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Weight gain while flaring is it possible?

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Posted 7/14/2013 5:01 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone I am in a mild flare at the moment and somewhat my weight is stable around 141 lbs.I am a guy with 6 feet tall and I am afraid I look skinny.Anyone can give me an advice?Should I start weight training programme or is it impossible to gain weight while flaring?
Posted 7/14/2013 5:22 PM (GMT 0)
Well I am flaring and I have put on weight. I blame the Prednisone though which makes me retain water and eat everything in site. I guess it depends on how bad you are flaring. When my flare started I lost 30 lbs which is a lot for a guy 5'8". I have gained it all back as my flare subsides. I am only having 2 or 3 bms per day. If your having 10+ bms per day it might be hard to gain weight. I say go for it if you have the energy and do some weight lifting if you want. Try to live life as normal as you can.
Posted 7/14/2013 6:13 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to my world. I have been flaring for three years and have never lost weight. In fact, I have to constantly watch my weight just like a normal person. All I have to do is look at food and I gain weight. I weigh myself every day and I constantly have to lose two pounds after gaining two. It is a constant battle. I wish I could blame it on prednisone but I do not take prednisone.
Posted 7/14/2013 6:42 PM (GMT 0)
Are you eating? What meds are you on?

welcome to the forum.

q
Posted 7/14/2013 6:43 PM (GMT 0)
In a flare I normally lose but with pred/Uceris I gained. It's possible.
Posted 7/14/2013 8:42 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, I gained a little bit of weight while flaring. But my UC isn't that bad so there weren't a lot of bms and I think I ate more than I did before.
Posted 7/14/2013 11:35 PM (GMT 0)
I think it depends how bad your symptoms are. I started gaining as soon as i started the scd. It got my symptoms under control enough to absorb nutrients because i had been going to the bathroom over ten times a day and averaging 500 calories a day.

I know for me that i always lose weight when i stop exercising so i try to exercise every day.
Posted 7/14/2013 11:40 PM (GMT 0)
I always lose weight when I flare up. I actually need to lose a few and I would give almost anything to drop these pounds but I wouldn't give my health and independence.
Posted 7/14/2013 11:57 PM (GMT 0)
I lose weight when I'm flaring up. If you're worried about losing too much weight then try to eat calorie and nutrient dense foods like almond butter, avocado's, etc. Make sure none of these actually irritate your flare up or make it worse. I find sunflower seed butter, cashew butter, and almond butter my favorite snacks whenever I'm hungry in between meals.
Posted 7/15/2013 12:44 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, you can gain weight during a flareup if your symptoms aren't too bad (4 or less bms a day). Otherwise, wait till your meds kick in (6+ bms a day). It is the same as with a normal person, pile on extra calories to gain weight. I've gained weight a few times during the tail end of a flareup (15-20 pounds over the span of 2-3 months). It takes time, and the weight gain is real slow, like maybe a 1/2 pound a week or so. You just need to keep up with an extra meal, an extra serving, lots of snacks or whatever it is you prefer. Generally, your appetite is going to be limited during a flareup, so you'll likely have to force yourself to eat the extra calories. However, your appetite will continue to return as you heal.

Best of luck,
Posted 7/15/2013 1:26 PM (GMT 0)
I have been underweight and overweight in the past while flaring.

To gain weight safely and help your flare I suggest adding good oils to as many foods as you can: olive oil and coconut oil. The coconut oil can be added to smoothies, add olive oil to soups, veggies, cook with it.
These are good calories because the oils are anti-inflammatory.

You can even consume these by the spoonful but be aware it could trigger a BM especially in the morning, safer to put them into other foods so it's not a shock.

Stay away from sugar as a way to add weight and in my case staying away from wheat and grains was beneficial. Some people have found Resistant Starch beneficial and that would add calories: cold rice pudding, cold potato soup, etc. Best results when the starch is cold not hot. Do a search on this forum.
Posted 7/15/2013 6:21 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all the great responses.I am on 5-ASA at the moment both oral and rectal.My symptoms are not very worse right now generally 5-6 BMs with mucus and no blood.I guess I should add extra calories to my diet as well as benefical anti infalammatory oils and see what happens
Posted 7/15/2013 6:28 PM (GMT 0)
It took me YEARS to put on 5 pounds of the 17 I had lost. But I was doing very well....in medication supported maintenance "remission" at the time and starting to eat more often during the day since I was in a 2 year course full-time.

Just remember that anti-inflammatory oils will cause you "SBS"..slippery butt syndrome. Be careful.

You'd be best to add a fibre supplement (I use capsules) with your meals...start with a small amount with one meal for a few days and then increase if you have no discomfort such as gas, bloating, etc.

As well...add probiotics. If you want to add Omega oils or whatever, start with small amounts as well.

q
Posted 7/16/2013 1:09 PM (GMT 0)
I always loose weight when flaring. I am eating alot and still it has been almost 2 months since flare and only put back on 2 lbs. I am also 6'1" tall but my normal pre crohn's/colitis days I was 185lbs. Now since my flare I dropped to 169lbs and am at 172 now. I was 177 before this last flare. I am hoping to be back to upper 170's by the time I see my doc in September. I cant imagine being any thinner than my 169 I was at when flaring. I had to tighten my belt almost to the last notch to hold up my jeans. I have a doctors scale at work I check myself once a week on which I uaually do on Mondays.

I must say it may be hard for you to gain weight wheile your flaring but you have to reduce inflammation to be able to absorb nutrients. So it is a tough road to be on and you will need time to recover from flare before you can expect to gain weight. You are really thin and was wondering what is your normal weight pre UC? Heck I didnt get my name here "twiggs" for any other reason that when I was young I was really thin but got a bit huskier when I got older. It seems with this dam disease I struggle now to keep my weight up.
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