The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Goldy]

Hello all!

Just wanted to let you all know I have been reading this forum for the laast week or so, and another one on another site as well. I had decided to look into Opti-fast originally because my step father had been on it. But I started researching other options at my mom's request, and have found this wonderful, wonderful place. You are all just wonderful to eachother, and should all just pat yourselves on the back for the kindness shown here.
I am sorry, I don't mean to go on and on. But I have chosen Medifast (thanks to all of you) plan to help me slim down and into that wedding dress I will soon be shopping for, in addition to being sicked and tired of being sick and tired! I am 5'6" and last Dr. visit my weight was 217, which if I remember correctly gives me a BMI of 35.. YUK SO now that I have made this decision, I can't seem to find a Dr. in my area to see about getting started and actually getting the product!! I live in Columbus, OH. Does anyone have any ideas, or know of way to find a Dr. in my area? I called the number on the home page and it was for ordering product only. Again, sorry for the longwind! You are all wonderful and I wish you all the best success!!!

[Peggy]

Hi Goldy!

I'm from Ohio too. Close to Cleveland. Here's a link to a page that will help you locate a physician in your area.

http://www.medifastdiet.com/physicians/findaphysician.htm

Good luck!

[Goldy]

Well hello fellow Ohioan! Thank you for replying so fast! I went to the link you posted, and there is 1,,,1 listing for a Dr. in my area,, and no phone number! ha!! I am guessing I will keep searching! Thank you again!

[Simmshe]

Welcome Goldy !

In addition to what Peggy wrote, you can also just have your primary care physician monitor you and you can order your MF supplements from a TSFL website, like Terry's and Nancy's site, opposed to buying your supplements from a doctor's office.

Personally, I don't go to a Medifast-specific doctor (I visited one in March to have my physical performed and to get started, but he wanted to throw in a bunch of other stuff that I didn't want to pay for or need, such as appetite suppressants and weekly B-12 shots, and he tried to push his own food-based starvation diet on me that I wasn't having any parts of). I'm just going to my regular doctor's office for check-ups/blood tests every 6 weeks or so, which is fine according to Medifast's recommendations (they recommend having check-ups/lab work performed every 1-3 months, and of course, having a physical performed before starting medifast; I'm sure that people with certain medical issues may need more frequent monitoring).

Good luck with getting started!

Sheryl

[Goldy]

Ok, I see. I was thinking I should see a "Medifast Dr." so I could have someone with the background on showing me actually how to get started and do this. I don't mind ordering the product over the phone or on line. Maybe this isn't going to be as easy as I thought getting started.
I appreciate your reply and advice!

[Simmshe]

Goldy,

Have you visited a Take Shape For Life web site? It provides a very supportive and informative network for us, including access to a doctor's and nurse's line, and you also have a health adviser. Also, when you receive your Medifast supplements, through Take Shape for Life, it comes with a Starter Guide that tells you how to follow your program.

This being said, none of this support substitutes for medical monitoring, but it can give you all of the support that you need, which can make it easier for you to go to a nonMedifast-affiliated/familiar doctor to have your checkups. And believe it or not, even some "supposed" Medifast doctors are ill-informed--I have personally run into one, who is only one of two Medifast docs close to where I live (so I'm just going to my primary care doc).

I just hope you won't feel too daunted with getting started if there are not any Medifast docs in your area. Many primary care physicians are familiar with Medifast and will monitor you. But even if they are not too familiar, as long as you are healthy, having no contraindications to doing the full fast, they most likely will have no problem with you coming in monthly to have lab work done (the tests/lab work Medifast recommends are listed in the Starter Guide). Another option is doing the modified plan. Do you want to do the full or modified plan? Following the modified plan does not require medical monitoring, per the Medifast literature, but of course, checkups never hurt and Medifast strongly recommends that people see their physicians for a general exam and blood work before beginning either plan.

I'm no Medifast expert, of course. I'm just giving you information from what I have read in the Medifast literature, my understanding of it, and my opinion on finding a doctor.

I can tell that you are ready to get started and I hope you can get started soon ! Let us know how things go with your search. And, maybe you can call or email Nancy, who might have some suggestions for you!

Sheryl

[Peggy]

Hi Goldy,

I went back and looked at the link I gave you and noticed that my doctor was listed without a number too. If you'd still like to use a doctor who supports Medifast I called information for you. His name is Dr. Steven Tanzer D.O. He's at 3314 Noe Bixby rd in Columbus. The number for his office is 614-837-3447.

Luckily for me my medifast physician was in the same practice with my primary care physician. I hope this information helps you out.

