Question For Any Really Underweight Celiac's?

[Corrine]

I'd like to know why being thin is a problem just like why is being a large person a problem? I have a girl friend who has a Russian heritage and she is a big girl. She's not fat but large. Thin or big, one can be healthy. My husband is 6 feet 200-210 lbs and according to the charts he should be 175. He has a large frame and would look 'underweight' if he were to go down to 175. I think it should be, are you healthy, do you feel good not how much do you weigh or what's your dress size.

[LLCoolJD]

I'd like to know why being thin is a problem just like why is being a large person a problem?  I have a girl friend who has a Russian heritage and she is a big girl.  She's not fat but large.  Thin or big, one can be healthy.  My husband is 6 feet 200-210 lbs and according to the charts he should be 175.  He has a large frame and would look 'underweight' if he were to go down to 175.  I think it should be, are you healthy, do you feel good not how much do you weigh or what's your dress size.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree. I'm 6'1" and 175lbs. I don't look like a skeleton but I look skinny.

Edit: I've always had a high metabolism. Gaining weight beyond 175-180lbs takes a lot of food and a lot of weight-lifting. If I'm not careful, I easily slip to 165lbs or so.

[KaitiUSA]

I'd like to know why being thin is a problem just like why is being a large person a problem?  I have a girl friend who has a Russian heritage and she is a big girl.  She's not fat but large.  Thin or big, one can be healthy.  My husband is 6 feet 200-210 lbs and according to the charts he should be 175.  He has a large frame and would look 'underweight' if he were to go down to 175.  I think it should be, are you healthy, do you feel good not how much do you weigh or what's your dress size.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I completely agree with that. It just depends on the body frame, etc.

Don't ever let someone make you feel inferior. It's about how you feel comfortable. I am thin and have gained weight since being gluten free but would like to gain more...it will come if you pay attention and eat healthy...just don't obsess over it because it will backfire(believe me I have tried)

[JenM]

I can only say a hearty "ditto" and "amen!" to what I've read! I've been accused of being anorexic so many times, I can't even keep track. The number of people who want to give me their weight, and wish they had my problem just can't possibly find it anywhere in their imaginations that a person might not take pleasure in being very, very thin.

My point is just this: I'm glad I'm not alone.

[gluegluten]

i was around ~115 lbs like a week or 2 ago...now i am up to 119 lbs on a gluten-free diet...that i started a few weeks ago...

and i agree with JenM... people would say things like that to me also...like i wish i were thin like you...thinking it's something good...or here let me give you some fat...bla bla bla...it made me feel bad :-(...

any ways i am glad i am gluten-free now and starting to gain weight. :-)

and i am going to take the advice about the coconut oils

thanks.

-mr. glue.

[JenM]

I was diagnosed last May and have been gluten-free since.  I was on birth control and that kept some weight on me as well as more frequent pain and constant bloating.  That has improved since being off of birth control for approx. 3 months...BUT I am now down to 102lbs, and I am 5'4".  My appetitite is not as great since being off the BC, but I eat.  I need to eat more, and healthier food.  I also have osteopenia so I need to start exercising, but I am afraid to lose more weight.  I have always been thin.  In HS I actually weighed 120 lbs for about a year or so.  I felt much prettier at a "normal" weight.  I loved being pregnant for this same reason.

I am thinking about getting a bread machine and I would like to know how to incorporated coconut oil into my diet.  I need a good supplement to with calcium and Vit D (for bone loss).  Does anyone know of one that is gluten-free?  I suppose that is a different thread.  I will keep checking this as I would love to gain some weight, although I am trying not to obsess about it as I have in the past.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Karina, I've always been too thin also, and I really started to gain weight doing weight-bearing exercise. The best thing is to do a small number of repititions with as high of a weight as you can. Your muscles will adapt, and begin to grow quickly. And Remember that muscle weighs more than fat.

[JenM]

I'd like to know why being thin is a problem just like why is being a large person a problem? I have a girl friend who has a Russian heritage and she is a big girl.

TV, magazines, models, gym and workout culture.

Maybe that's why size is such a big deal to so many.

In short, ignorance and lack of compassion.

