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Gaining weight with gastroparesis

41jadestone
41jadestone Posts: 1 Member
edited February 18 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I am using this app to help me track my calories as I am dealing with gastroparesis and am struggling to eat enough calories.

I am an adult female and weigh 87 lbs right now due to having lost so much weight.

My calorie goal right now is 1200 (much lower than what I actually need). It’s so hard to eat enough with this condition! But I figure if I can at least hit 1200 a day I can maintain my weight while I try to heal from this condition (I had it back in college and healed from it completely so I know it’s possible)

Here’s my current approach:

A 500-700 calorie, 40 G protein smoothie for breakfast, liquids like juice and water during the day, a small solid food meal at night. A few squares of dark chocolate for dessert if I feel up to it. This is pretty much all I can stomach right now without feeling unwell. I find that if i have solid food for breakfast, I can hardly eat anything else for the rest of the day.

For exercise, I am walking a mile most days and doing light bodyweight exercises whenever I feel like it. I’m prioritizing lots of rest, sunshine, and keeping my stress low to try to heal my vagus nerve function.

My goal is to share my journey. I’ve recovered from this before so I know it’s possible. It just sucks right now though.

You don’t realize how much eating well is part of your wellbeing until you lose the ability to eat normally. It’s really sad. But I’m ready to fight this thing and figure out how to live my best life even with gastroparesis.

Here’s to staying positive!

Replies

  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,409 Member
    Recovery from GP absolutely is possible, I’m proof of that too! I think you have a strong plan, my only advice would be to minimize fat and fiber in your solid meal. It’s been years now and I’m still sensitive to too much of those. But I can eat salad and popcorn again, which I’m not sure I ever expected to be able to do comfortably.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,993 Member
    Having had my own stomach troubles the past months (currently semi stable) I totally understand the part about the impact of not being able to eat normally. Hope you feel better soon!
  • ginamisa
    ginamisa Posts: 21 Member
    I had my pancreas removed in Oct 2022, had complications got reopened 4 days later and a whole yr of complications. Went from 186-200lbs to 92 this week. Been fighting for the past 2yrs to keep weight above 100lbs. Gastroenterologists keep trying to blame, my gastric bypass surgery I had in 2002...at 5'2 was 286-300 lbs and got down to 170 but settled around 185 for like 20yrs....so doesn't make sense to me.... husband came across gastroparises and we went to the Dr and she agreed I have all the signs for it and gave me medication for it that appears to work however only I choose to only take it on days that it's a struggle for me to eat or want to eat....for the days after a few bites I can't even look at food...to avoid the neurological side affects.

    Was in the ER this past week 2x now...my health is suffering since the the surgery....believe during one of the 2 surgeries with the pancreas issues the vagus nerve got damaged and is causing all this, which could be the culprit of why I have all the signs of gastroparises...I've had many CT scans since and appears now esp with the latest CT scan which showed a bowel blockage forming....but the trend is showing my intentistines are full of poop which indicates my gastric system not working right...hence that's why the Dr says I'm loosing weight....I'm not digesting my food and blood tests have been showing im severely malnourished...anyhow now they want me to try miralax to see if that will help my appetite and help me gain weight....by clearing me out and improving my appetite...while taking the gastroparises medication at lower levels daily as shared with everything going on, I really don't want to risk the neurological side affects taking it long term can cause.

    It's s been a struggle as am so weak these days...took early retirement as brain fog and extreme fatigue....became a fall risk as have fallen several times and not able to get up on my own...working with PT on that....but it's a struggle to feel strong enough everyday to do PT...I have good days and been forcing 1700-2200 cals...but weight still falls off...anyhow,...am praying for answers and be able to get to atleast 120 lbs....and hold steady there....heck I'd take 110 lbs and be happy with it....if my kidneys ever fail am already on the kidney transplant list but was told they won't/can't perform the surgery if I'm below 105lbs as no room in my body to successfully do the surgery and I survive it..

    Normally, I love to eat but with having pain every time I eat or the extreme fatigue where I have to sleep after eating literally can't keep my eyes open for 45mins to 2hrs....it's no longer something I look forward to....but been like I said been trying to force myself... calories in.

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