[Mresta]

My doctor gave me a telling off about 9 months ago and told me to lose the weight or I'd be put on Reductil (I'm in a very high risk category for Type 2 Diabetes and was diagnosed as pre-diabetic - she said if I didn't lose the weight I'd be diabetic before I'm 30, and without wanting to gloss it over, dead by 65. I'm only 24 years old, and I don't want to die young like so many family members). I love my GP, no other GP I've ever had, had the guts to come right out and say things to me. I appreciate her honesty - though brutal, because she doesn't hide any facts from me.

Ive lost 22 lbs since, but was given the option of Reductil again last time I saw her and was given a few months to think it over. It was a very heavy hearted decision I made - I really wanted to lose weight without any medication (it does feel like cheating to me) but I've decided to give the go ahead on the Reductil, since I've admited I need a helping hand.

Since September I've cut out fatty foods and eat more steamed vegetables, fruits, etc. My diet isn't bad - it's healthier than most, but at 4' 11.5", I eat far too much for my height. I go to the gym about 3-4 times a week doing medium-high intensity cardio for half an hour a session. Want to do more, but I've been ill the last month and so hit a plateu where I'm just maintaining the weight, but not shifting it - I believe this is because I eat too much for my height and the gym is just staving off the weight going up.

My goal is to reach a healthy weight of 57 kgs (about 125 lbs) In time for my partners 28th birthday - the end of March. It will be tough, I'm a third of the way there. But I'm doing it for my health, for the sake of us I want to be there for him. I don't want to have any one take care of me. The last thing I want is for our relationship to be cut prematuraly because I haven't been looking after my body.

But I've made lots of changes, he's proud of me, hell, I'm proud of myself. But I'm hoping reductil will give that extra push I need.

Me a few weeks ago (I have no photos from when I was at my biggest (82 kgs - 181 lbs) because I was so embarrassed I deleted them all):

[Mresta]

Went to the doctor today (side note - pap smear is clear, Nurse was worried for nothing, and my cough is allergy based - been put back onto Ventolin).

Not my usual doctor, so he didn't know my history, so it was a slight upward battle to get the Reductil, since he said "you've lost 5 kgs on your own, why the reductil?"

He tested me by asking about the other drugs available - I think I thoroughly proved I researched it quite extensively.

He gave me 4 weeks worth, so I'll have to go back to get checked up again.

So far so good. No major side affects, I feel slighty hyper - but in a good buzzy kind of way and a "nervousness" in my finger tips - I keep wanting to tap them against the desk, but nothing that should be a problem.

The hunger reaction is actually entertaining. One moment I'll feel hungry and minutes later I feel full - almost as if the drug is countering the reaction. I can actually feel it doing it.

I'll have it with breakfast, since I want to try and manage one meal properly a day. Though all I had today was 3/4 of a low fat muffin and half a skinny latte for breakfast, and a slice of toast and small bowl of soup for lunch (I actually feel stuffed after that small lunch, when I normally eat a proper meal for lunch).

Hopefully within the next 4 weeks I'll be down to 69 kgs. I think a fairly realistic goal, since people have reported losing 3 kgs in the first week of being on the drug. I really don't want to lose it THAT fast.

[Mresta]

Well, last night was interesting.


I barely ate all day and I knew my body needed food, I could feel the tightness in my gut I normally get when I've gone a long time without food.

But I just wasn't interested in food. Went past a cake counter - no reaction. Went past a homemade pie/pastry counter - still nothing.

John bought pretzles. I ate about 5 of them. In the end I had (awful) sushi for dinner, just because my body needed fuel, not because I was hungry. Ate about 5 or 6 pieces and that was it.

Didn't really get insomnia, except I woke at 4:30am feeling really hungry, but fell asleep again - I thought the drug was wearing off.

Then I woke again at 6:45, and decided to eat a decent bowl of bran, sultanas and hazlenuts before I took the next pill, ended up only eating half before I got full. So the medication must have kicked in again.

I've just taken the second dose, I'm not feeling hyper like I did yesterday - but it'll probably kick in, in about an hour anyway. Still don't feel hungry.

Weighed myself this morning for a laugh - and I did laugh when I saw the scales go down by a pound.

Though I'm not raising my hopes on that, since my period just ended, and it's probably just water loss.

So, yeh, I'm 71.5 kgs (157.3lbs) today.

