85 LBs in 1 Year w/ Pictures.

**Deriol** · February 18th, 2010, 01:09 PM

Hello everyone. I have been a long time reader on these forums, but I do not believe ever posted. I thought I would share with you all my own little success story.

I have been overweight my entire life, from grade school up until about a year ago. On my 29th birthday I was really depressed. I was overweight and I was not happy, my step-dad also came down with lung cancer just a few months before. I realized then that only I could take control of my life and I had to do something about it. I started looking for ways to try to diet. My aunt, who was already taking phentermine from a clinic, heard that I wanted to lose weight and told me about this pill. I decided that this would be what I would do to lose my weight.

I visited the clinic and I weighed in at 303 lbs. They gave me a physical and saw I was eligible to take the pill. I was given one week with the pill and my new diet regimen. The diet they put me on is the atkins diet. So no carbohydrates. I also cut out ALL sodas for the first two weeks and only drank water. I was also given a shot of B12 in the arm and pills called Chromium Picolinate to offset the foods I am not eating.

The first week was the toughest. I used to drink 6 cans of soda a day so I was highly addicted to caffeine. I had the biggest caffeine withdrawal headache, but I stuck with it. After my first week I had already lost 13lbs. The clinic kept me coming back after 1 week for the first two months then they put me on biweekly schedule. Which I am still on to this day.

My original goal was 100lbs in 1 year which sounded reasonable but I have reached my plateau. I recently bought a treadmill a week ago and I plan to start using it soon. So after 1 year I now weigh in at 218 lbs, 85lbs less than when I weighed in almost a year ago at 303lbs. The clinic I go to is very proud of me and is telling me that I have lost the most weight with their program and put me in their quarterly newsletter that they put in their lobby.

The first picture is a side by side comparison of the day I first weighed in and a picture of when I lost 75lbs, sorry I don't have an 85 yet but its still a noticeable difference. The second picture is actually a copy of the newsletter that my clinic put out.

**greenapplegirl77** · February 18th, 2010, 01:39 PM

Congratulations

218 for your ht sounds great. You can really tell the difference in your midsection and legs.

**Deriol** · February 18th, 2010, 01:54 PM

Thank you. I guess I did forgot to mention that I am 6'2" in height. The doctors did also say that they don't think I need to lose any more weight but I still think I could lose another 20lbs. Just need to start exercising more to burn the rest off.

**sMaria11** · February 18th, 2010, 02:51 PM

congrats, that's awesome!! =) I love hearing success stories!

**briocktj** · February 18th, 2010, 02:58 PM

congrats on your success!!!

**thanvi** · February 18th, 2010, 06:10 PM

Wow! Congratulations!! You look great. Do you do weights to tone up or are you sticking with mainly cardio? Keep up the good work!!

**toyamcgee** · February 18th, 2010, 08:42 PM

CONGRATS!!!! That is definitely something to be proud of. Thanks for sharing.

**Mrsace13** · February 18th, 2010, 10:03 PM

You look great!! I can't wait to tuck in my shirt and wear a belt!!

Congrats!!!!!! WTG!!!!!!!!

**Deriol** · February 18th, 2010, 11:52 PM

Originally Posted by thanvi

Wow! Congratulations!! You look great. Do you do weights to tone up or are you sticking with mainly cardio? Keep up the good work!!

To be perfectly honest, all this weight loss is due to just changing my diet around while taking the phentermine. No more eating fast food every day and I cut out the sodas and sticking with an atkins style of diet (no breads, pastas, no carbohydrates). I still have not committed myself to exercising yet. That is why I recently got a treadmill to start walking now that I feel that I have a lot more energy. On the first picture I am wearing a 3XL Shirt and now I am down to just wearing Large.

Here is another before/after set of pictures. These pictures are actually showing in 25 increments down to the 75loss (0, 25, 50, 75). However, I like my other picture better since I went out and shaved the neckbeard that weekend before the other picture comparison.

**EEB310** · February 19th, 2010, 12:33 AM

WOW..congrats on your weight loss!! you look great! 85lbs down is sooo good!

