I cant maintain weight and have a bad appetite

UnicornPower

I am currently just under 8 stone in weight but I cant maintain or gain any weight at all. I have several  health conditions which cause me chronic pain and make me lose my appetite and I cant eat some days due to this. Is there anything I can do to try gain weight or any supplements I can take to help me with my weight gain as some days I don't have the appetite for any food at all, due to my disabilities and suffering intense pain in my stomach? It stresses me and makes me feel low. Hope you can help me. 

Antonia_Alumni

Hi @UnicornPower thank you for sharing this with us. As we are not medical professionals, we can't offer advice on this. But please get in touch with your GP and keep us updated.

Sam_Alumni

Hi @UnicornPower
This sounds like a really difficult time or you, I am so sorry we missed your post! How are you getting on?

mumof22018

Yes the doctor can help u with that my friend was same and they gave her drinks etc so seeing ur gp is best good luck hope u feel better soon!

Snowbelle

Hi Unicornpower,
I would definitely recommend going to see your GP.  It might also help to ask them to refer you to a dietitian.  If you know how much weight you've been losing & in what amount of time then tell them those numbers.

There are high-calorie drinks that you might be prescribed e.g. Fortisip, fortijuice, Ensure (they come in different forms & flavours - if you are prescribed them then it might be worth asking if you can try a variety of types & flavours to begin with to work out what you like.  You might also be able to buy them over-the-counter from the pharmacy whilst you are waiting to see your GP or dietitian.

Full-fat milk is often given out in the hospital to elderly patients to encourage nutrition & weight maintenance, so might be worth seeing if you can regularly drink that.

Some people find that eating smaller more regular snacks or meals is easier to tolerate.

Smoothies can also be a good way to get nutrition when you're struggling e.g. I used to do a glass of milk (or almond milk), a banana, a handful of oats, and a bit of honey.  Or juicing fruit & vegetables can be a good way to get their vitamins & minerals (although you miss out on their fibre - using a nutribullet instead of a juicer would mean you would still get the fibre).

Fat contains a higher number of calories than carbohydrates or protein so increasing your fat intake may help e.g. nuts, avocados, oily fish, full fat milk, cheese etc.  Could add a bit of cream to your tea or coffee.  A dietitian should be able to advise on healthiest fats to increase.

Hope that helps a bit.