I have all the symptoms of Crohn's Disease except for a big one: weight loss. I am about 70 pounds overweight in fact and I think that is what is keeping my doctor from diagnosing me with Crohn's. Is it possible for someone who is fat to have Crohn's Disease? Or should my doctor be looking in another direction?
Can a fat person have Crohn's Disease?
- Thread starter AlexD
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Yes you can have CD and be over weight. I am over weight and I have read post of other people on the forum that have CD or UC and are over weight.
I also suffered from hyperthyroid (it usually makes you lose a lot of weight) and i never did with that either. I eventually had to have my thyroid destroyed.
I also suffered from hyperthyroid (it usually makes you lose a lot of weight) and i never did with that either. I eventually had to have my thyroid destroyed.
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I was 104kg when I was diagnosed last June and had been having symptoms for at least 2 years prior, including raging diarrhoea for 6 months...it wasn't until I became really, really unwell and completely lost my appetite that I lost weight, now weigh about 78kgs....so yes it is entirely possible and certainly shouldn't be a factor in your diagnosis
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I too am overweight. I did lose almost 5 stone when I was at my worst, but with all the steroids they threw at me it's all gone back on.
I am supposed to be in remission, but half the time it doesn't feel like it.
It is very frustrating when you're sat in front of a surgeon or GI and they tell you that you don't look like a typical sufferer of crohn's :thumbdown: because you're overweight. but thankfully I found this forum and I know I am not alone :thumleft:
I am supposed to be in remission, but half the time it doesn't feel like it.
It is very frustrating when you're sat in front of a surgeon or GI and they tell you that you don't look like a typical sufferer of crohn's :thumbdown: because you're overweight. but thankfully I found this forum and I know I am not alone :thumleft:
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I'm overweight and weight has fluctuated quite a bit up and down, through dieting or steroids or eating less. The illness itself doesn't seem to have lost me any weight more's the pity!
Weight gain a lot to do with steroids, but have always been "overweight". Dr said that it wasn't unusual to be fat and have crohns, although I never understood how someone that went to the loo so much could still put on weight.
Weight gain a lot to do with steroids, but have always been "overweight". Dr said that it wasn't unusual to be fat and have crohns, although I never understood how someone that went to the loo so much could still put on weight.
Know the problem! "Plump" all my life, 3 pregnancies didn't help..
About 12 years ago, I decided to make a serious effort, and lost 20kg. Fast forward 10 years, and 4 kg crept back on.. And THEN the Crohn's diagnosis, with a couple of rounds of prednisone... All that hard work undone in a few months
2 years later, I still have the same 4-5 kg to loose (and now have to be wary of salads and some raw fruit!! Grrrrr!)
However, on the positive side, I am currently stable, functioning, reasonably well, and working.. So I guess things could be worse!
HD
About 12 years ago, I decided to make a serious effort, and lost 20kg. Fast forward 10 years, and 4 kg crept back on.. And THEN the Crohn's diagnosis, with a couple of rounds of prednisone... All that hard work undone in a few months
2 years later, I still have the same 4-5 kg to loose (and now have to be wary of salads and some raw fruit!! Grrrrr!)
However, on the positive side, I am currently stable, functioning, reasonably well, and working.. So I guess things could be worse!
HD
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Yep, I'm overweight. Even when I was going 15-20x/day, my weight didn't budge. Figure that one out! I was actually a health weight (thanks to strict dieting and exercise before this flare) when I started Remicade. I gained 50lbs in 8 months. I seem to have finally leveled out now and want to lose the weight, but my dietician says no cutting calories until the CD is in remission (body needs calories to heal, blah, blah, blah).
I am another of the "unlucky" overweight with Crohn's people. I figured most people with Crohn's were skinny and I, naturally, was one of the very few who had Crohn's that keeps you fat. Perhaps it's not all that uncommon after all. Of course, I still don't like it......... I am also hypothyroid, which doesn't help, and take Lyrica, which doesn't help. I worked really hard on our eliptical last summer and lost nearly 20 pounds, but that was also combined with some skipped meals due to rehearsal for a musical. As soon as we started eating "normally" again, most of the weight came back. Then I became severely exhausted and the rest came back. So not fair......lol.
When I was in high school, I never even hit 100 pounds. I was so tiny. I finally got all my meds figured out, and wasn't showing symptoms anymore. Then I gained about 70 pounds. Now I'm somewhere in between. I guess it depends on how you're eating. I used to eat foods that weren't good for the Crohn's. Now I understand which food I can eat. Different foods do different things to me.
I have heard that if depends on what part of your bowel you have the disease in. I think when its in your small bowel your more likely to have weight loss (don't quote me on that). I only have it in my ileum and no were else in the bowel and have never have a weight loss problem. Also i've never been overweight at all either. My weight has stayed pretty much the same since high school. So i don't think the crohns has done anything to my weight.
