Inflammation & unwanted weight gain ????

Hi there Flutterbies,

It's hard for us to provide a good answer because we don't know very much about you. There could be many explanations for your problems, so perhaps it would help if you told us a bit more about yourself. How long is it since you were diagnosed with Crohn's? What medications do you take? What other symptoms are you experiencing at the moment?

Welcome to the forums. We're looking forward to getting to know you better.

Ivy.

Wow--the same thing is happening to me, and nobody can explain it. I was diagnosed with CD in 1999. In 2001, I suddenly lost 10 pounds--and then, after my doctor put me on a low fiber/low residue diet, I dropped another 10. I was probably too thin, but I felt really good. Over the past year, without changing my eating habits at all, I've been putting on weight steadily but gradually. My gain now totals about 18 pounds--and I'm miserable. Nobody can explain to me why this is happening, and I agree, it's frustrating.

The only interesting idea came from a personal trainer (not mine--I can't afford one!) who said that my body had been starving itself for so long that my metabolism is now slowed way down, meaning that I'll gain weight if I eat anything like a normal diet. If that's true, what the heck can I do about it? I was always told that the only good thing about having Crohn's was that I'd never again have to worry about my weight. Clearly, that's a myth.

I soooo know how you feel! I'd never been really thin before. I knew I probably looked drawn and tired, but I adored being able to wear little skimpy tops. Now none of my pants fit comfortably, and I'm back to wearing big baggy tops to hide my spreading middle. Meanwhile, everybody keeps telling me how wonderful I look now. I hate it. I'm glad your mom told you that weight fluctuations are part of the disease--at least that gives me some hope that some of this unwanted weight will disappear again someday. Maybe my body thinks I need extra weight right now to give me extra strength to cope with all the inflammation and exhaustion I'm experiencing. Maybe your body's bulking up a little to help you cope, too. Does it help a little to think of the weight gain as your body's way of making you strong enough to cope with a temporary setback?

OK. Let's get practical, then. What are you eating? I'm wondering if you might have some stricturing going on inside. When was the last time you had a scope?