It appears a lot of you guys have suffered from weight loss. This bothers me as I have gained weight, I'm currently 16st, weight only seems to have gotten to my belly as the rest of me has no excess fat, my stomach is round and hard not loose fatty looking.  I dont eat a lot, typical working day -  Morning : Cup of tea and 2 slices of toast.   Afternoon : (Pack lunch) 2 sandwiches normally filled with cold cooked ham/corned beef/Haslet,  bag of crisps, and a fruit pot and couple of bananas.   Evenings : If i'm peckish i'll grab a sarnie but most times I dont bother but will drink a couple of glasses of pure orange juice.

Now I know some of you are worried about your weight loss, but I wish I could drop a couple of stone especially of my belly.

I have the same problem! I have put on about 3 stone since I was diagnosed... and I hardly eat anything.
I can't seem to shift the weight and its very frustrating.
I blame the steroids I was put on.

Me too!!! Although now I have to eat low fibre diet I am filling up on bread etc cos I can't eat veg or salad in the quantity I was.  But I agree the steriods don't help.  Hate looking like this, everyone comments on how well I look cos I'm not thin, but they should know how I feel !

Seems like you might not be eating enough Meherwan, and it doesn't sound like a good balanced diet.

Have you considered you might be wheat intolerant?  Wheat is one of the main triggers with colitis.  It sounds like you're bloated if your stomach is hard.

I haven't lost any weight myself, but fortunately haven't gained any either.  I wish I could lose a little as I'm classed as obese, but hey ho, at least I'm stable in that respect!

I was overweight before the crohns kicked in, and since being on steroids I have put on more- I am currently doing weight watchers, but the crohns makes me so tired I have no energy to exercise with it cos I'm physically exhausted all the time!!

I thought I was the only one, but in a way its nice to know I'm not on my own, but it sucks that so many of us are going through this..

If you find anything that works then please do tell, but I agree it does sound like a wheat intolerance xx

Hi

So pleased to read this and know I'm not alone.  I've always had weight problems and ranged between 12-13 stone (5ft 4), however since being diagnosed and being on awful steroids I've gone up by 2 1/2 stone and just can't shift a pound.  I don't eat very much and what I do is very healthy; on the loo 20+ times a day and do exercise when I can (however joint problems and fatigue doesn't always make it possible).  When people hear that I have Crohns, the most common reaction is that most people with that are skin and bones and I feel that they just dont believe me, infact I thought my doctor was like that as well.  My consultant tells me that when I get better, the weight will just drop off and it is all to do with inflammation and holding water (which protects your body during times of inflammation).  Anyway, I'm on  a weight watchers program with my daughter at the moment, eating the same, exercising the same and she lost 5 pound last week and I lost none!  I've started to wonder if I would be able to have a gastric band but my husband  thinks I wouldn't be allowed to due to the crohns.  Just like Meherwan, my fat is on my belly but have fairly slim legs etc.  Look between 6-9 months pregnant and this variers during the day.

Guess we all just have to get on with it but good to hear I'm not alone x

Lou im with you on all what youve put, Even down to the weight, ive always been between 12/13 stone, when i was really bad i went to 11st 5lbs but put on steroids and with two weeks i was back at 12st 7lbs and thats where im at now and like you all i do is pick i dont really eat a full meal, but hey i suppose like you say thats all part of it , and we have to get used to it. tc all xxxsuexxx

