Weight Loss - Sleep Issues

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#1398434 2-Oct-2015 08:13

yes go to the doctor.
I would have expected a max of 3 maybe 4kgs in 3 weeks.

10 in 2.5 is a hell of a lot

andrew027

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#1398437 2-Oct-2015 08:21

First off, good on you for trying to get your weight under control. There are many medical and social issues caused by excess weight and I'm sure you will be doing yourself a favour in the long term. I suffer from sleep apnoea and find that my condition is much improved when my weight is lower - more fat around the neck and jowls increases the obstructions that cause the problem. If I can keep my weight under 90kg and it's almost non-existent. Over 92kg and I start snoring. Over 95kg and I stop breathing, a dozen times a night.

Second, if your plan is to lose 20kg, I'd suggest talking to your doctor about it anyway. That's around 17% of your original body weight so it's quite considerable and worth getting some guidance on how to do that without putting too much stress on your body. This would also be an opportunity to discuss any specific issues you're experiencing now.

Third, regarding the melatonin, my wife had some that her boss brought back from the US but it didn't make a lot of difference for her. It's worth a try if you can get some, but it might not be the magic bullet you're looking for. I suggest trying the sleep hygiene tips others have suggested first (no coffee after lunch, no TV/PC/screen time in the last hour before bedtime, etc.) I also recommend finishing any bathroom routine (e.g. if you have a shower before bed, brushing your teeth, cleanse/tone/moisturise) an hour before bed - the bathroom is usually a small, light-coloured space with a bright light so get that over with well before sleepy time. And establish a "sleep routine" - do the same things at the same time for that last 60-90 minutes every night. And no alcohol in the evening - alcohol can initially make you fall asleep quickly but then you'll wake up again after a couple of hours.

Lastly, I don't see that anyone else has asked, but you say "Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday have basically become no sleep nights". What are you doing differently mid-week that you're not doing on the other four days?

nzkiwiman

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#1398472 2-Oct-2015 09:40

Last night was a good sleep night - went to bed at 10pm and was asleep till 3am. I did struggle for around 30 minutes to get back to sleep but woke up again at 7am
Comparing the two days, I didn't do as much exercise on Thursday as I did on Wednesday due to commitments at lunch time and rain after work.

I suspect I am not having issues sleeping at the end of the week/weekend because even though I do not feel tired, I actually am and "crash"

No doctor at this stage - not paying $50 just to talk to someone for 30 seconds

StarBlazer

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#1398513 2-Oct-2015 10:18

nzkiwiman: Last night was a good sleep night - went to bed at 10pm and was asleep till 3am. I did struggle for around 30 minutes to get back to sleep but woke up again at 7am
Comparing the two days, I didn't do as much exercise on Thursday as I did on Wednesday due to commitments at lunch time and rain after work.

I suspect I am not having issues sleeping at the end of the week/weekend because even though I do not feel tired, I actually am and "crash"

No doctor at this stage - not paying $50 just to talk to someone for 30 seconds

Before you completely decide not to speak to a doctor, answer yourself one question - was all your weight loss completely intentional? If you started to lose weight before you decided to diet/exercise there may be other factors at play - please, rule them out.

<soapbox>As a strong advocate and vocal support of Movember we blokes need to stop telling ourselves "I'll be fine". </soapbox>

Procrastination eventually pays off.

Batman

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#1398516 2-Oct-2015 10:22

dickytim: I have had Melatonin tablets that I was given after my relationship ended and I was not coping!

There are 2 ploblems with Melatonin - The cost, the are really expensive.

The side effects, I found that when I took them I got about 4 hours sleep then I was awake for 4 hours trying to get back to sleep, my dreams were really weird and very vivid and I ended up very tired during the day so my sleep patterns ended up being badly mixed up.

How about taking less melatonin and finding the right dose.

No screen time for 1 hour before sleep or whatever it is that is stopping the body feeling sleepy.

Fred99

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#1398517 2-Oct-2015 10:23

andrew027:

Third, regarding the melatonin, my wife had some that her boss brought back from the US but it didn't make a lot of difference for her. It's worth a try if you can get some, but it might not be the magic bullet you're looking for.

Prescription of melatonin in NZ for treatment of primary insomnia is off-label for people under 55 year old. (A Dr may still prescribe it, but with requirements for informed consent etc).
Does it work? Probably falls into the hole where a drug (or "supplement") can't be patented, so there's no $$$ incentive for anybody to find out through extensive/expensive clinical trials, so getting some valid data on dose etc isn't going to happen.