[Mresta]

After barely eating breakfast that morning, I went til nearly 1 pm without feeling hungry. Myself and all my work mates went to a local thai place for lunch and I ordered my favourite (Red duck curry with sreamed rice).

I got about half way and started feeling full - I made myself eat a little more since I knew I might not have a chance to eat much that night since I was going out...naughtily I did have a buscuit and a few crisps that afternoon, since I was in charge of bringing aroound the drinks and snacks trolley at work (I'm in marketing, every Friday is a booze up).

Went out that evening, still not hungry. John gave me acouple of squares of chocolate (excellent with a nice red wine - I did, I admit have 3 glasses of). But I didn't end up eating dinner. I guess the wine was enough calorific intake.

I think I'm going to lay off the booze for a while - really shouldn't be drinking when I'm on the medication.

[Mresta]

SATURDAY! YAY! Do love my weekends. Got up early, grabbed a croissant and a pack of fruit from M&S tomake sure I ate something, to be fair I wasn't that hungry. I slept well that night - to be fair I was sleepy on Friday and not as buzzy - again, not enough sleep, though the hangover hated me. Weighed myself - I was at 71kgs (156.5lbs), since it was a pound in one day - I'm just assuming it's water loss and nothing more.

Had appointment with my beautician who was amazed at how I looked (i hadn't seen her for over a month), I didn't tell her about the reductil, since she's the type to jump on fad diets that don't work, and if I told her about the drug, she'dd want to go on it without realising the side effects, etc.

Then it was off to Camden to meet up with my partner and friend so we could head to Kew Gardens. Had a cup of tea, guzzled down a bottle of water (not really getting dry mouth, just feel thirsty more) and took my next dose. I felt a slight nausea when I got to my firends - I just assumed I was car sick a little and tried best to ignore it.

Got to richmond and had a light lunch of hams, olives, some bread and cheese, with orange juice - though I had to give some of the bread to John, since I was getting full, very quickly.

Walked around all day in Kew Gardens, the fresh air is what I needed and the nausea started to go away. On our return to Richmond, John and I went to Thai Square (we like out Thai food). I had considerably less than I usually do, but still feel like I over did it a bit - most likey to do with the mixed starters we had. I ended up ignoring my stomach because I was enjoying the food so much and was overly stuffed by the end of it. Was a little nauseous again - but nothing to be concerned over.

Not the healthiest food - and I really should have got the salad instead. Yes I feel guilty about it, but one thing I've learned about everything in moderation, is that if you stuff up one day -it's not a huge difference. Just pick yourself up again.

[Mresta]

Went better yesterday, got up around 10 and headed out for a late breakfast with my partner. Ordered scrambled eggs, mushrooms and toast with a cappacino.

It then followed, with annoyance, that I could only manage about 5 forkfulls and half a slice of toast. Had to make myself eat some more of the egg (left about half) and the rest of the mshrooms and another half a slice of toast. Esspecially since I had planned on going to the gym that day (the first time since I started reductil) and needed the energy.

Had to wait a couple of hours though, so the bloated, way too full feeling went away. (Normally I'd eat the entire plate and feel fine).

Got to the gym, worried, because I felt lethargic - surprisingly I had a sudden enrgy burst and had a 50 mnute work out (burned about 500-odd calories). Then headed out to the "mother-in-law's" place for dinner.

She had made anti-pasto for starters (I managed a few slices of ham and a very small piece of bread), and lamb stew for dinner (Barely a ladle full before I stopped), and half a poached pear with brandy for dessert. I didn't manage lunch that day.

I did wake up at 4am again, feeling hungry. But I drifted back off to sleep. Woke up again at 5:30, not being able to sleep - though I like getting up early - not sure if it counts as insomnia, or the fact I was hungry, so I doubt it's a side-effect of the Reductil.

It's now the morning of DAY 5, I'm about to have some couscous and peas for breakfast (I forgot to buy bread and eggs yesterday) and head out to work.

On a side note:

Got up this morning and weighed myself...then had a little freak out.

The scale said 70.5 kgs (which would have meant weight loss of 3.3 lbs in 4 days - not something I want to happen).

I moved the scale to different part of the floor to check the reading was accurate - sigh of relief - it went back up to 71kgs. That particular bit of the floor was just a bit slanted.

