Does CICO not work for some people or is something else going on here?

KrazyKrissyy
KrazyKrissyy Posts: 322 Member
edited November 26 in Health and Weight Loss
In a nutshell, I'm on a high fat keto diet for my epilepsy. I also have digestive issues (doctors don't know exactly what or the cause yet but they're aware of symptoms). I haven't been very active lately due to digestive pain. I've been eating well over 2,500 calories. Recently, I began consuming 24 tablespoons of coconut oil per day. That's in addition to everything else I eat. At the same time, my chronic constipation has turned into chronic diarrhea which unfortunately adds to my digestive issues. Anyways, despite large daily calorie surplus, I haven't gained weight. I'm not trying to but am just confused. My current TDEE is 1,600-1,800. I've been losing 1-2 pounds per DAY for over a week on over 2,500 calories.
This also reminds me of the time last year where I ate mostly salads which ended up being under 1,000 per day and I rapidly gained weight (over 12 pounds per week). My stomach looked several months pregnant back then. I wasn't, though.
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Replies

  • KrazyKrissyy
    KrazyKrissyy Posts: 322 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    when we talk about "water weight" we implicitly include "food in transit". If "transit" is extra slow or extra fast... that would affect your weight, temporarily.

    Thanks! I actually never knew that's what it really meant :)
  • KrazyKrissyy
    KrazyKrissyy Posts: 322 Member
    sarahthes wrote: »
    Yep, gonna second malabsorption. So despite the surplus it seems like you're taking in, CI is lower than expected.

    What do you think is the solution to malabsorption?
  • kam26001
    kam26001 Posts: 2,794 Member
    KrazyKrissyy wrote: »
    PS- the symptoms my doctor found so far were stomach ulcers (endoscopy), impacted stool (scan), bacteria overgrowth in the small intestine (hydrogen breath test), and gastroparesis (emptying test). But she basically said these are all symptoms to something else. Neither her or the other doctors have found out the main cause yet.
    So how are they treating your SIBO and ulcer? Antibiotics, antacids? I'm not too familiar with the other issues but won't high fat further delay gastric emptying? However, I understand you have epilepsy as well. These sound like issues that demand quick action. I would press your doctor. These are not just symptoms (which they usually treat anyway), but diagnosed conditions!
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Snorks43 wrote: »
    concordancia wrote: »
    Gaining 12 pounds a week is not something most could manage while binging,

    Challenge accepted! :D

    Well, to truly accept.the challenge, you would have to convince at least half the world to join you!
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    Nothing to add except support - that sounds deeply unpleasant and hopefully you and your medical team can work something out soon!
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Are you on any meds to speed up your GI system like reglan, domperidone or erythromycin?
  • lois1231
    lois1231 Posts: 330 Member
    edited April 2018
    I know with the keto diet a lot of people end up with constipation because they are omitting a lot of sources of fiber such as fruit and veggies. I am guessing the excessive amounts of coconut oil is causing the diarrhea now.
  • nettiklive
    nettiklive Posts: 206 Member
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    I also have gastroparesis and also look pregnant after I eat. I mostly drink medical meal replacement shakes as I toleratw them better. I also massively retain fluid. I intake less than 800 calories most days (my nausea and lack.of appetite are out of control at the moment) and I haven't lost any weight in 2 weeks (which is a good thing as I don't have any to lose). I don't have constipation issues as I have an ileostomy so it comes out about 20 hours after consumption (normal is 6-8). Constipation, malabsorption and indigestion, gas, pregnant look etc are all gastroparesis symptoms.

    All of that sounds like me too though I've only been diagnosed with IBS, haven't gotten around to having the gastroparesis test but I strongly suspect it. I eat fairly little due to lack of appetite and feeling really full after tiny portions, and have chronic constipation, and also retain water a lot, didn't know it was related
  • KrazyKrissyy
    KrazyKrissyy Posts: 322 Member
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    Are you on any meds to speed up your GI system like reglan, domperidone or erythromycin?

    I've never heard of those. See, this is why I'm losing hope in the medical field.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    edited April 2018
    KrazyKrissyy wrote: »
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    Are you on any meds to speed up your GI system like reglan, domperidone or erythromycin?

    I've never heard of those. See, this is why I'm losing hope in the medical field.

    Domperidone isn't fda approved so it's difficult to get in the states but Reglan is pretty standard treatment for gastroparesis. I'm Canadian and domperidone is approved here so that's what I take. erythromycin is an antibiotic which has the side effect of causing increased peristalsis speed but it only works for a little while before it stops helping. It was my miracle drug after I got over the hump of the other side effecrs but it only worked for a couple of weeks for me.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    edited April 2018
    @krazykrissyy Here's a new MFP group for people with digestive disorders. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/126485-the-digestive-disorders-group-the-dd-crew
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    try2again wrote: »
    I really hope you are working closely with your doctor and that he/she knows about the coconut oil. It's very foolish to self-medicate an unknown problem. I can't imagine anyone's digestive tract tolerating 24 TB of coconut oil a day.

    I agree. While coconut oil does help with digestive issues, too much has the opposite effect; cramping, diarrhea, bloating, etc.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    KrazyKrissyy wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    If you have chronic diarrhea, you won't be absorbing much at all.... It all comes out too quickly. You'll also likely be dehydrated...

    I'd be going to the Dr, or hospital to work out what's going on..

    All of this - not posing yet another question about whether CICO is valid to the MFP community at large.

    Seriously - work directly with your doctor or a team of doctor to solve these problems, don't ask random internet strangers to help troubleshoot your complex medical scenario... and don't use a completely individualized medical situation as a platform to misrepresent what CICO is about.

    Man CICO has had a rough go of things around here lately!!!!

    What do you mean another? Can you please explain? This is a support forum too, no?

    Here are just a few recent examples:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10660811/calorie-in-calorie-out-method-is-outdated/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10640612/cico-is-overrated-in-my-opinion/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10660917/mfp-recommended-that-i-read-this-is-the-quality-of-calories-more-important-than-quantity/p1


    A thread in support of CICO but the posts show that clearly people don't fully understand what it is.
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10654872/why-do-people-deny-cico/p1

    This can be a support forum, but you posted your question in General Health, Fitness and Diet. You also have pretty unique and extensive medical conditions which would influence your individual situation; and you're getting advice there. So it really doesn't have much to do with whether CICO "works" or not (which it does).


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