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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Elizabeth on December 24, 1999, at 0:35:45
So it looks like I'm one of the unlucky people who get sugar cravings from Marplan. Can anyone suggest a possible way to deal with this so as to avoid massive weight gain?
Posted by S. Suggs on December 24, 1999, at 7:10:04
In reply to sugar cravings, posted by Elizabeth on December 24, 1999, at 0:35:45
Hello Elizabeth!
As you may recall I'm on 50 mg parnate with still ongoing excellent results. What I've noticed is that about 4 hours or so after my last dose, my sugar cravings go up. I wish my wife would quit buing all the green and red m & m's, they are too easy to keep going back into, not to mention the chocolate chocolate chip ice cream. Elizabeth I wish I had some helpful advice, but what could you take to counteract the hunger with a maoi??? Nothing as far as my limited info will allow. Not to mention, this is the worst time of the year for this. As you try to resist the bowl of candy, your relatives continue to push it on you just because it's "the holidays". Many blessings to you Elizabeth, I've really appreciated your informative post.
S. Suggs
Posted by Phil on December 24, 1999, at 8:22:04
In reply to sugar cravings, posted by Elizabeth on December 24, 1999, at 0:35:45
Elizabeth,
I don't know if this will help you but lately I've just tried to look at my dealing with depression as a lifetime of recovery. Each thing I do or don't do contributes to or takes away from my recovery.
I try my best to see and acknowledge how my actions are going to make me feel. If I do a lot of things that I 'shouldn't', I know the depression is just going to get tougher.
Every little positive act, on my own behalf, will only help my disease. Act 'as if' you really don't want any sweets, don't eat any, then see how that makes you feel. The LAST THING we need to do is to make it tougher on ourselves.
Say," I love myself too much for that.." I deserve health and happiness.Phil
Posted by CarolAnn on December 24, 1999, at 12:31:31
In reply to sugar cravings, posted by Elizabeth on December 24, 1999, at 0:35:45
Elizabeth, I had horrible, uncontrollable, sweets cravings when I went off Prozac. I did end up gaining a lot of weight, but mainly because my depression was so bad that I just didn't have the energy to even think about finding ways to stop eating sweets.
Anyway, here are some ideas that I have *since* come up with:
First, try to make sure that you never allow yourself to get really hungry, this is when you are most vulnerable.When you have an uncontrollable craving, don't keep trying to deny it, you *will* give in.
Instead, tell yourself that you can have the sweet, but before you start eating, drink the largest glass of water you can stand. You will still probably eat the stuff, but you should be satified with a much smaller portion then if you hadn't had the water.Find a recipe for something that you can make with sugar substitute(there are books that tell which ones work best and how much substitute to use for the amount of sugar in the recipe), even if you only cut out half the sugar, it will make a huge difference in calories. Keep experimenting until you find a recipe that really, really, satifies your cravings. It's good if you can make something that travels well, so you can be prepared for away from home cravings, this will help you avoid impulse candy buying. Some tips about recipes:
Peanut butter is a great base because it is high protein and fat(the healthy kind of fat), which will get you full faster and keep you full longer.
In recipes that call for any kind of oil or melted butter or margarin, I have found that I can substitute extra light olive oil, sounds gross, but it really doesn't add any kind of distinctive taste. Even though it has the same amount of fat as others, Olive oil is the "good" kind of fat, that actually decreases cholesterol.
Hope at least some of this helps!CarolAnn
Posted by Annie on December 25, 1999, at 12:58:38
In reply to sugar cravings, posted by Elizabeth on December 24, 1999, at 0:35:45
Elizabeth,
I also had sugar cravings on Marplan and I am normally not a sweets eater. I kept a bag of M&M Crispy in the refrigerator and if the craving got really bad I would allow myself a few. That was enough for me to satisfy the urge for sugar. Luckily after a while the cravings went away. I hope this happens for you too. I'm glad to read from your postings that you have not gotten any the side effects that forced me to discontinue Marplan. Good luck with it.
Annie
> So it looks like I'm one of the unlucky people who get sugar cravings from Marplan. Can anyone suggest a possible way to deal with this so as to avoid massive weight gain?
Posted by Diane on December 25, 1999, at 15:04:16
In reply to Re: sugar cravings(some ideas), posted by CarolAnn on December 24, 1999, at 12:31:31
I use Stevia & Sucralose (Splenda). They taste just like sugar...no after taste what so
ever!
Stevia you can get at any health food store. Stevia is an herb so comes in all forms
(leaves, powdered leaves, liguid concentrate, pure white crystalline...)
I use NOW brand pure white crystalline powder. It's terrific! The liquid concentrate
contains alcohol and has a slight anise taste which I personally don't care to have tainting
my decaf.
http://www.nowvitamins.com/stevia.htmSucralose (Splenda) http://www.splenda.com/
Tastes great. It's *expensive* tho
I had to order from: www.globaldrugs.com/pharmacy/31005.htm but it looks like
splenda.com now offers it as well. They must have pulled the restrictions. Having looked
around tho at the other online stores offering it I'd say globaldrugs.com is still the
cheapest.They claim Splenda equals sugar cup for cup but I found that it takes
a little more Splenda.Outside of substituting and increasing your physical activity, will power is the only other
alternative I know.You know those big containers they scoop ice cream out of down at your local ice
cream, soda shop? I believe they're 5 gal. Maybe 3. I can't remember anymore.
ANYWAY, I got to where I was buying 1 a week ($30)! Just for me, sense my
husband rarely ate sugar. Buds Ice Cream-Mocha Almond Fudge.
I use to get those instant brownie mixes ...a box a day. U-NO bars. Carob!, white
chocolate, hot blackberry pie ala mode.....I love(ed) it all. Have mercy!Now I consume ZERO sugar outside of the 2-3 apples and 1 banana I eat a day.
I am of the type where it's either all or nothing. Control is not one of my virtues.
I don't even dare bake with splenda for fear I'll get outta hand. I use it in my coffee and
that is about it. That's the only treat I have nowa days. Decaf (only!)coffee with
non-dairy creamer, splenda and a little stevia to extend the splenda.
Eventually I hope to do away with the splenda altogether because it's soo expensive.Drugs have never stopped me from eating, craving sugars.
Cutting the sugar out totally has stopped me from craving it. That's the only thing that has
worked for me. I THINK LIKE A DIABETIC now. Back to basics. No salt either.OH!!! I almost forgot. Sense I stopped eating sugar I have no acid stomach problems!
Zilch, Nada, none.
For 5 years I was taking Tagamet than Pepid AC *everyday* . Not any more!Sugar was my trigger food for heartburn reflux.
No sugar No problem My stomach is happy.
Posted by juniper on December 28, 1999, at 1:08:35
In reply to sugar cravings, posted by Elizabeth on December 24, 1999, at 0:35:45
if you have that amazing virtue of will power, then try buying your favorite treat in single serving versions, almost everything comes in them now...try brushing your teeth when a craving hits, kinda kills the mood for sweets...maybe chewing gum would help?...also exercise--a walk, if i have the will-power (that again!) really helps me when i am craving
good luck!
Posted by Renee N on December 29, 1999, at 9:16:26
In reply to Re: a couple more hints, posted by Renee N on December 29, 1999, at 9:02:19
> > if you have that amazing virtue of will power, then try buying your favorite treat in single serving versions, almost everything comes in them now...try brushing your teeth when a craving hits, kinda kills the mood for sweets...maybe chewing gum would help?...also exercise--a walk, if i have the will-power (that again!) really helps me when i am craving
> >
> > good luck!I submitted with no message. What I wanted to say was that I have lost 40 pounds over a year and a half by cutting fat and exercising more. I have a sweet tooth. I eat sweets, but not fatty ones(except occassionally:) I reccommend fudgecicles, red licorice, hard candy, marshmallows, sherbet, popsicles, Sweetarts, etc.
Also, don't give up your very favorite thing! I still eat pizza once a week, and I eat as much as I want. I find giving myself permission for this one indulgence helps me to not feel deprived. I liked the post about doing good things for yourself. I finally decided after being overweight for over a decade that I deserve to look good and be healthy, and that I prefer being thin over eating everything I feel like. I also believe you have to think of it as your healthy new lifestyle, not a temporary thing. If you go back to eating lots of fatty foods, you just gain the weight back and feel bad about yourself. If you exercise and take vitamins and herbal supplements, this helps you get into the mood of doing healthy things for yourself. Best of luck to you all. I am living proof that we can change things for ourselves to make ourselves feel better about at least parts of ourselves.
Now if I could only quit berating myself for all the stupid things I do because of ADD/depression...Oh,, well, one problem at a time!
This is the end of the thread.
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