So I'm trying to find ways to get motivated to exercise. I want to lose weight in preparation for a transplant. I have no donor yet, but I was told I would gain weight from steroids taken after your transplant. Can anyone give more insight on that? I at least want to try. I'm on my second week of clean eating. It's truly not so bad. I've also cut out bread too. Now that's my hard spot. Little did I know. I hadn't realized it.
If all goes right I'll have a different surgery that should get me in active status on the transplant list. It's an ovary and dermoid surgery. It needs to be done any way.
I also need to get back on my sleep machine. I think I'll do that tonight. I needed supplies. How do folks use a sleep machine and still feel comfortable in bed with your partner. I don't have one right now, but I've been curious about this.
On lighter note well kinda. I have one more paper due tomorrow. I'm giving myself a deadline of tonight. Then I'll take a class over the summer and have three more classes until I'll be writing on a whole dissertation. Scary, but I figure not a scary as a kidney transplant. And I need to keep on moving with life.
My creatine number has risen and I know dialysis is on the horizon. I'm just trying not to worry about it but guess what. I do. I guess I'm human. I hope that when I do go on it I keep a piece of my sense of humor. I am afraid I will lose a piece of me during this process, but God is good all of the time.
One last note about what this was about, exercise. I need to look at wheelchair exercises on Youtube. If anyone has ideas of exercises for people in wheelchairs to get moving at home let me know.
Oh one last thing. I started wearing a medical ID bracelet because of my fistula. Mine is metal, a friend bought it for me. It feels very scary as well. I hope I never need it to save my life, but I know its good to have.
Geesh I'm using scary too much. I don't think I want to end on that note, so I have been chasing a neighborhood ice cream truck for two years. This is the summer ya'll I'm going to catch it!! Yes my old butt is running for ice cream a bomb pop to be specific. Let summer begin!!
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You notes are always so fun, considering what is going on.
To answer your questions about exercise. Exercise will often not lead to weight loss. That is a truth. Matter of fact, it may make you gain weight. I f you do not eat right and then exercise, you are more prone to hunger attacks that want sugar and carbs to satisfy. NOW...I am not saying exercise is not important, because it is for overall health. Thinking of your situation, do you know if your local YMCA has a pool that is equipped for handicapped? In other words, the access is easy like a ramp or low stairs. I started my exercise routine with doing physical therapy in water. It was great. Did I lose weight...nope. Then after a year I went to water aerobics. I do an hour twice a week in a water channel that has a strong current. We work against the current. It is hard, very hard. But I have been doing it for a while now, and so its fun. Have I lost weight, some, but not much. I have a great group of folks that attend weekly and we all have become friends. The reason the water is so good is because you are buoyant and although you may think you are not working your muscles, you truly are. Add things like weights and resistance apparatus and you really have a great work out.
I also walk. But I do not do it all at once. I put in at least two miles a day. I have a watch that records my steps. During COVID, my hubby and I started walking down at a local park. We still go once in a while, but walking is hard on me. But in small amounts, I am fine.
Couple of things I mentioned is key. 1. I enjoy my work outs. 2. It works total body and is resistant, so it is good for not only muscles, but bones. 3. I have friends who help motivate each other. 4. I feel great afterwards. 5. I do walking in small doses. 6. I track my exercise. Did I lose weight... some, but it came from diet.
Diet is how you lose weight. It is what you eat and when you eat and how much you eat. The best advice I have is to track your food. You would be surprised at what you think you eat and what you really eat. You will learn what foods are made of, the nutritional value and what to stay away from. This takes commitment and sticking to it. Did I lose weight. Hell yes, 50 pounds! Did it stay off? Yup, and when I see the scale start to creep up, I go right back to logging my food and off it comes. I use MYFITNESSPAL.com.
Unfortunately, we all have a set point. I am still obese (as far as the transplant people think) I cannot budge my weight past a point without starving myself. And then I feel crappy and it is bad for the kidneys. If you can talk with a dietician, it is the best way to approach this lifestyle of renal dieting.
BTW, did you know sleep apnea will cause weight issues. Use your machine.
As far as dialysis, I am right with you. I go for the fistula surgery in June. I am going to do Home hemo and I have already got a patient advocate who is helping me. I am not as upset or scared as I was initially because I have done my homework. Yes, the outcomes are not great. But I plan to live to the fullest for as long as I can.