[Felidae]

You know that's very true. My mother in-law used to say to me all the time "You're sooo skinny." and I felt like saying you're so fat! But that's not nice and I would never say that. We all come in different sizes and shapes. But my doctor goes by the BMI chart and I am way to low. But my weight hasn't changed one pound since the first week I went gluten-free. So, maybe this is the weight I am supposed to be.

[chappy1970]

I am 5'8" and around 115 to 120 pounds. I was diagnosed with celiac when I was 3 years old and I'm 36 now. I've always had an underweight problem. I can build muscle pretty quick, but lose it quick also. I would like to gain some weight if possible. Does anyone have any advise? Are there any weight gain drinks out there that are safe?

I have read many of you alls posts and can relate to all of you. Having this disease all of my life, I wish I had a dollar for every time I had someone tell me that I needed to gain weight, or make comments about my weight. People don't realize that to call a thin person "skinny" or make fun of them, is just like calling a larger person "fat". There are so many people out there that just don't know, or understand the disease. I was surprised to see that there are so many people that are having the same problem. Thanks.

Marty

Marty, it was interesting to read your story as it is very similar to my own. I'm from Australia, I was also diagnosed in 1971 (18 months old) and am now 35. (I don't think the people who have only recently diagnosed appreciate how easy it is these days to live a gluten-free life)

Have you had any luck with your weight gain?

I'm 6'1 and about 150lb's and would like to put on a few.

PM with any progress you have had.

Cheers

Chris

[LqrMan]

Hey fellow underweight pre and post diagnosed celiacs! I too was very much underweight for my whole life leading up to my diagnosis at 17 yrs of age. I was 5'10 and weighed a measely 121lbs at my lowest weight at my gastro's office. I was anemic and had osteoperosis...but since then I have made a full recovery. Within the first couple months i gained almost 20 lbs and started growing more. I think it took me 1-2 yrs to get to the stable weight I am at now. I used to eat (and still do) tons of calories per day, but once you are eating the appropriate foods, it makes a huge difference. I am now about 6'2'' and 175lbs which is about average I think. My opinion would be to keep eating gluten until you find out for sure that you are allergic through a biopsy and blood tests. Good luck!

[Guest cainepole]

for those of you who are underweight, I have a few questions. My two sons, ages 18 months and 4 years old, and myself, age 29, have all been diangosed with celiac disease. I am very thin, 5'3" and weighed 110 lbs when I started the diet one month ago. I have lost 5 pounds and do not feel better on the gluten-free diet. We have been very strict on the diet, and the ony gluten we have in the house is one loaf of bread for my husband. My 18-month old has only gained 1 pound, and my 4 year old has not gained any weight. I am just wondering how my kids can gain weight fast. My 4 year old only weighs 30 pounds!!! My kids have been eating more, but do not seem to be gaining any or much weight. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Angie

I've been underweight for all of my 27 years. I didn't break 30 lbs until 1st grade, and didn't break 50 lbs until 6th. Now, at 6" even and 120 lbs, I am still skinny. In short, make sure your children eat healthy, limit sugar, and keep them smiling. They'll be alright.

Nowhere:Now here

[Lisa]

I work with wonderfully nice very overweight people whom I love. But sometimes I complain that I am so thin that I won't wear short, ever. I am trying to gain, but , just don't. I am 5'8" and 123lbs. My torso is average, but my bottom, arms and legs are very thin. It's the pits to try to find clothes.

I used to be a size 14 in pants because of my tummy. Now I buy size 6's. My proportions are all out of wack. Most women would love to be a size six, but trying on clothes with a full length mirror is quite a depressing event. I even have to sit on a pillow at home, because of my tail bone constricts my vertibraes.

New years resolution is to try to build back muscle at the gym...hope I keep it.

Blahhhh Lisa B.

[debmidge]

To original poster (post starter)- sounds like you need to be tested for celiac and get a good physical while you are at it. Other intestinal/internal health issues cause multiple or quick bowel movements and weight loss. Do you have celiac disease? Well we're now being told that from 1 to 100 people or 1 to 133 people (depending on who is doing the counting) have celiac disease.

It's a good idea to get checked out.

