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PLEASE HELP IM LOSING WEIGHT BECASE OF CROHNS

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 7/28/2011 9:42 AM (GMT 0)
please help im losing weight i got diagnosed with crohns in march 2011 im 18 years old i use to weight 160 pounds but within few monthes i lost around 25 pounds and im really depressed it took me couple years to get the muscle i had and only tooks couple of weeks to lose it all im down to 137 and im 5'10. and when ever i see my old friends or a relative all they say is "you got so skinny" i dont know what to do i hate going outside ,Crohns had cost me to miss out on college, sports and i even quit my job because i though picking up stuff could've had something to do with stomach pain, feels like crohns messed up my life. is there any type of food that can help me gain weight or any daily meal plan im on 500 mg pentasa 3 times a day 50mg azathioprine and omeparazole once a day . PLEASE HELP.
Posted 7/28/2011 10:18 AM (GMT 0)
First welcome to HW, it's a great place for support. Unfortunately weight loss is one of the side effects so to speak when you are flaring. I've lost 70lbs. during a flare, there isn't alot I've ever found that can stop it. When your body isn't absorbing nutrients and you are having constant D weight loss happens.

Hang in there, with the right combination of meds I'm sure the doctors will be able to get your flare under control. Until then eat as healthy as your gut will allow you to. I've even resorted to those nutritional drinks in addition to eating just to boost my calories. This disease doesn't have to ruin your life, it just puts it on the back burner at times.
Posted 7/28/2011 11:45 AM (GMT 0)
Hi bkz, I've lost not as much, but I'm small, but I still lost weight that for the life of me I can not get back on, I just can't eat big meals. You have to eat meals with high caloric count, don't evan worry about fat or anything else just eat. My dr. said take apain med if it hurts when you eat, JUST EAT. at all cost eat. don't worry about gluten free, don't worry about any form of diet, (except if you can't tolerate it)get meat back on your bones. I use things I can't talk about to increase my appetite, works wonders, for appetite. I'm in california.

AG
Posted 7/28/2011 12:19 PM (GMT 0)
I would gladly give you some weight because I cant get rid of it. Crohns is a strange illness .
Posted 7/28/2011 12:29 PM (GMT 0)
As Lamb said, once the disease is under control and you are on the right medication, the weight loss will stop and you will be able to gain back some. Until then try to eat small frequent snacks between meals, 100 calorie snacks an hour if you can. This isn't nearly enough to fill you up or even stop you from eating your next meal, but if you add up the extra calories it can be a lot over the course of a week. Something as simple as a tablespoon of Peanut Butter, or an ounce of cheese, small scoop of tuna salad. Look at calorie counts and come up with things you like that are just about 100 calories, fit in 5 or 6 a day, and it adds up.
Posted 7/28/2011 5:51 PM (GMT 0)
Are you being treated for an active flare or just on a maintenance dose of meds? What have you been on from March 2011 - now, just Pentasa?

Are you currently eating normally or have you lost appetite and eating very little?

Something that can help with some of the Crohn's symptoms is reducing your diet from what you would normally eat to a low residue diet. The types of things you might eat if you had or were recovering from the stomach flu. Stick to things like eggs, lean chicken, white breads, pastas, and crackers, etc. Reduce foods high in fiber and say no to fresh fruits and veggies for a couple of weeks.

Count the calories you are eating each day. If you are having trouble getting around 2000-2500/day (your daily caloric required intake varies based on activity level, etc.), it may help to supplement your diet with Ensure or Boost. These little 8oz bottles have 240-250 calories each. If you go that route, I'd recommend starting with 1 or 2 a day, and increasing until you can get to a total daily calorie number (from all food/drink sources) that you need.

