Need help...lost TOO much weight, how do I gain some back??

Hello everyone,

I posted a while back about the same issue.  I was having a "stuck" feeling in my throat, and it was preventing me from eating.  I was vomiting anything I tried to eat.  I am without insurance, so I was afraid to have the problem looked at since I cannot afford large medical bills.  Anyway, Dr. K ended up doing a scope on me, which turned out normal, as well as an upper GI.  After the scope, I was able to eat a bit better, and I no longer had that "stuck" feeling.  I am thinking somehow the scope helped open up my "pathway", and that's why I was feeling better.  This was done in May, and at that time I was 127lbs 5'9.  Since then, I am still struggling with nausea, and am unable to eat any regular meals or I throw them up.  I can only have very small meals, consisting of mostly "slider" foods.  I am now at 110lbs.  I am literally skeletal.  I have at least 10lbs of extra skin on me, so that weight isn't entirely accurate. My question is this:  How do I put on weight safely??  What foods would help with weight gain?  I am terrified that I will keep losing, since I lose at least a few pounds a week at this point.  Anyone else experience nausea/vomiting this far out from their surgery?  (mine was almost two years ago). 

Thank you so much for any advice you give!

D

Carbs

I have no medical advice for you, except to say that you definitely need to find a way to see a doctor. As for gaining weight, simple carbs should do it. Try having a milkshake here and there, made with regular ice cream. You can add protein powder, too.

I would agree in eating higher calorie slider foods.  I think seeing Dr. K is a good idea at this point, you don't want to become too weak because your healing time will be so much longer.  Best of luck, sorry this is happening to you.

I've also heard about a medication that helps you absorb more of what you consume. Maybe use the search feature on this forum or Google it. But I agree that you need to see a doctor and find out what they can do to help.

I have nausea and vomiting only if I eat dense foods too fast, or eat an "absorbent" food (like bread or grains like rice and oats - Cream of Rice and Oatmeal, popcorn or fiber-filled dry cereals- Kashi and bran immediately come to mind).

As for gaining, ask your doctor/surgeon to prescribe Creon.  It is a digestive enzyme that is, in effect, a pharmaceutical reversal of the DS.

I take Creon  to help me absorb more nutrients.  It did not make me gain weight.  Some people do.  I have a 75cm common channel, which is the shortest my surgeon will do, and I think whether you gain or not hinges on how long your common channel is.

Edit:  Just found out from another post that the digestive enzyme Viokase is available in the United States again!

Both work for me, but I do like Viokase better, because it is a compressed tablet and not a capsule.  It seems to work just a teeny bit better.

The drug LadyLucky is referring to is called Creon. I think I would see if I could find out why you're having these problems first though. I think the drug is for helping absorb more of what you're eating. It sounds like your problem is not being able to eat and nausea/vomiting. I don't know for sure but I don't think it would help much in that situation.

Hope you can get this resolved soon.

Ronnie

I agree about the Creon or other digestive enzymes - if you can't afford Creon, you may be able to find something non-prescription at a health food type store like GNC.

But more than that, call Dr. K. Even though you don't have insurance now, he is very good about follow-up with his post-op patients and hopefully will have help or advice.

Larra

When Lori Black was having her issues with too much weight loss, she started doing 6 shakes a day.  She eventually put 20lbs back on.  She's still doing all the shakes.  Her body needed the protein from the shakes, even though she was able to eat 100+ grams of protein a day.  It's worth a try.

You need to call Dr K.

Add calories that we absorb(carbs).

Add protein.

Let us know how you are doing.

~Becky