Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Ensure Or Something/anything

cdfiance

Recommended Posts

cdfiance Explorer
cdfiance
Posted

Now that we seem to have figured out all of Alex

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

Avocados and nuts! The latter are particularly easy to carry around all the time. Keep the calorie density up!

CarlaB Enthusiast
CarlaB
Posted

Ryan, it's perfectly normal for a woman to have amenhorria due to low body weight. I had another normal type of amenhorria due to breastfeeding. I had five kids in ten years and breastfed each for over a year. In that ten year time-period I only menstruated a few times, maybe ten.

I would be concerned for Alex's health, but I wouldn't worry about trying to gain weight fast enough to please the doctors. She'll be fine. Have her eat healthy and gain the weight back the right way. No need, IMHO, for a sugar-laden, nutrition lacking, drink.

Just focus on higher calorie foods. Like Tiffany said, dense calories. You don't want her filling up on stuff that has no calories -- like lettuce, etc.

Doctors are not well-versed on nutrition and want everyone to fit their mold.

dally099 Contributor
dally099
Posted

hi there, peanut butter, and avacodos, peanuts are very high in fat, not so much protein as everyone likes to believe but lots of fat. other than that she will probably put on weight when she is getting healthy again so patience. good luck :)

VydorScope Proficient
VydorScope
Posted

As long as she is gaining, I would not worry about how fast. There will come a time when you need her to stop gaining and that will be eaiser if she is gaining slowly rather rapiddly.

  • 2 weeks later...
jvalentine89 Rookie
jvalentine89
Posted

When I needed to gain weight I used to make smoothies which included any fruits (bananas, blueberries, etc.) mixed with juice or milk (or rice milk/soymilk) and 4 tbsp. of flax oil. It is very high calorie and an extremely efficient way to gain weight without feeling over-full.

  • 1 month later...
Jemimabella Newbie
Jemimabella
Posted

Hi,

I just wanted to say, I am also very underweight and have had a lot of complications with my celiac disease. I am taking Ensure and find it is helping me on the days when I really can't face food. It might be worth looking into as there are lots of flavours available and it is really easily digestible. I think you sound really supportive and I hope Alex feels better soon.

Take Care :rolleyes:

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Cherry Tart Apprentice
Cherry Tart
Posted

Hello! I agree w/ the other posters...the only thing that made me gain weight was avacados and peanut butter. My husband made me fresh guacamole and tortilla chips every day for two months....and I enjoyed every bit of it! ;) It was several months before I could eat a larger variety of foods....I just didn't have an appetite. It took about a year for me to gain the weigh back (and then some!) and start menstrating again. Now I feel the best I've ever felt! Not to worry, it will happen for her, just in her own time.

Hollylou42 Rookie
Hollylou42
Posted

I'm not expert, and I do agree with the previous posters that the wieght will return to her body with time and the right diet. However to answer your question, since you asked, instead of buying a premixed protien shake like Ensure (that would have all those things you listed you didn't want in it) try a powder.

I know that they sell a high protein powder (that has added vitamins and such) in Lactose/soy free varities, I think it is a Rice protein they use. Then you can mix it up your self using Rice or Almond Milk or water ever liquid she drinks. I have seen it on the internet, but I haven't actually looked in the stores for it, but it would be worth a try.

I'm also very underweight (and I am not diagnosed yet so I keep eating gluten and keep losing weight) and I don't have much of an appetite but I eat a lot of snack bars, for example like Lara Bars. They are made with nuts and fruit so they help with my energy levels and have high levels of good fats. Just a thought, maybe find some bars that fit her needs, and then they are easy to carry yet don't fill you up.

I know if I were Alex, I would appreciate your concern and care. Keep it up and good luck!!

Ginsou Explorer
Ginsou
Posted
Now that we seem to have figured out all of Alex
Ginsou Explorer
Ginsou
Posted

I've had lactose intolerance for 32 years, and also have just been diagnosed with celiac...have a lot to learn. Slim Fast has a new easy to digest product available that is lactose and gluten free. It doesn't seem to have soy in it, for those who might find soy a problem. Pacific Foods has a lactose/gluten free beverage that also does not have soy in it. www.pacificfoods.com. This product can be found in stores like Whole Foods, Wild Oats, etc.

mother2gf3 Newbie
mother2gf3
Posted

this may or may not help, I know that Wal Mart has a pediatric type drink similar to pediasure in their baby section next to the baby formula. It is the walmart brand I know it is gluten and lactose free but not sure if soy free, worth a look. Hope it helps.

  • 2 weeks later...
JNBunnie1 Community Regular
JNBunnie1
Posted
Now that we seem to have figured out all of Alex
  • 2 weeks later...
home-based-mom Contributor
home-based-mom
Posted

Try a product called "Benecalorie." It is available online and in some local pharmacies. Do a Google search and take your pick.

