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Posted 1/25/2009 2:01 PM (GMT -5)
Just wondering about this.  I'm still in a flare at the moment since Oct 29.08, asacol also from that date.  It is not as bad as it was in the beginning.  The bathroom breaks aren't as urgent and frequent as before. there is some yucky b/m though, depending on what i ate/drank.

It just sort of gets to me sometimes especially when some co-workers, friends and family say, geez, are you ever getting skinny.  And yes, I know it also, especially with my clothes, my low energy level, diet is trial and error (for the most part, have figured it out though) confused

So any suggestions you guys may have would help. I'm wavering on prednisone, looks really good for a quick fix? Thanks so much.

Posted 1/26/2009 10:51 AM (GMT -5)
Assuming you have pancolitis, you could likely benefit from using rectal meds together with Asacol to speed healing. It also sounds like your gastro should figure out a maintenance med routine since you say this is your 3rd flare. As for weight loss, try to ignore what people say about your appearance. Are you taking a daily multivitamin? If not, you should be. RE food-- think about what agrees with you. Are those items good nutritionally? If so, plan your diet around them. Be sure you get protein-- chicken w/o skin & broiled fish + eggs usually work in a flare. Try having a serving of plain boiled rice at least once a day with meals. If you can tolerate dairy, work in some pudding or yogurt desserts, pound cake, graham crackers, etc., as tolerated. Bananas can usually help UCers during flares. Other foods that would build up your calorie intake: mashed potato, egg noodles, peanut butter. Take good care of yourself, rest as much as you can, & you'll get back in control. Best wishes! / Old Hat (nearly 30 yrs with left-sided UC; original Colazal is my best med for maintaining remission)

Posted 1/26/2009 11:08 AM (GMT -5)
Prednisone will make you gain weight but it isn't healthy weight. I went from about 200 lbs, then I had my first real and horrible flare and at my lowest I was 134 lbs. Prednisone in about 5 months had me back up to 180lbs but it is all water weight and it's really hard to get rid of so that you can be a healthy weight. You don't get much of your energy back this way either. Prednisone should only be a last resort and not used because you want to gain weight. It's an evil little drug.

If you want to try and build up weight you should maybe try the meal replacement shakes. Those can help pack in calories.
Posted 1/26/2009 11:13 AM (GMT -5)
i also have been trying to gain weight. although i have crohns, so my inflammation is in the small intestine, which means i have malabsorption.

wondering what is the cause for your weight loss if your disease is only in the colon? you might want to first address that question.
Posted 1/26/2009 11:49 AM (GMT -5)
UCers suffer from weight loss...it's a classic symptom.

I have been desperatley trying to put the weight on I've lost...I even ate a crumb cake but the milk in the ingredients caused too much gas even with taking lactiad.

It's also very hard to gain weight if you're trying to cut down on carbs and sugars like I have...kinda of a win/lose; so for know I'm increasing the sugars/carbs as I'm too darn skinny lol
Posted 1/26/2009 2:37 PM (GMT -5)
I have also gone back and forth about prednisone, trying Asacol, Enemas and suppositories. Suffering on and off the whole time. I got a crazy stomach virus back at the beginning of January which eventually made my colitis go crazy. I was so sick unable to keep food down and I finally agreed to take prednisone. I was so scared because I read about all of the horrible side effects. The doctor wanted to start me on 30 mgs, but I started at 20. I feel so much better . I wish I had done it before instead of suffering. It does make you hungry but I am going to start tapering at the end of this week. Just my two cents!

Posted 1/26/2009 7:57 PM (GMT -5)
Hey thanks guys!  smilewinkgrin

It could be pancolitis maybe but right now I can feel it just around my left side only.  Last colonoscopy I had was in spring 2005 after things were settled down and OK per gastro.  They said the action was happening around the splenic flexure and starting to make it's way to the transverse colon by the time it stopped. Then this recent episode came along, so at the moment, there is no way, i'm going to let them near me until things have slowed down to check out how far it's going.  I do have a colonoscopy for April 2009, hope this flare is finished by then. 