I really have to get me some accurate electronic scales.

[Mresta]

Felt a bit better for having that bowl of couscous for breakfast - though it meant hardly feeling hungry during the day, managed to have half a roast chicken breast and a handful of steamed veg for lunch though.

No nausea at all during the day- which is fantastic, hopefully it means the side effects are starting to subside. My boss had bought me some Penang paste from his local Asian grocer, so I wound up making Beef Penang and Coconut Rice, for myself and the other half.

I managed about a miso soup bowl sized portion, while he had a plateful and them some. Felt absolutely stuffed. Could be the fact I wasn't overly hungry since I had a slice of wholemeal bread as an afternoon snack.

No gym, but my calorie intake is pretty low now.

And yes I'm up at 5:30 am these days, but it's not bothering me. I like getting up early.

[Anahita]

Sounds like you're adjusting well to the change in diet. Keep up the hard work!

[jerseygirl35]

congrats on your weight loss so far and good luck with it to come! im glad to get support and offer it too!!

[ironeagle]

Wow youve done well. Keep it up and keep us posted.

**“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail. by Ralph Waldo Emerson**

[Mresta]

Just a quick note before I start documenting Day 6 on Reductil - I started this journal as a way to document what I eat, how I feel emotionally and if there's any side effects, for other's benefit, not just mine.

I just wanted to thank everyone who has responded to me over the last week or so. You've all been very helpful and encouraging, so thanks.

Righto, on with Day 6:

It's the morning of Day 7, yes I've woken at 5:30 again, but I slept through the entire night, not waking once.

Breakfast yesterday consisted of two slices of wholemeal toast, thinly spread with butter, and one slice with set honey. (I make sure I have breakfast before I take Reductil, or I won't eat the most important meal of the day.

No nausea at all now, but I felt a bit under the weather - I am getting a cold and have an allergy cough that won't go away. But for general purposes I ignore both and try and fight it off naturally with good diet and excercise, which I found since starting my diet back in September, I hardly get sick. This is only the second time in nearly 10 months.

Lunch was 3/4 of a roast chicken breast and the rest of the vege's from yesterday - really tried to eat the whole breast, but gave up in the end. Had to go for a walk to get rid of that bloaty feeling from eating too much (ironic, no?). Got peckish around 4:30, generally felt bouncy and happy, and had a slice of soy and linsead bread and a bit of peanut butter, Hunger pangs, gone.

Was a bit pissed I was working til after 7pm that night - ended up skipping gym, since I had stuff to do at home that night. Had a Miso Bowl sized serving of the curry from the previous night and a few spoonfuls of rice (I think John was happy about that, since he got most of the curry, lol). Then bed at 10:30, feeling shattered after an hour of practicing guitar and trying to learn the scales John taught me.

Weight on the morning of Day 6 was 71 kgs (156.5lbs) but teetering.

Got up this morning (Day 7) scale said 70kgs (again, panic stations, don't want to lose weight that fast), moved scale all over the floor again (I know, I know, I said I'd buy a better one) and it hovered back up to 70.5kgs (155.4lbs).

Tried on a bunch of clothes that don't fit, I can fit into a skirt I bought ages ago, properly now. Though, my size 12 gym trousers I bought on sale, while I can can do up the button, I can't do up the zip yet (this is awesome, I could barely pull them up before! and I was appraching a size 18 when I started!). And the little chinese dress I bought (that said size 16, but is actually a 12) I can almost squeeze into, but is too tight around my butt, hopefully I can fit into it in the next month or so, in time for my little sister's 18th.

[Mresta]

At work wearing clothes I haven't worn in a long while.

Work mates have said "wow! you've lost so much weight! you look great!"

While I appreciate the compliments, I haven't the heart to tell them this is the weight I was about 4 years ago...

[recaton]

Keep up the good work....I am currently a size 18 and can't wait to be smaller..I am now fitting into my 18's comfortably they were starting to get tight. My husband notices a big difference. Congrats and remember you help inspire the rest of us

[Mresta]

Cheers,

I'm really hoping that what I write down might help others who go on Reductil. It's really hard to find personal experiences about the drug.

[Light]

Mresta,
This is the whole idea behind Weight Loss Forums; creating a spam free and unbiased reviews. Thanx for helping out, your experiences will help others.

Good luck and thanx for contributing!