Peggy

[Goldy]

Ohmygosh! I don't know who to thank first! I needed that advice, and am so appreciative of you taking the time to get tha Dr's. phone number? From Cleveland?!?! The helpless can be so absentminded at times!!!
I had contacted my regular physician ealier on, to make sure he was ok with me starting Optifast, and they had given me the ok from my recent visit. To me, Medifast seems safer healthwise. Another reason to go for it! I am calling Dr. Tanzer today! I cannot wait to start! I hope to keep both of you as buddies as things move forward. Sheryl, I appreciate you letting me your experience (s) too, which makes me wonder if those kinds of blood tests are covered by insurance or wht the deal is. More research! I know!
xoxo!!

[Simmshe]

Yaay Goldy! You should be starting soon ! I'm always glad to help in anyway I can.

Your insurance should cover the lab tests, as long as your doctor deems them necessary at the time of your check ups. The test is a full panel that you get when you have a physical (maybe your doctor recently had these tests done for you since he approved you for Optifast already)--the tests checks glucose levels, cholesterol, potassium and sodium levels, and lots of other things that give a picture of our health and organ functioning. Here is some info. I copied from the TSFL web site about lab work:

What lab tests should I have done?
If your physician feels that lab work is necessary, then lab tests should include a CBC, chemistry panel, lipid profile, thyroid panel, and urinalysis. If you are over age 40 or have a history of heart disease, please consult your physician regarding an EKG.

What is the doctor looking for with the lab tests and EKG?
The tests are designed to verify that you don't have any unknown illnesses or medical conditions that could put you at risk for coping with the Medifast plan. The reason for the EKG is to make sure you don't have any previously diagnosed heart problems or heart disease that would be a problem if you do the Medifast plan.

I work freelance now, so don't have regular health insurance right now, but when I did, my doctor would order blood tests all of the time for different things and the insurance company always covered it. So, I'm just paying out of pocket for the lab work, but it's not too bad since I'm only going to have it done every eight weeks or so.

I'm excited for you to get started and would love to be buddies with you! I'll be here while losing all of my excess weight and beyond .

Talk to you later!

Sheryl

[Nancy]

Hi, Goldy and welcome.

Sorry I didn't reply sooner - I was out of town for a couple of weeks and then returned with pneumonia and a killer ear infection. These trips to humid climes with f-f-f-fre-e-e-eezing air conditioning just about send me over the edge at times. I am back to semi-normal right now, just wading through the email and snail mail right now, cough-hack-snort-sniff-and getting caught up on the laundry, dusting, and blabbing with Unca!

I see that Sheryl took good care of you. Thanks, Little Darlin'
We wanna see LESS of you and hear MORE about your success!

[RavenKat]

Oh Nancy! I'm so sorry that our horrendous shower-steam air has made you so sick. This summer hasn't been as bad as it could be. I went to Mississippi one time and almost died!

I am looking forward to hearing all about the new Medifast products and what exciting things you did here in Maryland. I'll keep reading my way through the forum to see if you updated us.

Kat
perpetually curly hair due to humidity

[Sylvia]

Hey guys, you haven't seen humidity and heat until you've been in Houston in the Summer. I moved here 1 1/2 years ago from the DC area and Kat, you just don't appreciate how good you have it!

[Nancy]

Well, I will concur with Kat, there definitely IS humidity in D.C.

It would have been most miserable had I visited D.C. when I weighed 265...

I felt so blessed to be able to walk right up the 56 or so stairs to the foot of Abraham Lincoln - it was exhilerating, indeed!

I will write about the new products and share some of the things I learned in my next newsletter (which by the way I have already started: DIN DIN!). I gave my testimony Friday night at the opening of the conference and then I did a workshop on Saturday afternoon on maintenance.

Coach Dick Vitale was one of guest speakers again this year. We really enjoy him. He has the sweetest wife and daughters - their daughter Sherry recently gave birth to twins! We have a picture of Terry and I with Coach Vitale. I'll dig it up and have Unca post it for you.

Terry and I met many other health and weight loss success stories, we toured the manufacturing plant (we had to wear 'shower cap' head coverings and booties over our shoes - now lemme tell ya, THAT was a hoot! Leopard Woman wants to look adorable at ALL times and that shower cap affair definitely was a humbling experience and it only reminded me of how important inner beauty is....)

Terry and I also audited the certification course again. Our daughter Becky received certification. :-) We are so proud of her.

Terry and I each received pins and recognition for attaining the position of National Directors.

I am still wading through PILES of mail, lots of email to get caught up on and the flower garden went amok in my absence! Gotta trim shrubs, bushes, dead-head flowers, etc. It looks as though the Stargazer lilies and Shasta daisies were lovely in our absence. Unca was such a trooper - he stayed home and watered everything for me.

I understand that we had our fair share of humid summer nights here on the west coast - there were several days with temps over the century mark and we do not have AC. Talk about your personal saunas, eh? Poor Unca was hot while we were freezing in the hotel conference rooms.

Keep on keeping on, everyone!

You reach your goals by believing in yourself, by doing the right things day in and day out, even when ya don't feel like it!