I'm SO HUNGRY!! Help PLEASE!

[MusicFreak003]

This is my first post ever so I am hoping it will be helpful...

I found out I had Crohns at age 19 (my first crohns attack). A colonoscopy and a biopsy and it was over. I never had symptoms of any kind after that. Until now...

Age 24, 25 in December, and I recently got out of the hospital after a nine day stay for my second crohns attack. I went from 140lbs to 106lbs in 2 months. I am 5'-6'' so you can see how this is WAY to skinny for me. Problem was any and all food and even some liquids made me sick all day every day. I'm talking pain to the point of sitting in a ball on my couch without moving 24/7. Hints the hospital stay...

Doctor told me to change my eating habits and keep a food log. So here is where I need the help.

1.- Can someone help me with meal ideas? I usually spend about $150-$200 a month on food. I need daily/weekly meal plans including snacks. Where this gets tricky? I hate veggies! Only one's I will eat are carrots, peas, corn, yams, potatoes, and butternut squash. It's not the flavor I don't like it's mostly the texture of veggies. Maybe a link to a good recipe site or what you eat on a daily basis would help out a lot!

2.- Does anyone here have any useful *free* apps for an android that help with food logging? I love the Lose It app. It literally has every food including fast food and popular store brands plus it keeps track of all nutrients but it only helps you lose weight. I need to gain it.

Having to control crohns is new to me. I don't even fully understand the disease myself much less maintain it. Thank you so much for your time and help with my issue.:ghug:

 

[Grumbletum]

Hi there and a big warm welcome to the forum - glad you found us :hug: I'm so sorry that you are still in so much pain and it concerns me a bit considering that you have just been in hospital. What treatment did you receive? And how did they deal with feeding you?
If you're in that much pain, it might be that a period of time on a purely liquid diet would give your bowel some rest and once feeling better, you could then perhaps try an elimination diet or low residue diet to try to determine what foods trigger your pains. Have you tried meal supplements such as Ensure or Fortisips?
The other think it might be worth doing is asking to be referred to a dietician as they will be able to give you professional advice on ways to gain weight. But you've come to the right sub forum for ideas and insights so have a good look through the threads here. I hope you get some relief really soon.

 

[MusicFreak003]

I guess I should have been a little more specific. I was in that much pain which is why I was in the hospital. I am now on Norco 10s for pain, phenegran for nausea, and prednisone to make my face break out because I don't think its doing anything else. I have no medical insurance so I am waiting for a trail run of humeria but I have to be approved for it first. So im stuck with the steroid crap until then...

 

[Grumbletum]

Ah, OK, that explains why you are starving then! In that case, I would maybe give Low Residue a go and see how you get on. It's bland, bland, bland and very few fruits or veg cos they are too fibrous and lots of carbs. I don't remember that well cos I didn't stay on it for long, but things like mashed potatoes, plain cooked chicken, tea biscuits etc - things that your gut can process easily.

 

[Gianni]

Hey Musicfreak,
I'm afraid i can't help you too much seeing as my diet consists of mostly veggies! But when I was in a similar situation that you are experiencing now, I stuck to a low residue diet. Lean meats (i ate alot of fish (salmon yummm)) breads and that was basically it for me.

However if you are serious about nutrition and if it is only the texture that bothers you about veggies why not give juicing a try I have made a juicing thread where i explain why it is so beneficial for crohns patients. http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=41838 (click that). You would be removing the fiber and the texture so it will be low residue while attaining great nutrition!

hope this helps

Gianni

 

[Cross-stitch gal]

I too am underweight and always have been. If it helps any, I went under www.google.com and typed in: free apps for android to gain weight. Found quite a few in there and aren't sure exactly what you're looking for. But, here's an idea for you. Good luck

 

[happy]

Music, Welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear how awful you've been feeling.

First of all, do take it easy with the eating--although you are hungry it doesn't mean that the inflammation is any better yet.

This is a really good resource about nutrition and IBD:https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q...5afV_UKg&pli=1

From my experience and from reading on the forum, there are some foods that you may wish to avoid in the beginning: high fat, high fibre, dairy products and things with rough bits in them like nuts, popcorn etc.

My best foods when ill are poached chicken, soggy rice, cooked carrots, cooked pears, unsweetened soya milk and rice crackers.

Trying a liquid diet, while avoiding the other foods may help you feel better and retain/gain weight while you wait for the new meds.

May you soon be feeling better.

 

[Grumbletum]

Definitely worth a try. Also, soups are easy on the stomach. Boil up a stock from a chicken carcass in water rather than use stock cubes, which are a bit too salty and full of junk ( IMHO ) plus I don't tolerate yeast well. Once coooked, you can whizz portions up in your blender or get one of those stick blenders.

 

[ellie]

I have a breakfast smoothie most days.. Yogurt, bananas, strawberries, honey, mangoes if they're in season. Other good fruits are pears apricots, most berries. If my CD is playing up, I occasionally strain it to minimize the seeds, etc


HD

 

[musicislife52]

Ripe bananas are extremely easy to digest for me, and have a decent amount of calories for a fruit.

I love smoothies, especially for breakfast! I always make mine with greens (start with baby spinach.. it has the least taste), ripe fruit (use some frozen fruit to get it cold), and water. If you have a high-powered blender, berry seeds won't be a problem. If not, stick with mangoes, papayas, pears, peaches, bananas, dates, etc. Play around with it. If my stomach is feeling really bad one day, I'll throw some ginger in. You can throw other herbs/spices in too (cinnamon, turmeric, chai spices, mint, basil, etc.) if you want.

Don't have fruit right after other types of food, since it digests fast and will ferment all the slower-digesting food below it. This is why I like to have my smoothies first thing in the morning. Also, smoothies make it really easy to eat a good amount of calories fast, especially if you're using higher-calorie fruit.

:ghug: