No appetite

[Zebrina]

Recently I was hospitalized for 4 days and they only had me eating ice chips. I've been out for about 3 weeks now. I'm a very little lady to begin with, 5'5 100 pounds. I can eat and eat and not gain any weight, but I can lose weight fast. Then I have troubles gaining that weight back. I am to the point when I look in the mirror it makes me depressed. People even say, "are you losing weight?" "You need to eat a hamburger". It makes me not even want to leave my house. These past weeks have been hard because I don't have an appetite at all and I can't afford to lose any more weight. I've seen a nutritionalist before and I didn't get much help that way. Any ideas or advice? I'm desperate.

Also I'm on prednisone.. And people say that it makes them hungry and gain weight but not in my case.

 

[DJW]

Hi Zebrina. Are you able to handle small meals? Eat 5-6 times a day?
I know how hard it can be. I hope you start feeling better soon.

 

[Ali29]

Hi Zebrina,

I too have problems gaining weight - people always said "Are you anorexic or bulemic" since I was a teenager because I could eat but never could gain weight. I try not to let them bring me down - it's not my fault - now they know I'm really sick. I'm also on Prednisone since 4/2014 and I'm loosing weight and it is very hard to go out, still can't eat much. Doesn't sound like your meds are working well, you may want to get to get a 2nd opinion. I try to eat really small meals - small things that I think won't make me sick - I also take Phenergan which helps with the nausea (not sure if that is your issue). My GI has me keeping a Journal of food/pain/nausea so he can get an idea of what is going on.

Sending you healing thoughts!!

 

[Zebrina]

I can keep down small meals thank goodness. But nothing ever sounds good to me and I have to force myself to eat. Another problem I have is nausea. I am in hair school and I was coloring a clients hair today and my ears started ringing and I lost all of the color from my face. I had someone take over for me, I went into the bathroom and sat there and I was drenched in sweat. I finally went and got a water and laid down in the class room cause the room was spinning. My fiancé says it's probably malnutrition. Any ideas? Maybe dehydrated? I've been trying to drink lots of fluids.

 

[DJW]

It could be a vitamin and mineral deficiency. Have you had recent blood work to check iron, B12, D, potassium, etc. I think its all part of not wanting to eat much and being sick.

Hope you start feeling better soon.

 

[Axelfl3333]

I think you really need to speak to your doctor again,lay it on the line big style,your fiancé is probably right your not getting enough nutrients from your food.just a thought is there possibly something you using in your work that could be causing an allergic reaction?i know hair dye can affect some people.not every time we get Ill is crohns related,just a thought,defo go back to your doctor.good luck all the best

 

[lenny]

These are the foods that have helped put weight on my son:
Peanut butter, almond butter, lentil soup with ground beef and apple juice. I buy everything organic.

 

[Smokeyjameson]

Try foods high in fat to help you gain. Good thing about things like butter is they break down in the stomach so won't irritate the small bowel. Pasta is great too. Carbs and fats- works for me. Good luck. Stay strong

 

[Zebrina]

No luck with weight gain, still losing. Had a doctor appointment today because I feel like I may be obstructing again. So I am getting a cat scan Tuesday.. Not looking forward to drinking all of that dye and waiting two hours. I'm very very weak. I can see the gas bubbles moving around in my stomach and I'm having sharp pains. Any advice on the pain? To hold me over till Tuesday?

 

[DJW]

That's a long time to wait. I feel for you. Im not sure what else to suggest for the pain that you havent tried.
Has there been any talk of iv feeding? Through a picc line.

I cant imagine how awful you must feel. Sending you my support.

 

[FrozenGirl]

It could very well be malnutrition. When I was first dx'd my docs said I was severely malnourished due to no appetite with the pain and d it caused. Agreed on the small meals. You may just need to force yourself to eat. At one point I set alarms to remind me because I wouldn't even get hungry and could go days not eating anything.

Hugs!

