ruled out, somewhere down the road.
My weight back in 2003 was 140 pounds. I am 5 feet seven inches. The highest weight I was at, was about 182. I am now at 173, and have been at that weight for a few years now. It's very stable. This is the weight I try to maintain.
Still a little heavy ( mostly around the waistline)---which by the way increased two inches. I am probably going to have to live with that. There is still much more that I can do with my diet, to improve on that, along with exercise. But for now, I am happy, looking as I am. As Ed says, " you look meaty again" ! I Hope it lasts ! But, I am happy to have a healthy appetite !
Ray
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Jonathan,
Finally I'm not alone!!! Yes, it is hell to stabilize after all that you've been through, and it will take a while to adjust to your new metabolism. I can't stress enough how important it is to space out your meals and do about four a day. Try to get a handle on portions, and to hell with staying away from anything fatty, shit we need some anyway. Eat anything you want in moderation, which I know is a challenge for you, but try to keep some control on portions.
Now that you have been on a binge for a few months, your stomach has stretched out a bit so you don't calm those hunger pains (so unfamiliar) right away. Cutting back on portions a bit each week will bring the stomach back into size and you will be more capable of controlling the weight.
I started Retalgravir, and Darunavir last Feb, and then had two surgeries this year, so I have had a load of down time and have gone from 180 to 200. Just last week I started a new diet, which is simply portion control and more movement. I will probably loose the 20 pounds by the end of January. I my usual weight at 6' up until all this crap, was about 165 to 170, which made me look pretty thin. As a child I was always on the fatty side, so weight has always been an issue with me, so I developed portion control and just incorporate it into my life when I need to trim down a bit. Seems to work fairly well.
You can also use slow release Niacin in 500mg caps if you want to keep a natural curb on your lipid counts. My doctor uses it for us to keep us on more natural approaches to care. It seems to work really well, so you might think about doing that, but don't get the non-slow release or you will think you went to hell right there in the living room.
Isn't it nice to have a weight problem on the larger side. :)
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Hey Jonathan,
I sorta went through this, but not exactly the same way.
When I quit smoking nearly two years ago, I didn't suddenly start eating in Herculean amounts. That came later! :D
But, I have gained 30 pounds since January 2007. The odd thing was, once I gained those 30 pounds, I stopped.
Now, my weight varies by about five pounds, up and down.
When I mention losing those 30 pounds, I am pounced upon and told to forget the idea. Seems folks thought I was too thin before but never mentioned it until I gained weight.
I hope this happens to you as well. First you find your optimal weight, then you get stuck with it, but look fantastic and feel great as a result.
Now, how in the world do you keep you cholesterol in check? As usual, I am envious.
Hang in there, Sweet Pea. Sounds like you are doing great! ;D
HUGS,
Mark
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Hey Jonathan,
That is such great news that you are feeling so much better and with better health, comes an increase in metabolism and the need for fuel. What you need now, is to allow yourself to adjust and start implementing ways, for you to get the nutrition you need, but without unnecessary weight gain. Tim's idea of eating more, but smaller meals, seems to work for me. I'm 6'2" and I have weighted between 185 and 190 for decades.
I suffer from extreme nausea and large meals are too challenging for me, so I eat frequently, but in very small amounts. A bagel or a couple of oranges can hold me for hours and I generally just nibble my way through the day. However, given your description of your appetite, I would suggest altering a few things in your life. To start with, you should try and eat the majority of your food, for the day, say prior to 4 p.m. Nothing will put on the pounds faster, than gorging right before you go to bed. You also need to control your metabolism and the best way to do that is with cardio exercises.
My guess is, your improved health has increased your metabolism and since your virus is coming under control, you need to burn off that excess food you are eating, but if your activities have not changed much, then you are overeating if you are gaining weight quickly. I find the best way to control my weight is to do something cardio, at least three times per week. It does not matter what it is, it only matters that you raise your heart rate enough, for a period of time, like 30 minutes and that should hold your weight in check.
You also need to realize that as you exercise your metabolism will continue to increase as your body becomes more efficient in processing the food that you eat. Be warned that if you start regular exercise, your appetite may actually increase and that is why controlled portions and PLENTY OF WATER are so necessary for you to maintain a given weight.
But for now, my friend, I say eat to your hearts content. You have worked so hard for this and even without the increase in eating, it is still normal for people to gain weight over the winter, when their activity level is usually reduced. Find something, like running, biking, blading or even power walking, strap on some headphones with motivating music and get moving. For me, there is nothing more soothing, than either biking or roller-blading, with my favorite tunes, as it transports me to a place of quiet contentment and for a while, I can block out everything and just enjoy the moment.
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Honey, I'm just so happy to know you are doing better! Sounds like you've put on a few since Lisa and I saw you in September.
What size pants do you need? I've got all sizes, 30-33...you might have to take up the length a little.
I think I'm about to make the leap into a 34 waist. My weight is the same (unfortunately) but just keep getting a bigger belly.
hugs & kisses to you and the boys,
Alan
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When I was modeling
Barbara, please...
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Barbara, please...
Those photos shall NOT be published again :)
/did not keep my clothes on a lot in the early to late 90s
//keep them mostly on now
///for the betterment of mankind
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Oh, it was THAT kind of modeling. :)
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hehe