CROHN'S & OVERWEIGHT, is that possible? I need help...!!!!

Ok so I have been diagnosed since May 07'. I had two surgeries and was on steroids, but stopped them back in July. Before I was sick I was at a average weight of 175 for a couple of years. I lost a bunch of weight because I was sick all of the time. My lowest weight over last summer was 135. Well now im 195!!! I am very addicted and love FOOD. I need help, and its tough since there are so many things im not suppose to eat. Does anyone else have the problem of having to loose a large amount of weight? I have always been a little chubby, before I got sick 175 was the largest I had ever been, and im gaining on 200 lbs. & I promised myself i'd never be that big. Any advice PLEASE! BTW im 5'3, so 195 is pretty big for me

Hi,

I am also 5 foot 3inches and also weigh 192 lbs, yes it is very depressing.  I have joined a gym and have been walking 1 hour every day on the treadmill, however I am so exhausted after this I have to lie down.  I can sympthasize with you, as this is the heaviest I have ever been, naturally people assume that Crohns Disease sufferers struggle to put on weight, but Crohns seems to affect people differently.  The weight came on while I was on steroids, called Predinsone,. however now I am in remission I want to lose this excess baggage.

After going into remission, I gained back the weight I originally lost...PLUS an extra 20 pounds. I think that was my body's response to losing all that weight so quickly. The body remembers when it goes through starvation modes or massive weight-loss periods and will store extra fat in as a precaution in case it ever has to go through a "starvation" period again, it'll have something to feed off of. The body goes into "survival mode" after going through a bad flare and will hang onto fat so it'll have something to eat if that time ever comes again.

I also believe medications have an effect on weight.

I am about 285 right now...

I have not been officially diagnosed with Crohn's but I am in the same boat--over weight and I am now on prednisone to help with inflammation problems. It is hard. I feel like a lot of people do not believe I could have Crohn's because I am over weight. I have had the diarrhea, etc., and I would think it would have helped me lose weight, but it didn't. It is so hard and frustrating! I joined a gym a few months ago and I walk as often as I can.

Honestly, I really should lose a great amount of weight.

Take care and know that we are all here for you!

You'll find that many of us are also overweight and not just because of our meds. I was at my highest long before I ever took pred. Sometimes, with active disease, your body is not able to properly absorb the nutrients it needs. This makes your body think you are starving and your metabolism eventually shuts down or goes into "conservation" mode. As a result, you are still taking in calories, but not able to effectively burn them. Thus, the weight GAIN.

One thing to consider is to discuss this with your Doc and to have a complete thyroid panel done. Since you already have one autoimmune disease, you are at risk for others, including Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. When I was Dx with this, my T4 levels were bouncing back and forth. One test would be low and the next in the lower end of the normal range. I also had sky high thyroid antibodies. My Primary wasn't sure what to do about it so I was referred to an Endocrinologist. She told me that I was in the early stages of thyroid failure and that I could literally crash any day. Starting a low dose of synthroid made a HUGE difference in just 3 days. The funny thing is that the only reason my thyroid levels were checked was because of a possible thyroid nodule seen on an MRI of my C spine. I went in and demanded to have my thyroid hormone levels and antibodies checked because my sister had been Dx with Hashimoto's 10 years earlier.

Prior to finding my thyroid problem I had slowly but steadily been gaining weight, even though I was dieting. After starting the meds, I slowly and steadily lost weight. Almost 40 pounds in 2 years. I still had another 20 to go but I had a joint flare and ended up on 60mgs of pred. I've gained 20 lbs back but now that I'm tapering, I hope to lose the weight again.

Another thing that I highly recommend is the Weight Watchers program. Yes, they do still push the fruits, veggies and fiber, but the new points system is really adaptable to the Crohnie's way of eating. You can literally eat anything, as long as you count the points and don't go over your daily and weekly limits. This also works very well for those who also have to feed the family. There's nothing worse than having to cook a meal and not being able to eat it. WW has so many great receipes available that you can feed the family your "diet" food and they'd never know it. You just need to stick to your portion size.

I hope you can get back to a weight that you are comfortable at and quickly.

I'm not overweight, but I know I gain some pounds when feeling well. I think our biggest issue, is the diet that we can most
tolerate, and / or should have, bland, low residue and there is the problem, beige colorless food, which is usually high in calories.

Like brit tuck says, long gone are the colorful healthy foods that I so badly miss!!

I am over weight as well, and it's not due to my meds. It's a struggle for me, and fatigue does not help! Especially when I'm anemic, it makes exercising really hard. After my GI bleed I was so weak for the longest time, I got really out of shape.

DH bought me an Elliptical machine a few weeks ago, so I'm hoping to get back in shape and drop the pounds. I want to lose about 50 pounds. I'm having to start off real slow, I do 10-15 minutes 3-4 times a week. I started off on number 1 on the resistance, and today I went back and forth from 2 to 5. So I'm getting there. But no, you are not alone! I think that is one of the biggest myths with Crohn's, you don't have to be very skinny to be sick! So many people look at me funny when I say I suffer from Crohn's. Because I don't fit that typical description.

I've always been obese. I think that is why my doctors and I both thought my "d" was from IBS and didn't investigate any further. Even at my sickest I wouldn't lose weight. I think because most of my disease is located in my colon. From what I have read is that the nutrients and calories are absorbed in the small intestines and moisture is absorbed in the colon. Right now I'm 5'5" and weigh 205lbs. I did lose about 50lbs through much hard work the first half of last year, after my surgery but I've been slowly gaining it back.

Since I discovered I had Crohn's 1½ years ago I've found out that I have steroid-induced diabetes and CD has caused kidney stones. So now I'm on a low-calorie, low-carb, no sugar, low-fat, low salt, low ruffage diet. I'm having a hard time finding foods that I can eat without getting totally bored. I noticed that because of fatigue I have no energy to make healthy home-cooked foods. I'm struggling mightily with trying to find quick and easy foods that my whole family can eat since I'm not suppose to eat fast-food or processed stuff. I'm thinking about going on an appetite surpressant so I won't feel like eating much.

Because of the diabetes I have to eat or I suffer from lows. I just tend to overdo it when I eat. Sometimes it would be easier to just skip meals when I'm tired but I no longer can.

Oh, msmomma, that's terrible. What a lot you've had to endure.

Welcome to the board,

I.

Moderater!!Thanks for the kind words, I am grateful for the time that I feel good. I finally found a good neurologist who has helped with the West Nile problems, and that has gone a long way to help me feeling better, especially the Chronic Fatigue which is associated with both illnesses. I have seen several nutritionists from California to where I live now, some have helped, some have not...some have been very judgemental of my weight, and claim that I must be eating more than I am admitting to...but my husband and co-workers can attest to the fact that I eat very little comparatively speaking and I eat healthfully, but it has had no affect. My current gastroenterologist said that although my thyroid checks out okay, my system is in essence starving because the disease is not allowing essential nutrients to be absorbed, so it hangs onto anything that it can and processes only what it can break down quickly...I don't know if this will help anyone else, but refined sugars, high fats, some dairy, acidy foods, and breads (especially white breads) are really hard on the system, can trigger a flare up, cause arthititis pain, and are, of course, what the body can convert to fat, hence the weight gain. Steamed vegetables are easier on the system than fresh, lean chicken, fish and a low/no sugar protein-drink like Glucerna have helped me when I am in a flare up. Lettuce according to my doctor is like eating razor-blades...not a pretty thought. I hope any of this helps...