How On Earth Can I Gain Some Weight?

[NateJ]

I guess i have some other issues going on that are preventing me from 'just eating more'. I've tried all these types of foods and diet plans and even went to see a RD who set me up on FODMAPS. The main issue is my stomach hurts. All the time. Constant aching and eating makes it worse. I feel bloated and nauseated after eating the smallest amount of food. I know I'm not getting enough calories but the pain is to much for me to try to eat more.

Doctors want to wait weeks or months to do anything and usually that is just a blood test that doesn't show anything they are looking for.

So there is that. Stuck in this rut of weight loss.

[answerseeker]

hey, eers it's not an allergy but an autoimmune response to gluten - your immune system, normally the good guys who fight germs, are mistaking gluten for the enemy so they basically do a drive-by on gluten but they don't care that little susie <your intestinal walls, yeah, susie's a looker lolz) is sitting on the porch minding her own business. so POW they attack the gluten but also your intestines because they are full on kill mode. our autoimmune system is confused and on crack, so if we keep gluten off the streets, little susie will be just fine

i also do the star trek version don't forget to tip your bartender

Love this! Totally going to use it next time someone asks me about my condition.

[IrishHeart]

 

I am a little lost on the comment regarding "we are not allergic to gluten".  I feel like I am.   I guess in simple terms, if its not an allergic response that causes my body to respond with antibodies that cause inflammation, then what is it?  Curious of your thoughts since I'm still very much a newbie and like to absorb as much as possible on this so I can help others.

 

All that aside...  How are you doing these days?  Always good to read your posts... :-)  

As I said to my cousins last month when I saw them for the first time in 5 years (they saw me when I looked like a walking celiac zombie)

"Look Guys, I'm not dead!"   whoohoo!

 

I was going to answer you with the medical definitions of the distinction between wheat allergy, gluten ntolerance and celiac, but I see Arlene has provided a rendition that will make my explanation sound stuffy and boorish  so er, um, I'll just point you to it and you can read it.

Open Original Shared Link

 

 

I did have to laugh tho when someone said I was like a bag of Antlers never heard that one before ,

 

 bag of antlers?! ...holycraponacracker, that's hilarious, kiddo.   hope you laughed it off. I looked like skinny zombie old bald lady. 

Bag of antlers would have been a compliment. Mostly, I heard gasps from people I knew and got looks like this

 

 

i also do the star trek version  don't forget to tip your bartender 

 

I have told you, young lady, stop begging for tips. I mean it. Don't make me come over there.

And THAT is an analogy that I can grasp!  Thanks for the follow-up.  You're funny!  I see what you're saying...

 

oh gawsh, please....Do NOT encourage her.   it goes right to her purty lil head.

[IrishHeart]

 The main issue is my stomach hurts. All the time. Constant aching and eating makes it worse. I feel bloated and nauseated after eating the smallest amount of food.

 

Nate,

The gastroenterlogist should do an endoscopy to find out why. Something is not right, hon. IMHO

[Sunny FL]

I'm in this same full boat!  I was diagnosed the end of April of this year, I lost 30 pounds. I'm 5'8 and am stalled at 115.  I am actually wearing kids shorts WITH adjustable waist so my pants stay up.  I'm in a lot of pain when I eat and everything just runs right through me.  I'm really tired of the doctor throwing all kinds of meds at me to stop the D, I want to know what is causing it.  I had blood drawn last Friday to check for any gluten in my system and then completed a 72 hour fecal collection.  That was NOT FUN!

 

I'm still trying to figure all of this out! I am so overwhelmed! And on days like this when I'm in pain and dehydrated, I just what to give up.  Put me in a box and be done with it.  Out of my entire family, I'm the only one with celiac.

 

Thanks for letting me vent!  At least reading on here, I know I'm not the only one living with this disease.