However, it is possible that you are eating 2500 calories a day, would normally maintain or gain weight with that, and are still losing weight...that probably indicates an active flare and your intestines is not properly absorbing nutrients and calories. Your dosage of Pentasa may be too low, or you may need to find another medicine that works better for you. Unfortunately, when we are first diagnosed, it takes time to find the correct medicinal response because each of our bodies responds to these medicines differently.
Posted 7/28/2011 6:09 PM (GMT 0)
Every time I flare, I actually drink Ensure.....chocolate flavor and refrigerated.

yeah its filled with lots of sugars and fats, but also losts of vitamins, it also tastes great, it doesnt hurt like eating food and it kept my weight up.

Now, as for all the other comments, they are all true, once on the right meds your weight will balance, adn then fluctuate based off future flares or other crohns related issues, but for the most part, meds will stabilize it, but for flares, Im an Ensure guy.

Everyone has a different approach, what is right for one person maybe wrong for another, part of this disease is the steep learning curve seeing as doctors know so little, that leaves you to do a little trial and error....

One day though, you and your doctors will find the right balance and get to a point where you can keep your weight level.

Jon

Posted 8/3/2011 6:41 PM (GMT 0)

Weight loss has always been an issue for me as well.  One thing that helped me a lot is the antidepressant Remeron.  One of the side effects of this medicine is increased appetite and weight gain.  It also helped me get rid of chronic lower abdominal pain that did not go away once the Crohn's was in remission. 

Posted 8/3/2011 7:17 PM (GMT 0)
There are protein powders that you can buy in health food shops that you can make into a milk shake and have one of these every 90 minutes, they aren't bulky and add calories but feels just like drinking milk. I find ensure and the like too thick and if I have those I don't want to eat as they fill me up if I am in flare which sort of defeats the object as the idea is you have those and food to increase calories.

Also maybe ask your GI if your amount of azathioprine is enough. I am 12 stone and have 150mg per day so your 50mg sounds a little low.

Also eat what you fancy whether that is chocolate, cakes, biscuits or just plain junk food. The main object is to put on weight, don't worry about eating healthily until you are at a weight you want then you can start worrying about your 5 veggies a day etc. Things like meringues a great as very little substance but high calories due to the sugar but no fat.
Posted 8/4/2011 11:57 PM (GMT 0)
I have also lost a lot of weight lately and am down to 93 pounds.The strange thing is that I am not in flare..I don't think..I do stick to the ensure shakes and ice cream and did manage to out on five pounds..also my doctor prescribed remiron also...a antidepressant that helps you gain weight and has also done wonders for my anxiety. Good luck.
Posted 8/5/2011 12:56 AM (GMT 0)
Given that you're still young, it might help you to work with a dietitian, so that you can minimise weight loss and some of the other problems that can come with it.

Please know that you're not alone in this. Weight loss can be terribly hard for men, especially when they're wanting to look muscular.

There are drinks that can help, as the others have mentioned. There's also a tasteless powder called Polycose, that can be added to foods and drinks to boost your nutritional levels.

Personally, I'd be less concerned about your muscles, and more worried about your bones, growth, and hormone levels, and that's why I think it would be good to ask your doc about whether it would be beneficial to see a dietitian.

All the very best to you,

Ivy.
Posted 8/7/2011 1:14 AM (GMT 0)
My husband lost a lot of weight due to Crohns. A shake that has worked for him and helped him gain weight:

Goatein protein powder (goats milk protein powder..its very easily digested) goats milk has very low lactose. The one we use is the one from Garden of Life.
Goats milk yogurt that is organic and been fermented for over 24-30 hours (this helps in digestion, tons of good bacteria, and calories)
Tablespoon of raw honey that has never been heated
Frozen fruits like strawberries (not a ton if you can't handle fruits)
Ice
Little bit of Orange juice if you like.
Raw egg that is high in Omega 3 (make sure this us high quality). Great way to add in calories!

Everytime he was hungry and didn't want to eat bad food, he would make this shake and it never hurt him.
Posted 8/7/2011 2:33 AM (GMT 0)
It isn't clear to me that you are staying in touch with your doctor. Your medicine may need to be changed or adjusted. you are still young enough to rebuild muscle easily. Get your gut better first.
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