[num1habsfan]

Yeah I think I seriously give up with trying to gain weight. I've been trying for the last 2 years and just doesnt work. They only time I gained was when I majorly cheated on the diet a lot. When I first got sick I weighed 162 lbs(and size 12 jeans). Then within 14 days I was down to 146. Then within the next few months I continued losing until I was down to 115. At nearly 5'7 thats pretty much borderline for underweight. When I went on that screw-the-diet spree, I went up to 141. Then, going back totally gluten-free took me down to 118..then somehow I went back to 135...

when I started school last fall, within a month I had lost 12 lbs, so I was back 123. And now I'm just hovering around 130 which is so fine, beacuse I still wear my size 5 jeans very nicely lol..

I know I tell this story a lot,but I just always want everyone to know they arent alone.

~lisa~

[slpinsd]

[i totally empathize with everyone on here. Thank you for posting! I understand everything that everyone is going through. I have been very underweight my whole life. (I believe I've had Celiac my whole life). I recently went through a 20 lb weight loss and at 5'8'', 31 yo, I started losing at 115. Now I weigh 98. I've been gluten-free for 1 month, but lost even more weight. It's frustrating. I know, the person who said that people are just as hard on thin people- very true. I've dealt with that my whole life too. And people have even said, when I remarked about gaining a few pounds, to keep quiet, as to not hurt those who are trying to lose weight. Come on. Does that hurt me when you say you have gained weight unintentionally. NO!

I'm not very hungry gluten-free- did this happen to anyone?

[Rachel--24]

I'm probably not considered extremely underweight at 105 and 5'2. I did get down to 94 lbs. before the diet but even though I've gained some back...I have to eat all day or I lose it pretty quickly. Also alot of it is bloating. I was at around 120 when healthy and would like to get back up there again. People commented on my weight alot when I was at 94 lbs....I hated it. I had alot of malabsorption that showed up in my Enterolab testing and this hasnt improved much. I was recently diagnosed with C-Diff infection so I'm hoping this is the reason for my inability to gain weight or show much improvement despite being very diligent on the diet.

[skurtz]

So do most people lose when they go totally gluten free?

[minibabe]

I lost weight when I went gluten-free, but I know a couple of people who gained weight because they based their diet off of cheese because they did not know of anything else to eat.

[skurtz]

Well thats definately some good news!!! I went from totally under weight even after 2 kids(33yrs) 5'6

108 to(40yrs ) 5'6 185 one extreme to another. The weight came on after hysterectomy but I hardly eat anything no appetite & my stomach is always bloated. Can't wait to restart gluten free diet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Claire]

Hi,

I am a recenty (last week) diagnosed celiac. I am scheduled for an endoscopy on the 28th, so I have not gone 100% gluten-free yet (so as to not skew results). I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FAR TOO THIN, NO MATTER HOW MUCH I ATE. I am 37 years old, and the mother of 3 boys. I am 5'10, and my highest non pregnant weight in the last 10 years was 119lbs. After knee surgery in Aug, I became steadily more ill. Nausea, pain lethargy etc... I have lost 7 lbs. I am so anxious to go gluten-free because I truly believe it will help. It is so depressing to be painfully thin, to have other women tell you that you're so lucky to be thin, and to feel defensive about your appearance. Many people think I look great....they are crazy. MY NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION IS TO BE gluten-free, HEALTHY, HAPPY AND TO GAIN AT LEAST 15 LBS.!!! I am so happy to have an answer, and a plan for recovery.

My endoscopy and colonoscopy is on that same dat.e I will think of you - you think of me! I will be so glad to get this over with. Anticipation far worse than the event - as everyone tells me. I just don't like to drink a lot of liquid and the 27th will be a very 'liwuid' day.

[unhappycramper2]

Jen,

When you say "Get checked out" what test other than a Blood test are you talking about. Since Last October, I've lost 65 pounds and thought I had IBS. I do need another Blood test since I have not had one since before my weight loss. Seems when I do eat wheat products, my cramping and abdominal pain along with rectal crampings starts and stays with me for a few days.

Celiac symptoms mimic IBS. I don't know what other testing should be done. I've had an Upper/Lower GI, and a Colonoscopy which found Diverticlosis and the GI found gerd. Thank you.

