Hi Everyone,
First of all my apologies if I have posted this in the wrong section as I am new to this forum, My son is 18 years of age and has been suffering from Crohns disease for the past 14 years. Four weeks ago he had 2 foot of his jejunum removed due to him completly obstructing. I am having trouble in getting my son to have enough calories. He is definetly under eating by at least 1000 calories a day and in fact I feel he should be having extra calories so he can gain in weight. I understand what he is saying that when he was younger and he had to just have the polymeric diet on its own for 8 weeks at a time he had to convince his himself/brain that he no longer liked solid food to get through the hard time of the polymeric diet. He says he just doesn't like food and he forgets to eat at times. I am currently supplementing him with at least 4 ensure+ just to get some calories down him and even that is hard. I also know that its not just the calories that matter but the right nutrition that matters too. He is so underweight. I am at my witts end with worry. Feel so helpless of how to help other than being there for him but sometimes that is just not enough and that is why I have to be pro-active for him and this is one of the reasons I have joined this forum. He does not see the Gastroenterologist until the 13th March 2012. He has not had any followup appointment from the surgeon. Nor has he received any appointments from the specialist dietician which is definetly one of the next things on my list as I can't just sit back and do nothing. I am sure if I can get some more nutrition down him it will help improve his energy levels too. I realise also that it is still early days post surgery.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated as even though I try by best to understand where he is coming from the botton line is I don't have Crohns so I know can't truly understand how it feels. Apologies for this long winded post. I have also asked my son if he wants to join the forum for some support but at the moment he is not keen.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post.
All the Best to you
Julie:
First of all my apologies if I have posted this in the wrong section as I am new to this forum, My son is 18 years of age and has been suffering from Crohns disease for the past 14 years. Four weeks ago he had 2 foot of his jejunum removed due to him completly obstructing. I am having trouble in getting my son to have enough calories. He is definetly under eating by at least 1000 calories a day and in fact I feel he should be having extra calories so he can gain in weight. I understand what he is saying that when he was younger and he had to just have the polymeric diet on its own for 8 weeks at a time he had to convince his himself/brain that he no longer liked solid food to get through the hard time of the polymeric diet. He says he just doesn't like food and he forgets to eat at times. I am currently supplementing him with at least 4 ensure+ just to get some calories down him and even that is hard. I also know that its not just the calories that matter but the right nutrition that matters too. He is so underweight. I am at my witts end with worry. Feel so helpless of how to help other than being there for him but sometimes that is just not enough and that is why I have to be pro-active for him and this is one of the reasons I have joined this forum. He does not see the Gastroenterologist until the 13th March 2012. He has not had any followup appointment from the surgeon. Nor has he received any appointments from the specialist dietician which is definetly one of the next things on my list as I can't just sit back and do nothing. I am sure if I can get some more nutrition down him it will help improve his energy levels too. I realise also that it is still early days post surgery.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated as even though I try by best to understand where he is coming from the botton line is I don't have Crohns so I know can't truly understand how it feels. Apologies for this long winded post. I have also asked my son if he wants to join the forum for some support but at the moment he is not keen.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post.
All the Best to you
Julie:
