What are some tips on how to lose weight when you have Crohn's Disease?

Answer 1

I also have Crohn's disease. I'm a 16y.o female. I'm not sure how to lose weight with this disease because all my life I've eaten and eaten and eaten and never absorbed the food. I've finally reached my goal weight which my dietitian and doctors are happy about. Anyways, this is about you. Speak to your dietitian. Don't follow any of the fad diets because our gut is already screwed up enough. He/She will set you up on a diet that will give you results and will not harm your body. Hope it helped. All the best. It is unusual for Crohn's disease patients to ask how to lose weight.

Most Crohn's patients are very aware that rapid and dangerous weight loss can result from a flare up of the disease and many times, hospitalization can result from severe dehydration and weight loss. When the disease is in remission, a Crohn's patient can gain weight easily. Most doctors like to see a little extra weight on their patients as a hedge against the inevitable crisis period. A crisis period is when a Crohn's patient gets symptoms, know they are having a flare up of the disease but wait to seek medical advise hoping that the flare will be a short one. This can go on for weeks. Often by the time medical assistance is sought, the patient has lost a large amount of weight, is severely dehydrated and is in generally poor condition.

Answer 2

More often than not Crohn's disease, particularly when in a severe and/or acute stage, leads to dramatic weight loss. However, if steriods (frequently prescribed for Crohn's disease) has led to excess weight or natural weight gain has occured, the problems with eating the 'traditional' diet menu is difficult, if not impossible for someone with Crohns. Most people know that a healthy diet should contain your daily fruits and vegetables, throw in some nuts and pulses and a breakfast of grains or muesli with your low fat milk or yoghurt, don't forget your protein and essential fats, a good brisk walk and 'Voila!' - healthy weight loss. Not so easy if you have to avoid fibre like the plague. A piece of cake will have no effects - but a lettuce leaf or a slice of wholemeal bread will cause days of agonizing pain. You can't leave the house for fear of being away from a bathroom, and even if you could the Arthritis and/or fistulas or abscesses (or any other accompanying symptoms) causes distress and pain so even the brisk walk is out of the question too! So what do you do? The first thing is don't get too disheartened and the second is once you've finished reading this reply, contact your doctor and get referred to a Nutritionalist or similar health care professional. It really isn't a cop out answer, it simply is the best advice. Bloods can be taken to assess if you are lacking essential nutrients, they will be able to advise you on what is appropriate for you, what your body can digest, what your physical capabilities are, whether you'll be well enough to make food or have to buy pre-prepared produce. It's really important to get the right support for you as an individual - it is possible.

Answer 3

Taking in calories and not passing them back out through vomiting or defecation or urination. Any food that you can keep down will work. Your idea of keeping it on requires that you take in more calories than you expend in the same time frame. You expend calories just staying alive. You need solids or liquids which are dense in calories, hopefully nutritious at the same time. You may need to modify what you like to eat, into what you need to eat. This is a behavioral and sense of taste issue. There are calorie dense nutritional drinks, probably in the supermarket that you now use.

Answer 4

Yes. If you need to or "enjoy" dieting. Most doctors will advise not to go too far with a weight loss plan if you are prone to flares often as you could quickly find yourself malnourished and dehydrated. A bit overweight (not obese) during remissions is not considered harmful as you can drop 30 pounds very quickly with a severe flare of Crohns.
Some patients take the opportunity to over eat during remission and can add large amounts of excess weight simply because they can and at the time can eat without pain, something that does not happen when the Crohns is active.

Answer 5

I have Crohn's Disease, and therefore try to cope with it as best as I can. There are different challenges that I have to cope with, so here is a list of the challenge, and how I cope with it.

1.) Stomach Pains: Heating pad on my stomach, or a warm, not hot, bath

2.) Headaches: Lay down in a dark room, ice on my head, or sleeping

3.) Not Eating Certain Foods: I try to aviod these foods as best as I can, so I won't be tempted my them. For example, I love cheeseburgers, but they bother my stomach, so I try to aviod fast food restaurants.

If there are any problems that I missed, please tell me and I will add them to the list! :)

Answer 6

In severe cases of crohn's disease yes you can. Crohn's sometimes causes malnutrition in patients because people with the disease do not absorb the correct amount of nutrition that the body needs. Nausea is a common symptom of Crohn's which can lead to vomitting, which of course if you're vomiting up your meals you consequently are not going to be able to get vital nutrients. The same thing goes with diarrhea. Crohn's patients intestines don't absorb the proper nutrients through the waste in your intestines, so basically the needed nutrients is passing right through you not being able to be processed.

Answer 7

Most Crohn's patients are very aware that rapid and dangerous weight loss can result from a flare up of the disease and many times, hospitalization can result from severe dehydration and weight loss. When the disease is in remission, a Crohn's patient can usually gain weight easily. Twice daily meal supplements are often suggested. Liquid breakfast, Ensure or Boost all can be made into smoothies with the addition of some fruit and ice cream. Small meals taken several time per day can also add some meat to your bones after a particular bad flare and weight loss. Most doctors like to see a little extra weight on their patients as a hedge against the inevitable crisis period. A crisis period is when a Crohn's patient gets symptoms, they know they are having a flare up of the disease but wait to seek medical advise hoping that the flare will be a short one. This can go on for weeks. Often by the time medical assistance is sought, the patient has lost a large amount of weight, is severely dehydrated and is in generally poor condition. Pack a few extra pounds on when you can, don't go overboard, maintain a healthy balance.

Answer 8

Someone suffering from Crohn's disease should avoid most high fat and spicy foods. For a whole list of things to avoid check out http://www.webmd.com/ibd-crohns-disease/crohns-disease/creating-a-crohns-disease-diet-plan