[Susanwisely]

Hi Everyone. Ive been gluten-free for around 8-9 months now and still very underweight. I used to weight 84 lbs and now 97 lbs. I have been very thin all my life, and people used to (and still do) ask if I have an eating disorder. Very annoying. I can guarantee if you are looking to gain weight try: Fortisip. Its a nitrition drink prescibed by your dietician. I have been on this for one month now and since then ive gone from 84lbs to 97lbs. Also try drinking 1.5 pints of milk per day. Its good for calcium and it has made a difference. I know some of you may think it wont work like nothing else works. Believe me, ive been trying everything since being diagnosed. Best to check with your Dr or specialist if you are not allergic to Lactose as that may be preventing you from gaining weight. Oh and one more thing, eat lots of chicken and rice! And eat 2500 calories per day plus if you can manage. They fortisip drinks compensate as a meal high in nutrition, high energy as a supplement. They really do work. Little warning though, they taste strange until you get used to them!

[Guest KG in FL]

I work with wonderfully nice very overweight people whom I love. But sometimes I complain that I am so thin that I won't wear short, ever. I am trying to gain, but , just don't. I am 5'8" and 123lbs. My torso is average, but my bottom, arms and legs are very thin. It's the pits to try to find clothes.

I used to be a size 14 in pants because of my tummy. Now I buy size 6's. My proportions are all out of wack. Most women would love to be a size six, but trying on clothes with a full length mirror is quite a depressing event. I even have to sit on a pillow at home, because of my tail bone constricts my vertibraes.

New years resolution is to try to build back muscle at the gym...hope I keep it.

Blahhhh Lisa B.

I am 112lbs and 5'4. Skinny all my life other than pregnancy. I gained 12 lbs from 100lbs in 2004 AFTER going gluten-free.

I would love to weigh more and gained up to 122lbs a few months ago. I just ate larger protions of everything (my stomach got stretched out and got accustomed to all that food eventually!) That was the secret for me to gaining- stretching out my stomach. If I went without a lot of food for even half a day my stomach would shrink back really fast and I'd have to eat more to stretch it out again.

Now I can't do that though- I HAVE to stay at 110 pounds or so because ALL that weight I gained went RIGHT to my stomach!! It was laughable! I have twigs for arms and legs- always wore a 0-2 size- and then I got a size 8-10 stomach! I couldn't wear clothes normally! I thought I needed a tummy tuck but do not want major surgery so I am forced to stay at 110 lbs. just so I am not deformed!! I hate this!

I am guessing weight lifting would only help me but to tell you the truth, there is not time in the day for me to do the HUGE amount of weight lifting I would have to do to shrink this stomach and make my twigs into big muscles!

Did anyone else have this stomach problem after gaining weight? What did you do?

[Buck22]

Coconut oil - you mean for cooking instead of olive oil, or as a dressing? Where do you buy it? I'm also looking for a good butter replacement for toast, but it can't contain any dairy, lactose or corn. Is there a coconut version?

Regards,

Richard

I recommend coconut oil for those trying to gain weight while their intestines heal. It is absorbed differently and more easily than most fats. An internet search will explain more about it and where to buy it. (I gained 10 pounds in 2-3 months eating this, although to be honest, I didn't want to--I was only trying to get more energy! Still, this may help the truly underweight.) Best wishes!

[Susanwisely]

Geuine weight gain: I have been extremely thin all my life, 8-9 months ago since diagnosing still no weight gain, thinking there is something wrong here, after many trips to the Dr, Specialist, Dietician, internet products, the real weight gainer is Fortisip and Milk. Full milk. Not semi-skimmed. Drink at least 1.5 pints per day, (full of calcium too) and drink 3 x bottles of Fortisip. It is working for me and I have never ever reached over 84 lbs before! I am not 84 lbs and since going on these drinks I have gained 8 lbs on one month. Seriously.

These drinks have to be prescribed and they are 200ml bottles. Loads of flavours and the taste is awful!! I get one months supply at a time around 84 bottles and been told to drink 3 bottles a day. See your dietician about this. THey are for people with our condition and malnutrition. They do work.