[notme]

sunny - i am exactly the same size as you, (well, 5'8")  - are you taking probiotics?  have you been staying off dairy?  that was key for me in the beginning, and even now if i overdo it, here comes mr. Big D     it's frustrating, i know, i gained back 20-25 lbs (now hanging right around 115-117)  the wierd thing is, i gained back the weight but stayed the same size, i guess my muscles just gained back weight.  my cheeks (both sets, lolz) came back, though, and things are still healing up.  hang in there, you are still pretty new - it's taken me 3 years to get to this point.  but i went undiagnosed for 25 years, so i figure if it took that much time and i have that much damage, i'm just going to have to keep moving forward and little by little i am healing.  i feel ya!  i do pretty well loading up with protein (yeah) and i'm trying to eat as much 'dessert' as i can handle.  <not a real big dessert eater)

 

what DOESN"T help is the blue jeans manufacturers who keep making sizes smaller and smaller.  i used to wear a size 5, now the same size pants are a 1-2.  come on......!  i guess they think it makes women feel better who are trying to lose weight.  it makes me feel like i'm ineffective at my health!  

[Sunny FL]

sunny - i am exactly the same size as you, (well, 5'8")  - are you taking probiotics?  have you been staying off dairy?  that was key for me in the beginning, and even now if i overdo it, here comes mr. Big D     it's frustrating, i know, i gained back 20-25 lbs (now hanging right around 115-117)  the wierd thing is, i gained back the weight but stayed the same size, i guess my muscles just gained back weight.  my cheeks (both sets, lolz) came back, though, and things are still healing up.  hang in there, you are still pretty new - it's taken me 3 years to get to this point.  but i went undiagnosed for 25 years, so i figure if it took that much time and i have that much damage, i'm just going to have to keep moving forward and little by little i am healing.  i feel ya!  i do pretty well loading up with protein (yeah) and i'm trying to eat as much 'dessert' as i can handle.  <not a real big dessert eater)

 

what DOESN"T help is the blue jeans manufacturers who keep making sizes smaller and smaller.  i used to wear a size 5, now the same size pants are a 1-2.  come on......!  i guess they think it makes women feel better who are trying to lose weight.  it makes me feel like i'm ineffective at my health!  

 

I have been misdiagnosis for 25+ years.  I was told it was IBS.  I'm not a big dessert person either. Patience is not something I have a lot of!

I'm tryin, I have two beautiful girls to live for and I need to function and live for them.  One personal question, does anyone think of suicide? I've gotten that low but it's the dehydration talking.

[eers03]

As I said to my cousins last month when I saw them for the first time in 5 years (they saw me when I looked like a walking celiac zombie)

"Look Guys, I'm not dead!"   whoohoo!

 

I was going to answer you with the medical definitions of the distinction between wheat allergy, gluten ntolerance and celiac, but I see Arlene has provided a rendition that will make my explanation sound stuffy and boorish  so er, um, I'll just point you to it and you can read it.

Open Original Shared Link

 

 

 bag of antlers?! ...holycraponacracker, that's hilarious, kiddo.   hope you laughed it off. I looked like skinny zombie old bald lady. 

Bag of antlers would have been a compliment. Mostly, I heard gasps from people I knew and got looks like this

 

 

I have told you, young lady, stop begging for tips. I mean it. Don't make me come over there.

 

oh gawsh, please....Do NOT encourage her.   it goes right to her purty lil head.

 

 

As I said to my cousins last month when I saw them for the first time in 5 years (they saw me when I looked like a walking celiac zombie)

"Look Guys, I'm not dead!"   whoohoo!

 

I was going to answer you with the medical definitions of the distinction between wheat allergy, gluten ntolerance and celiac, but I see Arlene has provided a rendition that will make my explanation sound stuffy and boorish  so er, um, I'll just point you to it and you can read it.

Open Original Shared Link

 

 

 bag of antlers?! ...holycraponacracker, that's hilarious, kiddo.   hope you laughed it off. I looked like skinny zombie old bald lady. 

Bag of antlers would have been a compliment. Mostly, I heard gasps from people I knew and got looks like this

 

 

I have told you, young lady, stop begging for tips. I mean it. Don't make me come over there.

 

oh gawsh, please....Do NOT encourage her.   it goes right to her purty lil head.

I'm glad you're on the up!  I will do my best not to inflate any egos on here :-)

[Chrisz1000]

My personal experience with being underweight has been perhaps a bit

unorthodox. I have found that the more junk food I eat, the more I lose

weight. When I stick to 95% organic meats, veg, fruits, and dairy, I am able

to maintain, and even gain a bit when I'm working out. If I overload on grains,

sugar, things like ice cream, cookies and cake, I lose weight. It's weird but

hey, everyone's different. The biggest things that have helped me maintain

are coconut products of all kinds, using digestive enzymes and a probiotic

that agrees with me, and avoiding grains and sugar. Right now I'm 122 lbs

at 5'7". That drops dramatically whenever I go off diet. Also, sleep! I miss

sleep and I lose weight, go figure.... Pretty much I'm the opposite of all the

conventional wisdom about weight gain lol....

