Struggling to gain weight due to IBS

trekkiechick16
trekkiechick16 Posts: 1
edited November 12 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Hi, is there anyone on here who stuggles to gain weight or has lost weight due to IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) or other digestive symptoms?

In the summer of 2014 for a period of time I took a medication to manage an excessive sweating condition, but it caused severe stomach bloating/distention after eating or drinking so I quit taking it. Unfortunately I still wake up daily with a flat stomach only for it to grow bigger the more I eat and drink. I went to a GI doctor and she tried to treat it with a probiotic and I followed the Low FODMAP diet for four weeks, but found no relief. I've tried other things like digestive enzymes, activated charcoal, peppermint oil capsules, other probiotics and nothing helps. I began to unconsciously eat less to minimize the bloating until I realized I was underweight.

My parents bought me the UP24 band device for Christmas to help me track how much calories I was eating versus burning so I could gain back weight. At first I was using it along with the my fitness pal app everyday and I gained back three pounds in two weeks. But then I began to stuggle tolerating the increased bloating and the college semester began so I stopped forcing myself to eat the daily calorie goal and stopped tracking calories. Now I've lost those three gained pounds and I'm scared I'm never going to get back to a healthly weight and my health is going to suffer. I only do yoga becuase I'm too underweight to do cardio, which I really need becuase I know I do better mentally when I'm exercising regularly.

I'm currently seeing a therapist that is also working with me on gaining weight, and I'm trying new medication to help with my anxiety, but this IBS and my struggle to tolerate the bloating/distention has diminished my health and quality of life. Are there any tips anyone has about calorie dense foods that don't have to be eaten in large quantities? I have Ensure Plus but that makes me bloat a ton, as with protein shakes. I have been putting olive oil in my food and eating avacados and snakcing on nuts.

Replies

  • lucygoesrawr
    lucygoesrawr Posts: 184 Member
    Hi - first of all, you have my sympathies - IBS is horrible. I have it too, and am gaining weight but for other reasons. I also suffer from severe bloating - and nausea sometimes.

    The nuts, olive oil and avocados are good ideas. Calorie dense foods I personally don't get bloated from: cheese, chocolate, full-fat greek yoghurt (though not always, with that one), pork shoulder (I think that's butt in america), butter, cured meats, eggs, small amounts of heavy cream, small amounts of puff pastry...

    Also, I've found a small nap helps the bloat go down, a little bit at least, when it's at its very worst.

    Sorry you're going through this.
  • chouflour
    chouflour Posts: 193 Member
    Full fat greek yogurt. Takeout chinese food on rice. Chow Fun. Eggnog. Milkshakes. Cream cheese frosting. Pasta with creamy sauce. Grilled cheese sandwiches. Bacon spread with peanut butter.

    I do the same thing - it hurts to eat, so eating is hard. I have gastroparesis, not IBS, but it's the pain and fullness more than the nausea that I struggle with. I'm still in a safe weight range, I'm also still losing 2-4lb/month.
  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
    edited February 2015
    Hi, I suffer from intolerances so I can sympathise. I have a list of neutral foods that don't cause any problems. High fat meat and fish is always a winner. Even though I'm lactose intolerant I seem to be able to handle greek yoghurt. Crisps (chips) work, hummus?

    Everyone has different issues with food, you need to just keep an eye on the meals or foods that work for you.

    It's usually the same old culprits, but dairy makes my tummy hurt so bad and gives me rancid breathe and tonsil stones. Caffeine makes me hyperventilate, and screws with my hormones. Sugar outside my exercise window turns me into a maniac, and yeasty breads aren't much better but I can have a bit of that.

    Things get worse if I don't take my multi vits, vit c twice a day, omega 3 and vit d.

    I recently did a no sugar, no dairy, caprylic acid, pro biotic anti candida month and my other symptoms are gone.

    I bought some whey protein bars and was rolling on the floor in agony.

    Have you checked for candida?
  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
    edited February 2015
    chouflour wrote: »
    Full fat greek yogurt. Takeout chinese food on rice. Chow Fun. Eggnog. Milkshakes. Cream cheese frosting. Pasta with creamy sauce. Grilled cheese sandwiches. Bacon spread with peanut butter.