It may be just what you need. ;)

submarinerwife Newbie
submarinerwife
Posted

My fav. drink and I have put on some weight with is coconut milk, a banana, peanut butter, chocolate syrup and some ice, run it through the blender, makes a yummy breakfast drink! I also agree to try gaining the weight gradually as it is much easier to slow it down that way. If you gain too fast you could start a whole new host of problems! Good luck and best wishes. The avacados are also great. You can make dip, put them on sandwiches (before I had to stop eating bacon I would put avacados on a blt!) my current favorite is a turkey sandwich with avacado slices.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,549
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Blough
    Newest Member
    Blough
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Taken Seriously

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Your post demonstrates the profound frustration and isolation that so many in the Celiac community feel, and I want to thank you for channeling that experience into advocacy. The medical gaslighting you endured for decades is an unacceptable and, sadly, a common story, and the fact that you now have to "school" your own GI specialist speaks volumes about the critical lack of consistent and updated education. Your idea to make Celiac Disease a reportable condition to public health authorities is a compelling and strategic one. This single action would force the system to formally acknowledge the prevalence and seriousness of the disease, creating a concrete dataset that could drive better research funding, shape medical school curricula, and validate the patient experience in a way that individual stories alone often cannot. It is an uphill battle, but contacting representatives, as you have done with Adam Gray, is exactly how change begins. By framing it as a public health necessity—a matter of patient safety and protection from misdiagnosis and neglect—you are building a powerful case. Your voice and your perseverance, forged through thirty years of struggle, are exactly what this community needs to ensure that no one else has to fight so hard just to be believed and properly cared for.
    • Scott Adams
      Looking for a gluten-free roomie in Denver CO

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I had no idea there is a "Louisville" in Colorado!😉 I thought it was a typo because I always think of the Kentucky city--but good luck!
    • Scott Adams
      Allergy medication: cetirizine by the HealthA2Z is it gluten free?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Navigating medication safety with Celiac disease can be incredibly stressful, especially when dealing with asthma and severe allergies on top of it. While I don't have personal experience with the HealthA2Z brand of cetirizine, your caution is absolutely warranted. The inactive ingredients in pills, known as excipients, are often where gluten can be hidden, and since the FDA does not require gluten-free labeling for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, the manufacturer's word is essential. The fact that you cannot get a clear answer from Allegiant Health is a significant red flag; a company that is confident its product is gluten-free will typically have a customer service protocol to answer that exact question. In situations like this, the safest course of action is to consider this product "guilty until proven innocent" and avoid it. A better alternative would be to ask your pharmacist or doctor to help you identify a major national brand of cetirizine (like Zyrtec) whose manufacturer has a verified, publicly stated gluten-free policy for that specific medication. It's not worth the risk to your health when reliable, verifiable options are almost certainly available to you. You can search this site for USA prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
    • Scott Adams
      Protein or fat?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      What you're describing is indeed familiar to many in the Celiac community, especially in the early stages of healing. When the intestinal villi are damaged from Celiac disease, they struggle to properly digest and absorb fats, a condition known as bile acid malabsorption. This can cause exactly the kind of cramping and spasms you're seeing, as undigested fats can irritate the sensitive gut lining. It is highly plausible that her reactions to dairy and eggs are linked to their higher fat content rather than the proteins, especially since she tolerates lean chicken breast. The great news is that for many, this does improve with time. As her gut continues to heal on a strict gluten-free diet, her ability to produce the necessary enzymes and bile to break down fats should gradually return, allowing her to slowly tolerate a wider variety of foods. It's a slow process of healing, but your careful approach of focusing on low-fat, nutrient-dense foods like seeds and avocado is providing her system the best possible environment to recover. Many people with celiac disease, especially those who are in the 0-2 year range of their recovery, have additional food intolerance issues which could be temporary. To figure this out you may need to keep a food diary and do an elimination diet over a few months. Some common food intolerance issues are dairy/casein, eggs, corn, oats, and soy. The good news is that after your gut heals (for most people who are 100% gluten-free this will take several months to two years) you may be able to slowly add some these items back into your diet after the damaged villi heal. This article may be helpful: Thank you for sharing your story—it's a valuable insight for other parents navigating similar challenges.
    • Beverage
      Diagnosed celiac for 1-2 months ago and everything makes me bloated.

      By Beverage · Posted

      I had a very rough month after diagnosis. No exaggeration, lost so much inflammatory weight, I looked like a bag of bones, underneath i had been literally starving to death. I did start feeling noticeably better after a month of very strict control of my kitchen and home. What are you eating for breakfast and lunch? I ignored my doc and ate oats, yes they were gluten free, but some brands are at the higher end of gluten free. Lots of celics can eat Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats, but not me. I can now eat them, but they have to be grown and processed according to the "purity protocol" methods. I mail order them, Montana Gluten-Free brand. A food and symptoms and activities log can be helpful in tracking down issues. You might be totally aware, but I have to mention about the risk of airborne gluten. As the doc that diagnosed me warned . . Remember eyes, ears, nose, and mouth all lead to your stomach and intestines.  Are you getting any cross contamination? Airborne gluten? Any pets eating gluten (they eat it, lick themselves, you pet them...)? Any house remodeling? We live in an older home, always fixing something. I've gotten glutened from the dust from cutting into plaster walls, possibly also plywood (glues). The suggestions by many here on vitamin supplements also really helped me. I had some lingering allergies and asthma, which are now 99% gone. I was taking Albuterol inhaler every hour just to breathe, but thiamine in form of benfotiamine kicked that down to 1-2 times a day within a few days of starting it. Also, since cutting out inflammatory seed oils (canola, sunflower, grapeseed, etc) and cooking with real olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and coconut oil, I have noticed even greater improvement overall and haven't used the inhaler in months! It takes time to weed out everything in your life that contains gluten, and it takes awhile to heal and rebuild your health. At first it's mentally exhausting, overwhelming, even obsessive, but it gets better and second nature.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.