Any ideas for gaining weight?

• By Skinny
• Posted February 20, 2008 at 5:48 am

Dear TK

Your post has been niggling away at me all morning! This may not be the answer you seek but here goes anyway ....practical advice based on lots of experience.....

I have been trying to gain weight for ages!! (hence my "name") Sorry to say, but the more I try the worse it gets! I can't think of a better recipe for weight loss - an imminent wedding with all the associated stress, dress and distress you are describing!! So I think it would reduce the stress to alter the dress anyway - or even consider getting another one that fits as a back up? Being realistic, It will be easier to change the dress than to gain so much weight that quickly. Then you can relax and enjoy the excitement of it all! If you do go for another dress, get some advice from a lingerie expert first and get yourself kitted out with some elaborate structurally supportive underwear that will allow subtle inclusion of some "chicken fillets" to compensate for the reduced breast tissue! I use Playtex "fits beautifully" and it does give me more confidence when I need to wear something smarter than usual.

By all means go the supplement route if you can cope with it - I find its all well and good but then I can't fit in meals as well - so the net calorie gain is lost on me! I'm better eating 6 small meals per day beginning with a big breakfast and reducing quantities as the day goes on. Eating when I am feeling full already is disastrous.

Too much fat will also slow your digestion down further - so be wary of high-calorie supplements with may also have a lot of fat in them. Suggest you have this conversation with your consultant because some sort of pro motility agent may help.

Exercise will stimulate your appetite; worrying will zap it completely. Recruit as much help with your wedding arrangements as you can muster.

My very best wishes to you, and hopefully we can all learn form any other replies that come your way! I have actually at last put on a few pounds recently so maybe one day I will change my name............

Skinny

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• By finallywell
• Posted February 20, 2008 at 8:29 am

I agree with Skinny. It's gonna be really hard to gain weight especially since the more you worry about it the more you're likely to loose. I did well with frozen vanilla yogert and creamy peanut butter eaten very slowly and in small amounts. (but you should probably check with a pro before you do anything.) Skinny's also right on about the wedding stress really being too much. I handed all of that stuff over to my family. I had zero stress, it didn't make me sick at all and the best part is now when my kids look at the pictures I can say "Aunt So and So did those flowers" I know that stress probably didn't cause your trouble, but I know it sure made mine alot worse.
Take care of yourself.

Marie

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• By docandkate
• Posted February 21, 2008 at 9:27 pm

Hello TK,
I will aggree with the other comments. I have gastroparesis, and know that if I tried to force a 10 lb. weight gain, it wouldn't be easy. I'd stick with whatever is currently working for you, and maybe try to add a little more easy and symple calories. If you are able to eat, then add protein drinks to it for weight gain, it may be too much volumn for your stomach to handle. Why not try something like frozen treats. Easily handled, nothing to prepare, If you can't tolerate dairy, try one of the tofu popcyclesor sandwiches. Tofutti makes a yummy chocolate fudge popcicle.

Yes, weddings are exciting which is similar to the stress feeling. Keep it simple, keep it sentimental. Believe me, all the guests want is to see the look between you and your husband's eyes. Don't worry about the party, they are there to celebrate YOU TWO. Hang on him, kiss him, show your love for him publicly. Find a different gown! I wish I could be there to help you! Talk them into taking the old one back- explain that you now have an incurable neuro-muscular disease. I found mostly nice people in the bridal shops. Definately wear the push-ups to give you a little more fullness. They have all that stuff there.

Choose your current best asset. Don't focus on what you lost. You are now a more concentrated YOU! Do you have a tiny waiste that most women would die for? A long neck, soft shoulders, a beautiful back? Find a focus. Choose a touchable fabric that is soft, that he won't be able to keep his hands off of. Or maybe you like sparkle. Focus on that instead of the loss.

Don't let this overshadow the beauty of being the bride to be. If you can't do it all, do what you can, and let it feel like concentrated joy. You'll have lots of photos to later relive the feeling over and over.

Good luck, we want to hear all about it!
Kate

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• By midsomersdream13
• Posted February 23, 2008 at 9:03 am

HI,

I was heavy when the GP hit. I lost 70 pds in about 6 months and now am at a stand still. I eat small meals all day..find your "good time" of day and use that to eat the protein and some carbs. White carbs are high in calorie and will add weight if you eat them throughout the day and can keep them down. One thing that helps me from throwing up is to eat very slowly. I am always the last one done but at least I dont' get sick. Pasta,cheese, white bread, peanut butter are all good things to bulk up with. I hope you can try to just relax and if you can't gain, don't worry, You will be beautiful to everyone, you are the bride and your fiance,friends and family won't mind a bit if your dress isn't exactly right or if you need a little help with the cleavage. Have fun and enjoy your day..!

Tina

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• By elisenda
• Posted March 26, 2008 at 11:59 pm

Hi darling,
I now how you feel. I was diagnosed with gastroparesis on October 2005 and got married on June 2006. I had really bad times by that time and I was 30lb less than normal (I was 110lb in September 2005 and I turned into a 80lb bride). They had to get my wedding-dress 3 times.

Worse than that I had a J-tube hanging underneath and my wedding dinner was chicken puree with chicken broth and watermelon juice.

You can think that's horrible... However, for me, that day was the most wonderful one in the world and I could jump and dance and cheer the most! My dear husband thought that I was the prettiest bride in the world and he cried even when I was coming into the church, but not because I was too skinny, but because he loved me.

So don't worry babe, you'll be fine, I am still struggling with GP, and other stuff that produced me (some psychological too). But with the love of my husband I can deal with it, even when the times looked completely horrible.

As far as ideas to gain weight (a part from j-feeding), I recommend Protein Shakes that you can find in any Health Store like GNC, Trader Joes, Whole Foods, etc. which contain almost no fat (Fat makes me throw up completely and go to the ER right away). So, I would drink some of those which are calorics and full of vitamins. In fact I am right now 96lb and most of it is thanks to those protein shakes. Also eating right things like fat free puddings with sugar and jello. Also try baby food, it needs a little bit of salt... but are tasty some times.

Best wishes and good luck!

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