Hmm... I need to find out myself. I don't know what is the answer. I'll do some research in Google and get back to you if I bump into an good answer. You should email the people at Medifast as they probably know..

Yuppers!i gave up on the dark circles (grocery bags) under my eyes long ago:( I usually dont feel so hot either!but I find spoiling myself once in a while makes me feel WAY better about myself!.

Even though we dont really have the cash for it, hubby lets me go tanning and buys me these expensive organic yummy shampoos and body lotions and sometimes takes me shopping:) he knows what makes me feel good!i just try to dwell on the stuff we DO have going for each other! I know I can wear WHATEVER I want!:)now a girls gotta love THAT! oh and just think, we all look prettier with a smile on our face!!!:).

(though I hear and understand your woes sista!)..

I'm vain. I get mad because of the constant pain from colitis and bloating where my clothes don't fit and I'm one big cramped huffalump full of pills...

I do have to say that this is bothering me too! I hate that half the day I spend busting out of my jeans because I'm soooo bloated that they're tight and constricting, and then the other half the day I'm literally.

Walking.

Around holding them up because the bloating's gone down and the jeans are all loose and baggy. I feel like a hobo..

And then there's the.

Prednisone.

Sweats making my now-manky hair all wet and soggy and weird looking and kinda matted. And the puffy round face and the big black bags under the eyes. I can't stand seeing myself in the mirror at the moment..

And my dr the other day said I should get out and meet people (we'd been.

Talking.

About my singledom). Yeah right! This sweaty, burping bloated chick who can't have a.

Coffee.

Date (because she can't drink.

Coffee.

), who walks around holding up her pants, is really not gonna cut a fine figure and roll out those pick-up lines..

Perhaps when I feel more attractive... sometime....

In the meantime, I'm with shmhoopy - all for spoiling myself with non-food rewards :)..

Hey, my skin has been soooooo bad since i've had uc, the doctor gave my antibiotics but surprise surprise that made my uc much worse! I think it's really important to remember to fuss ourselves, get the right make-up for our skin (go to see a specialist) get our hair done, etc because this disease we have is so affected by stress that we need things to pep us up! sometimes I forget I am a young woman who can be sexy and beautiful because I feel like my uc takes over and that's all I am but it's not true. on my good days I can almost like what I see in the mirror, it's a working progress! xxx..

I was always on the heavy side until my miraculous weight loss "plan". I am now about 30lbs lighter than I was in high.

School.

And until I got sick..

For a number of years I when I ran into someone I had not seen in a while they would make a comment about my weight loss and want the "diet" I was on. I almost always offended them by laughing in their face. Then looking at their shocked faces I explained that I lost the weight by constant diarrhea, not something they wanted to try..

I hate having to keep several sizes of clothes because of the bloating and other problems. I hate wearing elastic waisted jeans if I am going to be out for a while in case I puff up later in the day..

I keep my hair short so I can wash it every time I take a shower because it gets so ratty looking..

On the plus side: I look damn good at a distance of at least 10 feet. My figure is fine for an old broad of 54- if you don't know how I keep it and if you don't look at my age/worry lines. :-))..

P.S. As for the teeth thing, my teeth gradually went bad. Just all rotted out. I somewhat tried to keep them but an honest dentist told me that with the colitis I would eventually lose them as I am not rich enough to keep up a dentist as regularly as I needed to. I now have dentures. I wear 'em when I feel like it.

I wear them only when I.

Leave.

The house..

But at least now I don't have to look at the mess I had in my mouth when I look in the mirror. My image in my own mind has improved..

Between the skinny, skin-hanging look and the bad teeth I actually had people ask if I had AIDS, or asking my friends if I was on drugs..

(sorry I am long-winded this a.m.)..

Thank God, when I first posted it no-one replied and I thought it really was just me!!.

ZenEm, I know I shouldn't laugh, but you did make me chuckle, just because it all sounded so familiar. I feel for you..

Weirdly, I met my husband in the middle of my worst flare up, and he was and has been just amazing. Not gloating just saying, if they're good, they really won't care, impossible as that seems. I was vomiting every twenty minutes or so on about our 5th date and he insisted on coming home with me and staying (I still lived with my parents but I was 21!!) He stroked my hair while I was sick and I thought "THIS one's a keeper!".

2nd date: He made some ridiculous casserole with the seven ingredients I COULD eat at the time and ran down the road to the callbox (they didn't have a phone) to check ingredients..

I treat myself too. I swear by Clarins and being skinny is usually slightly better than not being..

Bit of a tan in the summer and it all looks SO much better. Can wear flighty frocks..

Thanks guys. It's not vanity really just to want to look like me. Not to improve it, just to see the real me for a bit drug free,..

I had that problem until my 30's, then I had a dramatic reversal and can't.

Lose weight.

I don't eat, hardly get out of bed because of the pain in my abdomen and joints, but now instead of being underweight like I was in my teens and 20's I am 60lbs overweight. I don't take in more than 500 calories on a good day, but I can't.

Lose weight.

One extreme to the other with this disease. My teeth...my doctor thought I was taking meth that's how bad they got. Do you have CD or UC?..

Gave up on appearance so long ago! I'm dreadful most of the time these days sure I miss it (but don't miss the jealousy evoked by being unnaturally thin and name -calling associated with it) but what can you do just grateful to still be here and the friends/family that love me no matter...