Need Help With Weight Loss

[Jerri Ward]

I have had Celiac Disease and been gluten-free since Nov. 2005. I have lost 60 lbs. None of my drs. seem to be concerned about my weightloss. I have recently been diagnosed with Iron Deficiency Anemia. I am going to have an EGD on Mon. because they suspect that I may have a slow bleed somewhere. I don't know what else to do. I try to eat as much as I can. It is difficult to eat too much as my stomach has shrunk. I am getting a little scared. I used to be anorexic and I know that I got to a certain point that when I ate to little that I got to a point that I could not eat at all. I had to be tube fed. I do not want to get to that point. My dr. who diagnosed me with Celiac told me that it was going to be a cure all to all of my problems. Well, since I have been diagnosed, I have done nothing but go downhill healthwise. I would appreciate any suggestions that any of you who have been dealing with it longer than I have. Thanks.

[lorka150]

Hi Jerri,

First of all - I am quite concerned about the fact that your doctors aren't concerned, themselves. I lost a lot of weight when I was first diagnosed - are you sure you aren't 'slipping' up somewhere? I got down to about 78lbs, and was so thin - when I look back at photos, it really was horrifying!

Are you eating calorie dense foods? if you can't eat a LOT, you can still consume a lot of calories. Have you tried something like Ensure? That is recommended for weight gain - often used for eating disorders (I am not implying you have one, I just mean that it is good, as it contains a lot of nutrients).

Nuts, seeds, oils, and avocado are all healthy fats that are calorie dense.

Have you seen a nutritionist?

Hope this helps so far!

[gabby]

Can you eat dairy at all? If you can, then I highly recommend two items: a type of cream cheese called Mascarpone (comes in a small tub). It is a delicious Italian cream cheese with a really delicate taste. Be sure to buy the kind that is NOT low fat, you've got to get the regular full-fat one and check the label to make sure there are only 3 or 4 ingredients (milk, salt,). 1 tablespoon of this stuff after every meal should help a lot.

The other item that is also very helpful is another dairy product called clotted cream or sometimes it is called double cream (not the runny kind you put in coffee...it is thick like a cheese). You might have to go to a higher-end store to find it in the dairy section, usually where they keep the butter and cream. It comes in a little glass bottle. This is cream that has had all the water removed, so that it is very dense, thick and stunningly tasty. Again, just a couple teaspoons after every meal should help you to boost some calories.

Another thing to try is nut butters: almond butter, hazelnut butter, etc.....again, just a teaspoon before or after a meal is all you need.

Hope this helps.