Fred99

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#1398525 2-Oct-2015 10:30

nzkiwiman:

No doctor at this stage - not paying $50 just to talk to someone for 30 seconds

Find another doctor if that's been your experience.

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wasabi2k

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#1398567 2-Oct-2015 11:02

Yeah sudden weight loss + insomnia are symptoms of hyperthyroidism according to doctor google (among a bunch of other things and giving the usual worst case answer).

Which is easily diagnosed with a blood test - so doctor would be a great idea.

Batman

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#1398579 2-Oct-2015 11:19

There's about a hundred or more causes for weight loss and insomnia. Don't trust Dr Google

wasabi2k

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#1398645 2-Oct-2015 11:57

joker97: There's about a hundred or more causes for weight loss and insomnia. Don't trust Dr Google

Yeah - sorry if that didn't come across in my post - just saying it could be a bunch of things.

nzkiwiman

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#1398674 2-Oct-2015 12:34

StarBlazer:
nzkiwiman: Last night was a good sleep night - went to bed at 10pm and was asleep till 3am. I did struggle for around 30 minutes to get back to sleep but woke up again at 7am
Comparing the two days, I didn't do as much exercise on Thursday as I did on Wednesday due to commitments at lunch time and rain after work.

I suspect I am not having issues sleeping at the end of the week/weekend because even though I do not feel tired, I actually am and "crash"

No doctor at this stage - not paying $50 just to talk to someone for 30 seconds

Before you completely decide not to speak to a doctor, answer yourself one question - was all your weight loss completely intentional? If you started to lose weight before you decided to diet/exercise there may be other factors at play - please, rule them out.

<soapbox>As a strong advocate and vocal support of Movember we blokes need to stop telling ourselves "I'll be fine". </soapbox>

Expanding on what I have said
14/9 - I was running late back from lunch and still needed lunch - stopped in and grabbed a sandwich (2 slices of bread, with filling cut on a diagonal). Didn't get anything extra to go with it.
Dinner was standard and at night I didn't snack on anything. Going to bed I "felt" hungry but knew I didn't need to eat at 10pm
15/9 - Basically a repeat day - ended up getting the same sandwich and again skipped getting anything extra.
16/9 - Felt "different" and for whatever reason decided to weigh myself. Was shocked to see I had lost 3kg. Decided to continue restricting my lunch intake and see what happened.

By the end of the week I had lost 4kg
By the end of the second week I had lost another 4kg (total 8kg)
By Tuesday I had hit 110kg (total 10kg loss) and have actually gained weight the rest of the week to currently sit at 111kg

I'm feeling pretty happy with the progress and while not sleeping for a few nights a week is concerning, its also not really impacting me too much
In fact I feel worse today after sleep :-)

I'll check out a few health stores and see how much Tart Cheery costs (if anyone has) - I'm not keen on using supplements when I don't have to

NZtechfreak

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#1398695 2-Oct-2015 13:05

At face value I'd say that kind of weight loss over three days is not possible from just dietary restriction of the kind you have detailed.

Pathological causes should be excluded.

If you describe that weight loss to your doctor and they bundle you out the door in 30s, you really do need to find a new doctor. I'm serious.

That presentation probably requires 30 minutes of consulting time spread over two visits (the second coming after blood tests). You need a full systems screen on history taking, which takes quite a bit of time. Your family history needs revisiting. The specifics of your diet and activity in that period needs to be elicited in detail. Your heart, lungs, neck and abdomen need thorough examination, you need to be checked thoroughly for lymph node enlargement, at least certain aspects of a neurological examination should be performed . Depending on history taking, examination and initial bloods you may need further examinations and investigations.

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Batman

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#1398782 2-Oct-2015 13:43

The most common cause of weight loss over a few days is losing water. 60% of Our weight is hydrogen dioxide.

networkn

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#1398787 2-Oct-2015 13:50

Please go and see your GP. Bottom line is, if it's nothing, you've lost nothing. If it's something, the earlier you deal with it the better.

nzkiwiman

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#1398828 2-Oct-2015 15:13

joker97: The most common cause of weight loss over a few days is losing water. 60% of Our weight is hydrogen dioxide.

Agree, which is why I am not worried and am not going to see a doctor for loosing a bit of weight :-)
If I had lost 10kg in one week and kept on loosing 10kg a week, then I would say go to the doctor

I did go out and purchase some Tart Cherry at lunch time so we shall see what happens.

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