Increase calories = uncontrolled disease?

[Farmwife]

It always has to be something.:ymad:

Grace is full EEN still and I have been told she should need 1200-1300 calories a day to maintain proper weight to help her grow but...........

We have to have her on 1700 calories a day to keep her at 43 lbs.
So is 400-500 calorie difference a big deal?
I wondered about a fast metabolism but her disease has been making her so fatigued, up until lately.:hug:

I'm concerned that it might indicate poor absorption of her GI track which would indicate that the bowels are still having inflammation.

Or is it possible that I'm crazy?:ybatty:

 

[Patricia56]

Are they wanting you to reduce her calories?

Don't have an explanation for the discrepancy. My guess would be that it's just the way her body works is all. I've never heard anyone suggest they need more calories when they're sick but I suppose it's possible since CDers usually just poop it all out again as fast as they take it in. But mostly I hear people say their kids stop eating not increase their food consumption.

 

[my little penguin]

^^^ yeah that

every kiddo is different - activity levels etc....
those numbers are just averages

did the gi mention something to you?

 

[Farmwife]

No mlp, it's just something that I wanted to ask her new GI because she's still having mobility issues.
Plus someday I still pray we can get her on food and to keep up with that many calories for a girl with stomach problems is daunting to say the least.

Would her low vitamin levels point to issues of absorption problems along with the need for high calorie intake?

 

[Sascot]

This is a difficult one. In theory Andrew is in remission but I still fnd he eats a lot more than his sister even with less exercise. He eats cake, dessert, etc but seems pretty stable weight wise. Maybe they do just absorb less in general

 

[happy]

I continued to lose weight for several months when I was on EEN, despite being on the correct calorie amount. I didn't stop losing weight until I felt better and the fatigue improved. Then I started losing again when I first reintroduced food. In hindsight I believe that I should have increased the EEN to the point that I stopped losing weight. I would have felt better and I would have had more absorption of the nutrients, which I needed to help me heal. I did not reintroduce food until I had several months symptom-free, and even then it took me a second attempt of total EEN to achieve remission.

I sure hope that Grace starts to feel better with the EEN again.

:hug:

 

[xmdmom]

You might take a look here http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html
You need her height, weight and estimate how many hours of very light, light, moderate, heavy exercise. I just did a guess of activity level and height and came up with 1800 calories.

 

[Farmwife]

I came up with 1400 calories.
She still sleeps an average of 10 hours at night and a two to three hour nap.
Now her energy level is getting better but she still struggles to keep up with her friends. Hopefully in a few months she be back up to full speed.

Still that's an AWESOME link xmdmom. Thanks

 

[Tesscorm]

I've wondered about this at times as well... for two years, S ate a regular teenage diet (some healthy food but junk/high cal food mixed in as well) plus he had 1500 cal/night from EN. This 'regular' diet plus the supplemental EN took him to a good, healthy weight... and then, even though his diet didn't change (neither did his activity level), he just stabilized...??? I did wonder if it was some issue with malabsorption (inflammation or scar tissue) but... he looked good, stayed at a healthy weight and I knew he was taking in nutrients so I didn't worry too much about it.

Haven't looked at xmdmom's link but I also think the numbers given are guidelines and so much can affect each person's needs... not only can external factors affect minimum caloric needs (like activities, cold weather, etc.) and individual factors such as metabolism but, as a child, growth spurts would also cause different needs at different times.

As long as she's getting the minimum she needs, I wouldn't worry too much about giving her extra. And, I do agree that malabsorption may also play a role at times as well. :ghug: