Weight GAIN with UC
Hi everybody, I am writing because I am struggling with my weight and the doctor's don't really seem to think its an issue.
Before I was diagnosed I was around 116 and 5'5 lbs. I was small, but I was 19 so makes sense. Ever since diagnosed, I have gained about 30 lbs. I believe around 15-20 of it has been normal weight due to growing, but there is now 5-10 lbs that I need to lose and can't figure out how to. My old doctor (I moved), told me I should be about 128 lbs, but was not concerned because I was 132. Now, at 24, I am 147 lbs. I am a lot heavier than I look as the nurses and doctors keep saying.
I eat extremely healthy and always listen to my body. I drink tons of water every day, and I work out around 5x a week. I just can't seem to lose any weight/ stop looking so puffy. I have been trying for 2 years and the scale just consistently goes up.
My doctor currently doesn't prioritize my weight, as she is glad that I have been feeling relatively healthy for the last year. I have occasional flare ups, but struggle mostly with sleeping, bloating, and energy.
My doctor just says to eat more and work out, but I am! I seem to have a few extra lbs that wont go away no matter what.
Wondering if anyone else struggles with weight loss with UC. I wish I could diet and eat salads, but that is not an option for me. I can eat very minimal vegetables and I eat almost no meat.
Does anyone else struggle with weight loss? Any ideas of something IBD related that could be causing this?
Thanks!
Hi JH!
I am so sorry to hear your frustrations with weight management, especially while dealing with UC.It is great that your doctor is focusing on your overall health rather than your weight, but I understand how frustrating it must be when you are not feeling like the best version of yourself, inside and out.
Please continue to use our site as a resource and support, and please let us know if there is anything else you need!
--Julie (InflammatoryBowelDisease.net Team Member)
Hi JH!
I am so sorry to hear your frustrations with weight management, especially while dealing with UC.It is great that your doctor is focusing on your overall health rather than your weight, but I understand how frustrating it must be when you are not feeling like the best version of yourself, inside and out.
Please continue to use our site as a resource and support, and please let us know if there is anything else you need!
--Julie (InflammatoryBowelDisease.net Team Member)
Hi JH,
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us. To be honest, my story is very similar. It took me a long time to get diagnosed with Crohn's disease, and during those years I was on and off of prednisone so much that it left me with lasting weight gain. For a long time, I couldn't eat much healthier/different due to my IBD, and I was unable to lose the weight. I was more than a little overweight, and this was something I was so so conscious of.
Honestly for me I knew that a diet would not be sustainable, and instead fought to change the way I looked at and utilized food. I know you said you don't eat a lot of meat, but I highly recommend focusing on lean proteins wherever you can. Are you able to tolerate fruits and/or veggies via smoothie? I found with things like apples that if I blended them, they didn't impact my stomach as much. The other thing I worked on was switching from white flour to whole grain (like with bread and pasta) - it seemed to help some.
Please know you're not alone!
Thinking of you,
Amanda (InflammatoryBowelDisease.net Team Member)
Hi
, I can definitely relate to your frustration. For me the weight gain came with the prolonged use of steroids and the swelling and puffiness was rampant.
Have you tried cutting dairy from your diet? I found that when I did that, and was off the steroid, the puffiness and swelling totally disappeared. Dairy is inflammatory in nature anyways, so it's good to stay away from it but if you consume it on the daily, that may be something to rid of to help with the weight. I know for me personally speaking, it completely changed my body. I am now way leaner than ever before. Just a thought! Maybe you will get the same results.
Wishing you the absolute best.
Always dancing,
Elizabeth (team member)