This may sound a bit dramatic but.......Thank God I'm not the only one!!!!  I'm SO depressed at the moment because of my weight. I've had Crohn's for just over 20 years, and weight has never been an issue, in fact, like most 'Crohnies' i was underweight....... until the last few years.  I started putting on weight quite quickly, even though I was exercising and eating well.  I thought it was just my age, too much wine, etc etc! But then in October I had a massive flare up and ended up in hospital for 4 weeks. I lost a stone in that time which may sound like a lot but considering I'm 6 stone overweight, was vomiting and had diarrhoea for months, and was on no solid food for 2 months, a stone seems a bit pathetic! As soon as I started eating solid food, even though it was very limited and I was eating very small amounts and having to drink 3 fortisips a day just to keep my vitamins up, I started putting the weight back on again.  I then ended up having to have a bowel resection in March.  You would think with all that I'd have lost stones. But no! I had to go to Gastro dr on Friday and I've actually put on another half stone!!!! I could have cried...oh wait, I DID cry!!!  No one seems able to explain why I'm like this.  I've got myself a personal trainer, have been exercising regularly, and am eating well. nothing seems to help!  
I'm really sorry to rant but it's killing me.  I just want to feel like my old self again.
I don't know what to do..........I think I'll just have another custard tart....(just kidding!!!)

Hi Jennifer

I'm totally with you.  I also had a bowel resection last November and ended up putting on yet another 1/2stone - how can that be, when they've taken so much away from me?!  I'm also very depressed about it all.  It's bad enough having Crohns but I wouldn't have minded being so ill if I had come out 'slim', sounds shallow and I should be thankful that I'm alive but unless you're going through it yourself, it's hard to explain to anyone else.  My consultant just brushes it aside and looks at me as if I'm speaking another language!  My family are just fed up with me going on and keep telling me that I look fine but they are also aware of how little I eat and can;'t quite understand it.  I have recently gone back to work after being off for 9 months and everyone is on about how 'well' (fat) I look, I'm sure they must think I've been lying on a sofa eating chocolate for 9 months!

Lou, i know EXACTLY what you mean.  I'm sure there is an element of "it's in my genes" to be overweight, but it still doesn't seem fair when I'm not eating badly and I seem to spend quite a lot of time on the loo!! I'm so sick of people thinking I must be exaggerating my illness and eating like a piggy, so I've actually got myself a personal trainer!! I go to the gym regularly anyway - i hate it but I DO make myself go!-but felt that I needed to have someone there pushing me, so twice a week I get worked til I drop! plus I usually go another 1 or 2 times in the week.  I probably feel a bit better fitnesswise, but I still haven't lost weight and I still don't like going!

Jennifer -

I live just the other side of Southampton, Im newly diagnosed but have had a hard time over the last 20 years and now they figure out I have crohns, If you fancy meeting up for a cuppa somewhere in the lmddle, it be great to meet you.
Jo

Im dying for this to happen to me!!! I've had Crohns for 3 years and I've never been over 8 stone. Im 18 and tiny for my age, i look about 14. I stuggle so much to put on weight; i just don't seem to have an appatite, ever!! Any tips on how to put ON weight??

I meen no offence but I found this thread interesting as I have always had problems with weight, in the fact I cant put any on or if I can I cannot make it stay. I was always under the impression with crohns as your intestines are imflammed they do not absorb the nutrients from the food you eat hence the rapid weight loss.

by what you wrote down you dont eat much, Im currently eating a  stupid amount a food, I try to eat a small meal every 3 hours and take supplements to try and boost my carbs/protein etc.

Im sorry I didnt take a note of the name but I read somewhere that someone used to lose weight alot but then changed in the other direction. Is this possible?
please if im wrong do tell me as its only something I read.

and 'jodie.mcmonagle' to be honest there are no tips, just try to eat healthy and stay away from foods that may cause you problems. and most importantly try not to stress about it.

I have found that I put on a small amount of weight since being diagnosed with Crohns but not really anything dramatic and I've put it down to lifestyle changes as I am taking a bit less exercise these days due to trying to do stuff at venues with decent toiulet facilities which doesn't really include long walks in the New Forest!

Oh and if you're interested in a Southampton coffee meet-up, I'd be game

Nigel

i just can't seem to put weight on. it might creep up half a stone or so then bang, it's gone. everything just seems to pretty much go straight through. i was admitted to hospital when i hovvered just at 7 stone. took ages to pick myself up