Hang in there. Going to school is tough. I miss it. I went back to college when I was 47 and went on for many years obtaining a Master's and several post graduate certifications. I miss going to school now.
This is awesome advice. I think I'll see if I can go to the Y. I love swimming. It's my jam! I haven't gotten in the water in some years but I'd love to. I just need to design an indoor workout too that is vigorous enough to raise my heart rate. 50 pound weight lose is no small feat. That's outstanding! School is tough but I'm a tough cookie too. :)lol
I want to share my experience with you. Last summer, I received a kidney transplant from my daughter, but the journey to get there wasn't easy.
It all started in the summer of 2018 when I was diagnosed with IgA nephropathy. To combat the disease, I was prescribed an aggressive treatment of steroids that had various side effects, even after I stopped taking them. Although I managed to mitigate the weight gain by following a Keto diet, I later learned that too much animal protein wasn't good for my kidneys.
In 2020, I turned to the Kidney Foundation website for help and found a nephrologist who treated CKD with a plant-based diet. Luckily, his office was located in New York City, where I live. I began following a plant-based diet in the summer of 2021 and credit it with keeping my symptoms manageable and preventing me from needing dialysis.
Fortunately, my daughter was able to donate her kidney to me the following year, and the transplant was successful on June 1st.
Throughout this journey, I never lost faith that God would come through for me, and he did.Overall, my experience taught me that while the road to recovery can be challenging, it's important to stay hopeful and explore all available options.
Thanks fotoma for your story. It's funny I've felt closer to God than I have in a while. I've been through a lot but I know most of us have been, but I just keep it positive and try not to get to down. Not to say I don't have my moments but for the most part this Queen is reigning supreme. lol
I just started using Noom a month ago - it's a diet and exercise app that uses psychology, tons of lessons, daily weigh ins, logging all your foods that you eat during the day, keeping track of exercise, tracking water consumption. I love the Noom circles, where you can message fellow Noomers and make connections with some to help you stay motivated to keep on track. If you really follow the program you can lose weight slowly. I started it because I had gained about 20 lbs since my transplant in 2020 - it's funny cause I've never been really aware of calories in my life! It was kind of a shock to realize that things I normally ate I should limit or find substitutes for. I have not been on any steroids since the transplant, but I got very inactive during the pandemic and ate foods that had been off my diet when I was on dialysis. It is an interesting app and I've been slowly losing the weight with fluctuations! The hardest thing for me has been the motivation to exercise, so I just teamed up with another Noomer and we're helping each other. It is expensive, so i just signed up for 3 months to get close to my goal weight,
My boss does noom or did. She spoke highly of it. I think having someone to do any weight loss journey with is so helpful. I live with my parents and sometimes that's hard to not eat junk because they do. I'm trying to get them on board. We'll see I might have to go it alone.
Yes, it is hard when you live with people who unknowingly bring home junk food (chips and cookies or pie) like my husband! I just cleverly work on his subconscious by reading my Noom lessons out loud while he's sitting there. I also do chair yoga and dance (actually it's now called Be Fit as You Sit) with the Renal Support Network (rsnhope.org) on Zoom. I love it! The class is adaptable to do either sitting or standing.
My hubby has gone through kidney disease, kidney failure, and kidney transplant. While strictly plant based diets can be helpful, ultimately a more balanced diet is needed - particularly when one approaches dialysis and transplant. The labs will point the way. In that regard, please don't do anything without running any diet plan you're considering past a doctor. Some diets can really set you back. As for exercise, we often rely on YouTube videos - there are numerous videos that demonstrate chair exercises for those with limited mobility. Your doctors can provide advice there too. In our experience, it's really important to involve your team - our nephrologist referred to my hubby's work on his health in his recommendation letter to the transplant center. And they all cheered when benchmarks were achieve. Your doctors truly become your biggest supporters. You're very results oriented - I see you achieving your goals!
hey i am on dialysis. ive been working out for a while. you should try the beach body app they have some great workouts. ive found a few that you dont even have to get on the floor to do. give it a try. Try shawn ts lets get up workout on there,,, he makes it fun
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Hello I'm Joey's mom, yes newbie here
Dialysis Nurses Trying to give unsolicited medical advice
Transplant evaluation appointment 
My 1st week of PD at home
