Weight loss before transplant

IamUndrCnstruction

Hi! Has anyone had to lose weight before being accepted as a transplant patient? I am 39 and I have been approved for a double lung transplant (Pulmonary Hypertension and Pulmonary Fibrosis) but the transplant team will not put me on the active waiting list until I lose 25 pounds. I have lost 13 so far since March 7th, and am stuck. Counting calories and eating right has become a religion to me, but without the ability to work out much harder than walking, I am at a loss (or not a loss, no pun intended). Any suggestions on this uphill battle?

BarbaraBarrHaylock

Waiting for my lung transplant assessment. Need to get down to 30 BMI for assessment and ideally 27 BMI for transplant.

I have Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and steroids + immunosuppressants are not used any more since they cause more harm than good and, post-transplant they will probably be a part of my life forever.

However, recovering from an exacerbation in March and pulmonologist has put be on a 4-week regiment to see if I can get back to my pre-exacerbation state. Started at 40 mg per day for 1 week, and reducing by 10 mg each week. So far I've really felt so much better such as not having to do the 3-steps, breathing 20 times, next 3 steps all on 10 lpm while climbing the stairs.

Doctor was hesitant to put me on the prednisone because of the weight gain issues. Back in 2008 I had been on the Dr Poon's Metabolic Diet (actually a low carb) and had really good success so I put myself back on it and I've lost 8 lbs in 10 days during the Phase 1.

Phase 1 is really hard going because there is so little I can have but it works. I get the ketone/glucose sticks from the drugstore to check my urine as to when ketones become present as that indicates that I am burning fat. Supposed to lose 7-10 lbs in first 2 weeks and have a urine ketone level of 1.5 mmol/L (15 mg/dL) before I move onto Phase 2. I may see if I can hold out for 15 lbs on Phase 1 but that may be pushing it.

I had to lose 20 lbs to get to 30 BMI (12 more to go) and another 16 to 26.8 BMI -- so total of 36. This is doable for me as I previously had lost 50 lbs on the program but unfortunately gained some of that back.

Now I just have to keep the irritability of dieting and prednisone from taking over my life. I took myself off my anti-depressants for ecomonic reasons even though they worked best for my fibromyalgia and we weight neutral (Cymbalta).

Good luck to you! I find that I use exercise to help take my mind off food. Have you done a rehab program yet. Slow but steady is their motto so walking is fine and hopefully you can build up your endurance again. Last Wednesday and this past Wednesday I did 15 minutes on the treadmill at 2.5 mph. Yesterday I was able to up that to 3 mph for 15 minutes so next week my goal is 20 mins at 3 mph.

With the Dr Poon Metabolic Diet you don't count calories. It's more what you're allowed to eat in each phase. Quantity does play some part. I thought I would join MFP and work it in conjunction so that I'm making better choices and track my exercise and diet. So far (2 days, it's worked great for me). What I miss most is fruit. Absolutely none in Phase 1 and limited in Phase 2. Waaa!

I guess the end will just have to justify the means!