 

I have just experienced this very thing myself this week... at the start of this thread I said my weight had

plateau'd but, inspired by this thread, I decided to see whether I could get a few pounds on. So... I excercised less this week whilst cramming my face with snacks, treats, carbs and larger portions at every opportunity.

 

I have lost weight! Creaking joints are back too and a general uncomfortable feeling in my body, work colleagues see the difference too... I have not had any gluten this week for sure.

 

The period of stability that I was used to was down to eating healthy, whole foods at the regular meal times with nothing in between. I'm with you on the sleep thing too, that definitely helps!

[notme]

I have been misdiagnosis for 25+ years.  I was told it was IBS.  I'm not a big dessert person either. Patience is not something I have a lot of!

I'm tryin, I have two beautiful girls to live for and I need to function and live for them.  One personal question, does anyone think of suicide? I've gotten that low but it's the dehydration talking.

sunny, if you look in my sig line, you will see i was quite ready for death - i still have things set up to make sure my husband has the greatest of ease and that things are taken care of for him - he is all set.  so, i was pretty bad off, resigned to die, i guess.  but i would never do anything to harm myself intentionally - like you said - i have kids.  that would mess them up pretty bad.  i know this first hand - my son's ex's mom shot herself when her daughters were 18 & 16 (? right around that age) fast fwd 7 years - one is in an abusive relationship and one has narcissistic personality disorder <and she is on self-destruct at all times)  so, i wouldn't want to be the cause of pain for my (already grown) babies.  but, i had basically given up.  i had every test, nothing added up.  i was on pill after pill and wierd stuff kept happening to my body.  my confidence was shot.  i felt terrible and i would get up in the morning and start thinking i needed a nap!   this dx saved my life and gave me back my quality of life (but it took them long enough to figure it out!!   )  i managed, in the mean time, to raise 4 kids with a husband continually traveling for his work and also work a full time job.   recovery gets easier as time goes by, just take it one day at a time.  gaining back some more weight is something i am working on - tried the 'boost' chocolate drink - supposed to be mega-calories - but it gave me mega D   - not much of a 'boost' there....  (it had soy in it soy is an issue for me, too.  yay...)  but i should have known better - too many of them five dollar words in the ingredients

[IrishHeart]

I have been misdiagnosis for 25+ years.  I was told it was IBS.  I'm not a big dessert person either. Patience is not something I have a lot of!

I'm tryin, I have two beautiful girls to live for and I need to function and live for them.  One personal question, does anyone think of suicide? 

 

No, never.

I did think death would be easier when i was in excruciating pain, but I refused to give into that thinking.

I do not have any children and it is the biggest sadness of my life  (celiac caused many miscarriages over several years and a lot of heartache) and even though I wrote my will in July 2010 when I was dying a slow death, I  kept pushing to live and find an answer to why I was so ill and to get well. For my rock of a hubs, for me, for us. And a mother who would have been devastated if I were to die so soon after my Dad's death in 2008. So, I HAD to get well!

 

If you are serious about this, consider it is "Gluten Head" talking and just talk to us and we'll tell you....do not go there in your mind!.

if you still cannot make it stop, you may need to see someone. But my guess it is vitamin deficiencies and malabsorption causing this

frustration, fatigue and depressive thinking. Just hang in there, It gets better.

[nvsmom]

I have been misdiagnosis for 25+ years.  I was told it was IBS.  I'm not a big dessert person either. Patience is not something I have a lot of!

I'm tryin, I have two beautiful girls to live for and I need to function and live for them.  One personal question, does anyone think of suicide? I've gotten that low but it's the dehydration talking.

I have had my greatest personal highs in my life after crawling out of low, unhealthy spots. Life is so much sweeter when you've almost lost it or your quality of life. The hard part is just accepting things as the way it is for now, and working and waiting for things to improve. Not having control over your body is a tough one to master.... Hang in there.