DS weight problem!
Tarragon
on 3/14/12 3:04 am, edited 4/12/12 7:43 am
on 3/14/12 3:04 am, edited 4/12/12 7:43 am
I have a weight problem--not enough of it, according to my psych doctor.
Personally, I think he's all wet--he's panicking and took me off my ADD meds because I'm 163 pounds. Now, I'm 6'1", and I know I'm thin, but according to the BMI, I wouldn't be underweight until I get down to 140!
I could go to my primary care physician when it's time to renew the ADD medication and I'm sure he'd refill it for me. However, Dr. Dumdum does being up one good point--which is that I would actually like to get back up to 170.
My DS was in April of 2010, so it'll be two years really soon. I haven't been exercising, and I've been eating more sugars (after getting in my 100+ grams of protein per day) but the sugars just give me diarrhea and I don't gain weight. Tried crackers and still keep losing.
My weight loss could be tied in with this mysterious lethargy/lack of energy problem I've been having that has yet to be diagnosed--thyroid, D, B12, Iron, hemoglobin all within acceptable parameters. I'm going to ask to be referred to an endocrinologist to test for hormone imbalances. Usually, things that make you tired don't cause weight loss, though, unless it's a deficiency, but my labs seem to check out pretty well.
I'm thinking about trying digestive enzymes to see if they will help me get back up to 170.
Typical daily food:
Breakfast, 7 oz chicken breast with about 1/4 cup mayo and condiments, or a pound of cheese, or about 3/4 pound of cooked bacon (bacon weight I use is after cooking weight, not pre-cooked weight.)
Lunch: Same as breakfast, usually
Supper: Four jumbo eggs fried in lots of butter, four slices of cheese, four slices of toasted bread, condiments
Dessert might be a couple handfulls of Hershy's Kisses or a few ounces of those crispy little marshmallows like in Lucky Charms. Sometimes I also have a protein shake of 50 grams protein plus whole milk ad a bedtime snack.
I know my diet isn't that great and I need to start eating more fresh things, veggies especially, but for now let's please concentrate on what might help me gain weight.
EDIT: My psychiatrist was correct, I am suffering from malnutritive wasting, he put me on Creon.
Personally, I think he's all wet--he's panicking and took me off my ADD meds because I'm 163 pounds. Now, I'm 6'1", and I know I'm thin, but according to the BMI, I wouldn't be underweight until I get down to 140!
I could go to my primary care physician when it's time to renew the ADD medication and I'm sure he'd refill it for me. However, Dr. Dumdum does being up one good point--which is that I would actually like to get back up to 170.
My DS was in April of 2010, so it'll be two years really soon. I haven't been exercising, and I've been eating more sugars (after getting in my 100+ grams of protein per day) but the sugars just give me diarrhea and I don't gain weight. Tried crackers and still keep losing.
My weight loss could be tied in with this mysterious lethargy/lack of energy problem I've been having that has yet to be diagnosed--thyroid, D, B12, Iron, hemoglobin all within acceptable parameters. I'm going to ask to be referred to an endocrinologist to test for hormone imbalances. Usually, things that make you tired don't cause weight loss, though, unless it's a deficiency, but my labs seem to check out pretty well.
I'm thinking about trying digestive enzymes to see if they will help me get back up to 170.
Typical daily food:
Breakfast, 7 oz chicken breast with about 1/4 cup mayo and condiments, or a pound of cheese, or about 3/4 pound of cooked bacon (bacon weight I use is after cooking weight, not pre-cooked weight.)
Lunch: Same as breakfast, usually
Supper: Four jumbo eggs fried in lots of butter, four slices of cheese, four slices of toasted bread, condiments
Dessert might be a couple handfulls of Hershy's Kisses or a few ounces of those crispy little marshmallows like in Lucky Charms. Sometimes I also have a protein shake of 50 grams protein plus whole milk ad a bedtime snack.
I know my diet isn't that great and I need to start eating more fresh things, veggies especially, but for now let's please concentrate on what might help me gain weight.