**winnipb** · February 19th, 2010, 01:07 AM

Wow Daniel Congrats! Hey I am near you I have not heard of this clinic. I might check into it. I am on Phen but I need more of a weightloss clinic type setting to help me. If you don't mind can you tell me approx the costs? Right now my family doctor is giving me Phen but he is not really giving me any kind of diet to follow and I need someone that is going to help motivate me. I did go to a weightloss clinic a few years ago in Roseville but they had weird yucky dry type food stuff that was expensive and just horrible but I was able to get the b12 shot along w/Phen but I could not afford to keep going. Keep up the good work! Bev

**winnipb** · February 19th, 2010, 01:12 AM

Originally Posted by winnipb

Wow Daniel Congrats! Hey I am near you I have not heard of this clinic. I might check into it. I am on Phen but I need more of a weightloss clinic type setting to help me. If you don't mind can you tell me approx the costs? Right now my family doctor is giving me Phen but he is not really giving me any kind of diet to follow and I need someone that is going to help motivate me. I did go to a weightloss clinic a few years ago in Roseville but they had weird yucky dry type food stuff that was expensive and just horrible but I was able to get the b12 shot along w/Phen but I could not afford to keep going. Keep up the good work! Bev

Oh I just checked out the website and got the prices. Well I might be giving them a call.

**Deriol** · February 19th, 2010, 03:40 AM

Originally Posted by winnipb

Oh I just checked out the website and got the prices. Well I might be giving them a call.

Yeah it seems decent. $40/week, or $80/2 Weeks. Usually they run specials and do $70/2 weeks. The first visit is a little bit more since the doctor goes over everything with you. They don't sell food there but they give you a book of what is acceptable to eat. They are very atkins diet oriented.

Usually what happens on following visit is you sign in and sit down, one of the nurses calls you over, they weigh you in, take your blood pressure, give you a shot of B12, and ask you how you are doing and if you will be taking 1 week or 2 weeks. You then sit back in the lobby and they call you over to pay for it. In and out within 20 minutes. You also get a free week with every referral that mentions your name when they sign up.

Edit: Added one of those TickerFactory ticker things.

**thanvi** · February 20th, 2010, 04:35 PM

That's amazing for just changing the way you eat! That's great that you bought a treadmill! Good luck on working out!! You only have 18 lbs to go to meet your goal!! That is amazing...you're so close!! Keep up the good work!

**Vanett** · February 20th, 2010, 04:41 PM

That's friggin awesome!!! I know you must feel so great. I LOVE reading this kind of stuff because its so motivating and encouraging. Keep up the great work, you look faboulous!

**Deriol** · February 22nd, 2010, 02:24 PM

A little update: I went to my regular doctor on Friday for my physical. The nurse that saw me first had to do the regular weigh in and measure my height, take my blood pressure. She paused and looked at the screen when entering in the numbers because supposedly a pop-up confirmation box appears when you have a change greater than 10% in the figures. I mentioned my diet to her and told her I was taking phentermine. She also told me that I could get the perscription through the doctor and save some money.

Now I haven't seen my doctor in a year at my previous physical. I told him back then that I would be starting a diet and going to a clinic to help me lose weight. I wish I had a camera ready to catch his expression because when he opened the door he stopped for a second and the first thing he said was, "No way." when he saw me. I talked him about my diet with and had my bottles of pills with me. I inquired about what the nurse told me about getting the phentermine through him. He was a little hesitant at first but seeing my current success and commitment he gave me a prescription for one month and one refill of the pills, and I would only have to see him every 2 months opposed to the 2 weeks I was visiting the clinic.

I went and got the prescription filled at Costco. Without insurance covering the medication only costs $13.50 for a 1 month supply. So I figure I am only paying $52.00 every 2 months which is including the $25 co-pay to the doctors office. Instead of $320 I would be spending every 2 months if I continue going to the clinic.

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TLDR Version: Try to get it through your HMO if you have one. Save money.