I am overly ample with crohns. Always have been 'cuddly'. At times during flares had the big D going to the loo 30 times a day. I think the almost 20 years on pred have completely screwed my metabolism. I now have an ostomy and there are even less healthy foods that you can eat. I actually think most of my calories are consumed in liquid form.
Just glad I'm not alone. Hate the fact that everyone always says how well I look, especially when I have been really crook and feel like crap. Still can't understand why people think they are able to judge you're physical wellness by how you look to them. Oh well that's life.
Just glad I'm not alone. Hate the fact that everyone always says how well I look, especially when I have been really crook and feel like crap. Still can't understand why people think they are able to judge you're physical wellness by how you look to them. Oh well that's life.
I am also considered "overweight", and actually kept gaining weight while they were trying to figure out what what wrong with me... For me, I do not have common symptoms like diarrhea (I do have it, but not as often as most). I was always extremely tired throughout the day, and would turn to food to try and stay awake at work. I think this definitely caused me to gain weight.
I feel ultimately opposite, as now that I am on Prednisone, I am not nearly as hungry as I was before?! But of course... still have gained some water weight. The issue with me gaining weight was one of the main things that detracted them from thinking I had Crohn's in the first place... but the colonoscopy and other tests proved that theory wrong
I feel ultimately opposite, as now that I am on Prednisone, I am not nearly as hungry as I was before?! But of course... still have gained some water weight. The issue with me gaining weight was one of the main things that detracted them from thinking I had Crohn's in the first place... but the colonoscopy and other tests proved that theory wrong
Yes. I think many makeup for the lack of absorption by eating extra later. Or in my case eating thru it when it acts up
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I know this is an old question but I want to reply anyway. When my Crohns was most active back in 1998 I gained almost 50 pounds while having diarrhea at least 15 or more times a day. It's why incompetent doctors told me I was too fat to have anything wrong with me and never did a colonoscopy. Finally a doctor helped me and found out I had Crohn's, and once on medication and getting it stable, I lost the 50 pounds without doing anything different. At that time, my doctor said "Of course you can be overweight and have Crohn's, it screws up your metabolism". He said his worst patient (with the worst case of Crohns) tipped the scales at over 350lbs.
I have always been heavier than others in my family and i'm guessing due to my Crohn's, but now that I hit menopause, I just gained 20 pounds in the last 6 months, no matter what I eat or what I do. So if anyone tell's you it must be your diet, try to ignore them, they are ignorant about how this affects us.
We all know if we are eating too much junk food or snacks, we are not little children or in denial. But I already can't eat dairy, plus I have cut back to only occasional rice or potatoes (which help keep my Crohn's in check) and of course we can't eat too many or too often, fruits and vegetables with Crohn's (although I have a small amount everyday), I don't eat much meat because I try to be vegetarian when I can but still get my protein, I can't eat soy products, I can't eat any type of beans except green beans, and I never have soft drinks, and I don't keep candy or snacks in the house, so cut me some frekin slack. I also eat protein bars for breakfast and many times for lunch. Over the last two months I even started making local banana smoothies to replace many meals. (Rice milk, bananas, vanilla extraxt, and ice cubes) The result is that I have gained 6 pounds!!!!
So I am very, very tired of being told I need to see a nutritionist or count calories or keep a food journal. I already do not eat on average more than 1500 calories a day and generally not close to that, so I really need to be left alone and not be told by my doctor that I am "Obese"! The most insulting thing was that he started off by saying "Wow, all your tests results are fabulous, your Crohn's is in remission, your liver, kidneys, blood pressure, cholesterol, all your blood levels are fabulous, but you know you're fat, right?"...I am not round for crying out loud! I am almost 5'10" and weigh 215, and I am not thin framed either. I only wear a size 16. When I first started going to him 9 years ago I wore a size 14/16 and he never called me fat, so it's not like I gained 100 pounds.
He may be my doctor (different doctor, different state than before) but the fact that he doesn't have Crohn's, means he has no real idea how this affects our bodies! If I go to a nutritionist and don't lose weight they will say I didn't follow their advice, if I write a food journal and prove I don't get that many calories a day, they are just going to say I lied or forgot to write down things....It's very frustrating to have to tack one more stupid thing on to this disease.
I have always been heavier than others in my family and i'm guessing due to my Crohn's, but now that I hit menopause, I just gained 20 pounds in the last 6 months, no matter what I eat or what I do. So if anyone tell's you it must be your diet, try to ignore them, they are ignorant about how this affects us.