    I do the same thing - it hurts to eat, so eating is hard. I have gastroparesis, not IBS, but it's the pain and fullness more than the nausea that I struggle with. I'm still in a safe weight range, I'm also still losing 2-4lb/month.

    Sounds to me like you haven't found a solution yet! Why advise on IBS which is probably more food intolerance based?

  • deviboy1592
    deviboy1592 Posts: 989 Member
    Had a lot of the same issues, found I have a gluten allergy, very tough to detect, started cutting out certain foods and helped tremendously. Now I have no more problems with bloating and Ive gained almost 10 lbs. If you want more info, pm me and we'll talk, I don't want to turn this into a healthy food vs junk food debate. Good luck
  • chouflour
    chouflour Posts: 193 Member
    Springfield1970 wrote: »
    chouflour wrote: »
    Full fat greek yogurt. Takeout chinese food on rice. Chow Fun. Eggnog. Milkshakes. Cream cheese frosting. Pasta with creamy sauce. Grilled cheese sandwiches. Bacon spread with peanut butter.

    I do the same thing - it hurts to eat, so eating is hard. I have gastroparesis, not IBS, but it's the pain and fullness more than the nausea that I struggle with. I'm still in a safe weight range, I'm also still losing 2-4lb/month.

    Sounds to me like you haven't found a solution yet! Why advise on IBS which is probably more food intolerance based?

    I didn't advise on IBS. The OP didn't ask for advice on IBS, she asked for calorie dense foods that don't need to be eaten in large quantities. I have a lot of experience with that.

    She asked about people who have lost weight due to digestive symptoms. I totally get the terror of losing weight, and worrying that you can't regain it. I understand what it's like to force yourself to eat to the point of discomfort at every meal.

    Gastroparesis isn't my only digestive diagnosis - it's just the one that causes me to lose weight. I'd be glad to talk about causes and treatments for a wide variety of digestive disorders, but this isn't the thread for that.



  • chouflour
    chouflour Posts: 193 Member
    trekkiechick16 wrote: »
    I have Ensure Plus but that makes me bloat a ton, as with protein shakes.

    Have you tried Boost or Orgain? Orgain is generally considered the easiest, but it's highly individual.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    I'm confused on how IBS effects weight gains. I belief it primarily affects the colon, yes?
  • MarvelousMrs
    MarvelousMrs Posts: 197 Member
    Chieflrg wrote: »
    I'm confused on how IBS effects weight gains. I belief it primarily affects the colon, yes?

    I suffer from IBS and my food choices are based on what doesn't trigger symptoms. While counting calories, I make good choices - but when my IBS flares up, calories don't matter anymore and all I'm trying to do is calm my system down. So I do often gain weight based on food choices when my IBS acts up.

  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    that's rough, I'm sorry. eating too much puts strain on the stomach too.
  • gio14
    gio14 Posts: 57 Member
    edited March 2015
    Damn.. I feel your pain I had all kinds of stomach issues, IBS, colitis, bunch of food allergies and lactose intolerant to top it off. I wasn't holding anything... so yeah trying to gain weight at this point is probably going to be very..very hard for you, cause if your like myself your just not holding anything and its extremely frustrating at the end of the day. It's most likely due to some foods that just cause your gut to be inflamed as hinted above and once that happens u just don't hold anything.

    I'm pretty much at about 95% at this point now. It took working with a doc and testing what foods caused the upset. Amongst the ones that messed with me was fried foods, spicy hot foods, any milk products, soy, creamy type foods, overly spiced foods just to name a few.

    I started with a bland diet to reset things for a few weeks, used okra (which is anmazing for your stomach btw) to help heal and strengthen my stomach then introduced some good bacteria in my gut and slowly introduced foods to see how I would react. At this point i just know my body and i know what triggers my stomach. I would recommend keeping a journal. I would definitely get this in order before trying to gain weight and upsetting your stomach further. As of today just I keep stomach soothing ingredients in my diet. I always have some Aloe Vera juice around, incorporate lots of ginger, take probiotics and most importantly stay away from my trigger foods. PM me if you would like some more insight, I've been thru the struggle and it sucks! Best of luck to u!!
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