 

[Smokeyjameson]

Call your dr and get a prescription for Vicodin or something with Crohn's you need to have something! Also try to find a good pain management dr. Why didn't your dr give you anything?

 

[Smokeyjameson]

As far as the weight gain, stress causes weight loss, Crohn's causes a lot of weight loss and of your not eating- I can imagine what's going on. Try to relax, meditate at night I know it sounds silly, for us on getting your pain under control first, because when your debilitated it makes everything 100 times harder. When your pain is under control you may get some of your appetite back, but if you think your blocked soft food only! And get in for that scan ASAP. Were here for you!

 

[Zebrina]

Got my cat scan done, and they ended up admitting me into the hospital again. They said my stomach was obstructing again in the same area. So next week I will probably have surgery. I'm scared.. And don't know what to expect

 

[DJW]

Sorry to hear your obstructing again. I had surgery to remove an obstruction a year ago. I feel so much better. I gained back a lot of the weight I lost because of obstruction.

Sending you my support. Keep us posted. Hope you feel better soon.

 

[Smokeyjameson]

I had the surgery in 2000, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I was in remission for 14 years after that! I had a decent scar so that sucked but it was low below bikini line. Don't worry just make sure you've got lots of pain meds, and family or friends to help you after. They kept me in about 6 days after surgery to start me eating slowly again, you know liquids, soft, then regular diet. Don't worry you are tough and you'll be just fine. Keep us posted your not alone.

 

[Daisy123]

I have had about five or six resections. You will feel so much better. Operations today are so much easier. It is the right thing to do. :ghug:

 

[kristinat]

It is very hard to gain weight with Crohn's when you are in a flare I used to add the calorie powders to my food...it doesn't taste like anything. I think would mix in better with hot things..so I would mix it in with hot chocolate... and it was a lot of extra calories and helped me gain weight quickly! Good luck

 

[Zebrina]

So I am finally back out of the hospital! The surgery went well. Ended up doing a bowel resection, took out two feet of my intestines. I'm still in lots of pain but I guess that's normal. Now I have a big scar right down my belly, but it's my battle scar! I'm feeling lots better, I'm just concerned about going poop. I pass lots of gas, and they said it was going to be a while before I did poop but I'm scared I still haven't after being on a normal diet for 3 days. Any one else have this problem?

 

[UnXmas]

I have this problem in the extreme. I'm currently in hospital to gain weight, and am the most underweight patient the doctors have ever seen - they couldn't believe I was alive, yet alone how healthy (in relative terms) I am. I had a BMI of 10 when I came it. I had an NG tube, but it upset my stomach too much. I have been on TPN before, but this has significant risks, and isn't a long-term solution (which is what we need).

The doctors can't believe how much I need to eat to gain weight. At first they didn't believe me when I told them what my diet had been like before I was hospitalised - they didn't believe anyone could eat that much and be so thin. But they believe me now they've seen it all for themselves.

I am simply having to force myself - and I really mean force - to eat, and get used to the idea that I always will. I can give you all sorts of tips about calorie condense foods, liquid supplements, eating little and often, etc., and of course you may have a particular problem that could be fixed or you may be helped if you can get into remission, but I think in some cases we simply have to eat more than makes us comfortable. I'm having to learn that even severe discomfort is preferable to a weight that's so dangerous I end up hospitalised.

I also didn't gain any weight to speak of even when on prednisone for a long time. Recently I was on a course of prednisolone, and my doctor told me it would help me gain weight, but it didn't.

I understand the fear of eating, because of what it does to damaged digestive systems, completely, but sometimes risking those effects is better than the alternative of not eating enough.

 

[Zebrina]

I finally had a bowel movement! Woo! I still haven't gained any weight back yet, but the doctors did say that it would take time. I'm just so relieved that my apetite is back and I'm not getting sick! So far surgery has been a great thing. Now I'm just having to get used to using my stomach muscles again.. Even walking around Walmart can be the hardest thing.

 

[DJW]

Happy to hear surgery was a success.

It will take some time to get back to normal. But it sounds like you're on the right track.