Not about weight loss, but trying to gain weight

[Alex_B]

This is was also posted on Diabetes UK forums, as I am literally begging for some advice and suggestions.

I'm classed as underweight, I was 8 stone 3 on 15th February, less than 2 weeks after my diabetes clinic appointment, I was 7 and a half stone, now after 4 weeks I am just above 7 stone. I am 5 ft 3 in height.

I eat lots of things during the day, some healthy, some not so healthy and its putting weight on, I get happy, go to bed happy knowing I have put on a stone, then I wake up and check and its gone down to just above 7 again. I do not know what is happening in my body, I am being tested for Addison's Disease, (hopefully next week, when the NHS decide to send me a letter), I have been waiting for 4 weeks just for a simple blood test.

I have told them my weight has gone down repeatedly, I told them now that I was underweight as I am suppose to be between 7 stone 6 - 10 stone. But they do not seem to care, unlike me and my mum. It's making my depression even worse. All I wanted to do was gain some weight, but now I can't, it just seems impossible. I've tried everything the dietitian said, eating junk food, didn't work, eating healthy, didn't work.

I was tested for thyroid and that has came back normal, I don't know what's going on! I'm scared to be admitted to hospital, because the "nutrition" stuff they will pump me with will not work. I don't want to be underweight, I want to be a healthy weight. Please can someone suggest anything? If anyone has Addison's disease please tell me if this is what happened to you, I just want to know whether I have it. I am literally begging anyone right now because our NHS does not seem to care that a 20 year old, is weighing the same as a 14 year old, probably not even that!

 

[EllieM]

I'm guessing you've already tried a food diary to see how many calories you're inputting? If nothing else, you can show the food diary to your specialist to demonstrate that it's a metabolic disorder rather than an eating disorder.
If it's not a metabolic disorder, then 3 calorific meals and 3 snacks a day should put weight on, but I'm guessing the dietitian's already tried that....
On the bright side, if they admitted you to hospital they'd presumably do the blood test straight away....
Sending you virtual hugs, hope you get some help soon.

 

[Juicyj]

Hey @Alex_B

Sorry to hear your still struggling with weight gain, how are your blood glucose readings, are you managing to keep good control ?

 

[DCUKMod]

This is was also posted on Diabetes UK forums, as I am literally begging for some advice and suggestions.

I'm classed as underweight, I was 8 stone 3 on 15th February, less than 2 weeks after my diabetes clinic appointment, I was 7 and a half stone, now after 4 weeks I am just above 7 stone. I am 5 ft 3 in height.

I eat lots of things during the day, some healthy, some not so healthy and its putting weight on, I get happy, go to bed happy knowing I have put on a stone, then I wake up and check and its gone down to just above 7 again. I do not know what is happening in my body, I am being tested for Addison's Disease, (hopefully next week, when the NHS decide to send me a letter), I have been waiting for 4 weeks just for a simple blood test.

I have told them my weight has gone down repeatedly, I told them now that I was underweight as I am suppose to be between 7 stone 6 - 10 stone. But they do not seem to care, unlike me and my mum. It's making my depression even worse. All I wanted to do was gain some weight, but now I can't, it just seems impossible. I've tried everything the dietitian said, eating junk food, didn't work, eating healthy, didn't work.

I was tested for thyroid and that has came back normal, I don't know what's going on! I'm scared to be admitted to hospital, because the "nutrition" stuff they will pump me with will not work. I don't want to be underweight, I want to be a healthy weight. Please can someone suggest anything? If anyone has Addison's disease please tell me if this is what happened to you, I just want to know whether I have it. I am literally begging anyone right now because our NHS does not seem to care that a 20 year old, is weighing the same as a 14 year old, probably not even that!

Alex, I'm not T1, but I will try to bump your post up into view at the same times as clarify a couple of things.

Firstly, what are your blood glucose numbers doing when you're losing weight? I'm not asking the specifics, but wondering if you are running in range, or in and out of range, mainly high, or whatever.

Secondly, what sort of things are you actually eating? A rough idea would be helpful.

One comment I would make responding to your comment here: "....I eat lots of things during the day, some healthy, some not so healthy and its putting weight on, I get happy, go to bed happy knowing I have put on a stone, then I wake up and check and its gone down to just above 7 again....."

Much of that weight you appear to have gained is likely to be the food and water you have on board, from your eating during the day. A goodly chunk of that "weight" is lost overnight just by metabolism and passing water. It usually takes more than a day or overnight to actually, physiologically gain weight. Like all rules, there are exception which would include significant dehydration.

Alex, I am exactly the same height as you, and am also pretty light. I'm not quite as light as you , but I am very slight indeed. If my weight slips lower, and I need to replace that, it can take me several weeks to achieve that, which I do by upping the protein and fats I eat. I eat LC and don't take any meds, so I prefer not to up the junk food.

I don't know if any of that helps you at all, Alex, but I'm just trying to get both a clearer picture of what's happening, and also share my personal, similar, but also different circumstances with you.

 

[There is no Spoon]

I want to be a healthy weight. Please can someone suggest anything?

Hi Alex,
Please don't for one second make the mistake of thinking I have a clue about your situation or that I know what I'm talking about but that said. If your having trouble putting on weight in the form of FAT, have you thought of muscles mass think of "The Rock" that guy is huge and not an ounce of FAT.

Hows your health other wise is exercise a problem?
If this is a possible solution for you then exercise and plenty of proteins would build muscle mass = weight.
Is this a option you ever discussed with your Dr's ?

 

[Gd485]

Hi Alex_B

I have auto-immune Addison's disease. I was diagnosed some 8 years ago. I am 63 years old and male.

The symptoms are dizziness, tiredness and weight loss. It is very slow to develop, it can take years before symptoms become significant. Almost all of the output from both adrenal gland cortex needs to reduce to less than 10% of it healthy output before the symptoms become significant.
Another important symptom is Salt craving. I was eating anything with salt, even oxo cubes and spoonfuls of salt!
The other strange craving is for liquorice, because this raises blood pressure and makes life a little more tolerable.
Before I was diagnosed I had very brown skin. It was like a good suntan even in the middle of winter. This tanning extended to the corners of the mouth and my gums. Also the lines in the palms of the hands are often dark coloured.

If you are have minor illnesses, like a cold, that goes on for weeks it is another indicator Addison's maybe present.

Most Addisonians get diagnosed when they have a illness (flu) that stresses their immune system and causes an Addison's crisis. This is very dangerous as blood pressure falls and potassium levels in the blood become elevated. Blood becomes acidic which removes calcium from the skeleton. The ability to keep hydrated becomes very difficult as the kidneys try to control the lack of sodium. Both sodium and potassium ions allow electrical signals control muscles which includes the heart.

A good few Addison's patients develope other auto-immune diseases, such as hypothyroidism and there's some evidence type 2 diabetes maybe more prevalent.

Now I've scared you I'll say that once diagnosed life returns to near normal. When I first started taking hydrocortisone I was encourage by my endocrinologist to play with the dose and timing to find what suited my lifestyle and body needs.

Now eight years on things are near normal, weight has returned and so has my blood pressure. There is a lot worse things to suffer from.
Once you get to understand the disease controlling it is generally much easier than trying to balance blood sugar.

Good luck.

Geoff

 

[Marce_47]

I am also trying to put weight on I am 80 5ft 7ins and only 8st 2in it is very hard I have an excellent appetite and have been told to eat more I have tried but I still cannot put it on. So am going to stop worrying and enjoy eating a healthy diet