How much does illness (infection) affect weight loss?

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leedsloveruk
leedsloveruk Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, I'm hoping for some advice ... I've had an infection for the past four weeks - a really bad case of lymphadenitis (infection of the lymph glands). I've been on high dose antibiotics for the whole of this period. The first week or so I was massively under calories each day as I was struggling to eat anything. I lost a couple of pounds. For the last three weeks I've been just under my target calories every day with two exceptions where I was just over calories. The first week I stayed the same but the last two weeks I've gained a pound! I'm officially on a low fat diet with the aid of Orlistat to help break down the fat I am eating and combining this with staying under 1400 calories to ensure a good weight loss.

Feel like I'm failing miserably! Worried that when I return to my doctor for my weigh in he wont prescribe my next months Orlistat (on the NHS as in UK) which had been working a dream for me combined with a low fat and calorie controlled diet. How much affect does a bad infection / antibiotics have on weight loss?

Please help or give some advice. Struggle with exercise or movement of any kind as I have severe arthritis and cant swim - hence why GP prescribing the Orlistat.

Thanks Jax

Replies

  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
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    Is it possible your weight loss has just slowed because you've probably been less active whilst you were unwell, and that that 1lb 'gain' is just a normal fluctuation?
    If you consider the last 4 weeks overall, you've still lost even with this recent upswing, which is a victory, surely?
    Hope you're feeling better.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    1 lb up is well within the bounds of what would be considered a normal fluctuation, so I wouldn't be terribly worried. Some illnesses and some meds cause weight gain, but I don't know about what you had/took. Otherwise it's always CICO. Being sick can make it really hard to maintain diet and exercise, just because you feel so bad.
  • misskarne
    misskarne Posts: 1,765 Member
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    Dude, you're sick. Don't worry about the weight loss and focus on getting better.

    It would not be such a terrible thing if you didn't get prescribed a pill again.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    When your body is healing you can eat at maintenance -- depending on how you feel.
    Do not pay attention to the scale right now. Focus on getting better. Surely your doctor will know that you have been sick
    If for some reason you are not prescribed Orlistat, you will be o.k. because you will not need it as you are already not eating fat.
    Orlistat does not "break down" the fat exactly. It prevents the absorption of fats. If you do not eat them, you cannot absorb them.
    Keep counting your calories whether you are under or not because logging is the way that you will lose weight.

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