We all know if we are eating too much junk food or snacks, we are not little children or in denial. But I already can't eat dairy, plus I have cut back to only occasional rice or potatoes (which help keep my Crohn's in check) and of course we can't eat too many or too often, fruits and vegetables with Crohn's (although I have a small amount everyday), I don't eat much meat because I try to be vegetarian when I can but still get my protein, I can't eat soy products, I can't eat any type of beans except green beans, and I never have soft drinks, and I don't keep candy or snacks in the house, so cut me some frekin slack. I also eat protein bars for breakfast and many times for lunch. Over the last two months I even started making local banana smoothies to replace many meals. (Rice milk, bananas, vanilla extraxt, and ice cubes) The result is that I have gained 6 pounds!!!!
So I am very, very tired of being told I need to see a nutritionist or count calories or keep a food journal. I already do not eat on average more than 1500 calories a day and generally not close to that, so I really need to be left alone and not be told by my doctor that I am "Obese"! The most insulting thing was that he started off by saying "Wow, all your tests results are fabulous, your Crohn's is in remission, your liver, kidneys, blood pressure, cholesterol, all your blood levels are fabulous, but you know you're fat, right?"...I am not round for crying out loud! I am almost 5'10" and weigh 215, and I am not thin framed either. I only wear a size 16. When I first started going to him 9 years ago I wore a size 14/16 and he never called me fat, so it's not like I gained 100 pounds.
He may be my doctor (different doctor, different state than before) but the fact that he doesn't have Crohn's, means he has no real idea how this affects our bodies! If I go to a nutritionist and don't lose weight they will say I didn't follow their advice, if I write a food journal and prove I don't get that many calories a day, they are just going to say I lied or forgot to write down things....It's very frustrating to have to tack one more stupid thing on to this disease.
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I am about 30 pounds overweight. I too have had chronic constipation since I was in my early 20s (50 now....yikes!) I also have hashimotos (hypothyroidism) which causes sluggish metabolism and constipation. Since I have been diagnoses my biggest complaint is that im the only fat girl with crohns.
In the last 2 months I have only eaten 6 different food items and most just goies straight through and I have still only lost 8 pounds. uggh The struggle is real!
In the last 2 months I have only eaten 6 different food items and most just goies straight through and I have still only lost 8 pounds. uggh The struggle is real!
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I don't know my weight in pounds but I'm size 18 US, or a 22 in uk/Nz and 50 in Europe.
You are not alone. The combination of crohns with metabolic diseases seems to make it challenging to lose weight.
I don't stress about it anymore. Nor do my docs at hospital or the hospital dietician. We just try to manage the diabetes, hypos, etc.
You are not alone. The combination of crohns with metabolic diseases seems to make it challenging to lose weight.
I don't stress about it anymore. Nor do my docs at hospital or the hospital dietician. We just try to manage the diabetes, hypos, etc.
I am 5' and 160lbs. The only time I lost weight was when I wAs pregnant and IBD was in remission . My sister who is suspected to have IBD is 5'2" and weights 117lbs. So I guess it all depends on the person
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Crohn's is not a question of body weight. I mean, imagine the stomach being inflamed from Crohn's. The stomach is not for absorption but for processing. Even if some parts of the small intestine are inflamed there is still enough surface to absorb the nutrients and calories. What makes absorption harder is having diarrhoea but not everyone does have d and even if he does, all the calories can be absorbed in the small intestine if the food doesn't pass too quickly through the small intestine.
I know three with Crohn's who are young and overweight/obese.
I know three with Crohn's who are young and overweight/obese.
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Sorry for the late reply to everyone who replied after my post on 09-08-2016, 11:48 PM. I feel for all of you and I know we are all in this together. Trust who you are and what you know about yourself!
This disease already takes so much our our dignity, let's try not to let it take too much of our self esteem!
Hugs to you all...:ghug:
This disease already takes so much our our dignity, let's try not to let it take too much of our self esteem!
Hugs to you all...:ghug:
Cross-stitch gal
Moderator
I haven't read all the postings on this. But, want to make sure that it's understood that each person on here come in all shapes and sizes. That's what makes us different. But, no matter how we look we're in this together. And, a hug is appreciated whenever possible! :ghug:
I had crohn's (undiagnosed!!) for what was likely at least three years, but because I was obese (over 17 stone), it wasn't something that was considered. When it really got bad, I dropped five and a half stone in about seven months and that was when it twigged for my GP that it might be Crohn's. Emergency referral to the hospital, admitted after one consultation, and then a firm diagnosis.
I often rant (loudly and at great length!!!) about medics not seeing illnesses because you don't fit the pattern. The only symptom I didn't have until fairly recently was the weight loss, and often think that I would not have ended up needing emergency surgery and a stoma had it been picked up sooner.
I often rant (loudly and at great length!!!) about medics not seeing illnesses because you don't fit the pattern. The only symptom I didn't have until fairly recently was the weight loss, and often think that I would not have ended up needing emergency surgery and a stoma had it been picked up sooner.
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I don't fit any of the stereotypical Crohn's profile. I am female, 50, and morbidly obese.