But I have noticed a great deal of slowing down on the bathroom stuff, not quite what they should be if you know what I mean, but getting better. So now just going to concentrate on diet.  And yes, I do agree it is hard to gain weight because of all the possible reactions from the foods that you used to eat.  ie tomatoe soup - too acidic, cream of chicken - me, i'm lactose intolerant, chili - too spicy, and the list goes on and on. 

Oh yes, I am taking a multi vitamin as well and trying lactose free milk too.  I guess it's the little things that count! And yes, I'll try the occasional meal replacements also.

To Old Hat:  Thanks, for the "try to ignore what people say about my appearance".  My hubby says the same thing too!  (poor guy, there has been a few times I've had to kick him off the throne!) It's just nice to hear from it you guys, since we sincerely know what we're all going through!

Posted 1/26/2009 9:57 PM (GMT -5)
A diet high in protein, low in carbs and high in healthy fats - flax, fish, Udo's, olive. Nut butters and avacado are also high cal and high in healthy fats. A high quality protein isolate shake mix can be helpful, too. Weight training will help you gain healthy weight, rather than putting on fat. Of course, supplements that will help heal the gut and improve digestion will be helpful.
Posted 1/27/2009 3:31 AM (GMT -5)

bbc said...
UCers suffer from weight loss...it's a classic symptom.

I have been desperatley trying to put the weight on I've lost...I even ate a crumb cake but the milk in the ingredients caused too much gas even with taking lactiad.

It's also very hard to gain weight if you're trying to cut down on carbs and sugars like I have...kinda of a win/lose; so for know I'm increasing the sugars/carbs as I'm too darn skinny lol

Sorry, I wasn't saying that UCer dont also have weight loss. I was just wondering if its due to poor absorption or what? If you can understand why, then you can try and target your efforts better.
Posted 1/27/2009 11:32 AM (GMT -5)

No worries : )

I don't know what's up with my difficulty in weight gain as I no longer have any D (actually haven't had D in a long time) but I do have excessively large amounts of stool when I have a BM and I think it's the cause, unfortunately my GI doc is stumped to what's causing this in me. How have your BM been, are they normal? How many calories are you consuming each day?

teezy369 said...

bbc said...
UCers suffer from weight loss...it's a classic symptom.

I have been desperatley trying to put the weight on I've lost...I even ate a crumb cake but the milk in the ingredients caused too much gas even with taking lactiad.

It's also very hard to gain weight if you're trying to cut down on carbs and sugars like I have...kinda of a win/lose; so for know I'm increasing the sugars/carbs as I'm too darn skinny lol

Sorry, I wasn't saying that UCer dont also have weight loss. I was just wondering if its due to poor absorption or what? If you can understand why, then you can try and target your efforts better.


Posted 1/27/2009 11:57 AM (GMT -5)
bbc - Even if you arn't having D it doesn't mean there is no inflammation that is stopping proper absorption of nutrients...and this is an odd question but does your poo float? Cause if it does then the fat is going straight through you instead of being used by your body.
Posted 1/27/2009 12:11 PM (GMT -5)
mythmoon

Some of it may be when fluffy, but lately (sorry) its has been extremely large, hard and very lenghty (up to 3 feet in length). Something is not right and I placed another call to my GI and also sent her an email requesting we speak asap. I am willing to go to the university hospital she works at and check in and stay until they figure out whats going on causing these ridiculously sized BMs, which sometimes can leave me with my fissure torn and abdominal spasms the can last 12 hrs!
I have been adding sugar/sweets back to gain calories but it hasn't done anything to help...I also just undewent major blood work looking for answer to my inability to gain weight but thankfully everything was in normal limits...Me and my docs are at a loss for both issues : (
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