EDIT: My psychiatrist was correct, I am suffering from malnutritive wasting, he put me on Creon.
Some people do need digestive enzymes, usually just temporarily for a few months. Any possibility you could contact your DS surgeon for further advice? He/she probably knows more about this than the endo, and certainly more than your pcp or your psych.
PS - no beef in your diet? Beef is a great source of both protein and iron. Granted, we absorb iron poorly, but whatever you do get from beef is better than other dietary sources.
Larra
PS - no beef in your diet? Beef is a great source of both protein and iron. Granted, we absorb iron poorly, but whatever you do get from beef is better than other dietary sources.
Larra
Tarragon
on 3/14/12 6:01 am
on 3/14/12 6:01 am
Yes. I actually asked my surgeon to leave my stomach a little larger than normal and I'm glad I did. I get pretty full by the time I reach for that fourth one though, sometimes I have to take a break for 10 minutes or so before I can down it. But an hour after that, I'm looking around for desert...
usually people have a bounce back amount of weight like 10-15 pounds after they get down to where they bottom out I understand. Have you gone thru that yet?
1985 Verticle Banded Gastroplasty to DS revision 2010 sw 280 gw 140 cw 188 hw 360
“If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.?
Winnie the Pooh
Tarragon
on 3/14/12 6:06 am
on 3/14/12 6:06 am
Not yet, but I'll be happy if I level off at 170 then regain 10-15. A weight of 185 is about right for my frame.
On the other hand, maybe I should just let my body do what it wants to do with this.
Yeah, I think I will. I think I'm going to just go to my regular doctor for the Adderall and forget about the psychiatrist. I will worry when my BMI actually starts getting close to the underweight mark. Until then, I'll enjoy being able to walk up stairs with no effort applied. :-)
On the other hand, maybe I should just let my body do what it wants to do with this.
Yeah, I think I will. I think I'm going to just go to my regular doctor for the Adderall and forget about the psychiatrist. I will worry when my BMI actually starts getting close to the underweight mark. Until then, I'll enjoy being able to walk up stairs with no effort applied. :-)
Have you considered eating more frequently? I don't have anything approaching your capacity with a standalone VSG; so, I've gone to eating like 6 times a day. I get in 1500 or so calories and 120g protein, right now. I'm working to get up to 2,000.
You have higher caloric intake requirements becasue of malabsorption I would think, but also more capacity. The principal should be the same. You could add calorically dense but not sugary snacks like a good organic trail mix that is heavy on nuts, something like ryvita crisp breads and hummus, veggies and dip, etc. I use Cliff Mojo Trailmix Bars and Atkins Daybreak Bars which are light on sugar alcohols to help fill in the gaps.
Other things to consider would be the 'mother' sauces. They're really not that hard to make, and you can put them on almost anything to add calories without sugar or carbs. Make a lovely cheese omlette and cover it in hollandaise sauce. At restaurants, I routinely order eggs benedict without the english muffin or just eggs and hollandaise sauce. Again, I have VSG not DS, but I don't worry about fat and I know you guys need a good bit.
Just a few thoughts.
You have higher caloric intake requirements becasue of malabsorption I would think, but also more capacity. The principal should be the same. You could add calorically dense but not sugary snacks like a good organic trail mix that is heavy on nuts, something like ryvita crisp breads and hummus, veggies and dip, etc. I use Cliff Mojo Trailmix Bars and Atkins Daybreak Bars which are light on sugar alcohols to help fill in the gaps.
Other things to consider would be the 'mother' sauces. They're really not that hard to make, and you can put them on almost anything to add calories without sugar or carbs. Make a lovely cheese omlette and cover it in hollandaise sauce. At restaurants, I routinely order eggs benedict without the english muffin or just eggs and hollandaise sauce. Again, I have VSG not DS, but I don't worry about fat and I know you guys need a good bit.
Just a few thoughts.
Carolyn (32 lbs lost Pre-op) HW: 291, SW: 259, GW: 129.5, CW: 126.4
Age: 45, Height: 5'2 1/4" , Stretch Goal: 122 
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