Anyone else struggling with weight?

Bainesyk

I have mental health problems I have a stoma and fibromyalgia. I take tramadol co codamol 30/500 and I take 900ml of gabapentin. I’m really struggling with my weight I’ve gone up 2 stone in 18 month is anyone else struggling. I can’t walk too far without pain I try and push myself when I can and take my little dog with me I feel so guilty on the days I can’t .

Ami2301

Hi @Bainesyk welcome to the community! Sorry to hear this, have you spoken to your GP or consultant about your concerns?

Sam_Alumni

Welcome to the community @Bainesyk
I have a stoma and a couple of big hernias and so can't do physical exercise and my weight has gone up a lot in the past 6 months. It can be hard to maintain a healthy weight when you arent able to regularly exercise cant it! Also my stoma is an ileostomy and so certain foods like lettuce and salads can cause real issues for me with blockages.

It's worth speaking to your GP though and asking for their support. The NHS have a free 12 week diet and exercise plan here but it's always good to speak to your GP before changing diet/exercise when you have other conditions.

[Deleted User]

I have mental health problems and FM, I used to struggle with my weight a lot but then I started having other health problems and I've ended up losing 8 and a half stone. In all honesty, I feel no better with the weight loss, I feel just as bad if not worse. The GP's aren't really interested, they seem happy that I've lost weight, don't get me wrong, I'm also happy with losing weight but my worry is losing it due to health problems.. 

janer1967

Hi
I have gained weight too long story but I used to be 24 stone about 20 years ago but got this under control getting to 13 stone. I then became ill with infection after infection leading to sepsis on several occasions during this time I went down to 9 stone. However due to sepsis I had my leg amputated 18 months ago which has finally got rid of infections. But due to lack of mobility and being infection free I have piled on the weight again . I know I can help myself with better eating and getting more mobile but it isn't easy. But I won't let myself get back to where I was . 

Garza

one of the big problems I have with my weight is that there are simply not enough places that provide wheel on scales, I wish something could be done about this.

I think small changes in diet and exercise can help, cant really say if the meds you are on have an impact as i dont know them

thespiceman

Hello @Bainesyk..  Sorry to hear this.  Thank you for joining and sharing.

I am one of the team of community champions.. We guide, advise and help new members who join the forum.

Please can I suggest have a look at what your County Council can offer. Many councils have wellbeing community units.

That deal with community health.

I used them and with much success. You get a dedicated member of there team to advise and guide you.

Looking at all aspects of health, diet and fitness. No pressure in your own time.  If you feel do not wish to continue no problem.

Understand it is free.

I had health issues with coming off addiction.  Losing weight muscle wastage. Learnt a lot. Used this to gain qualifications to help my self.

Diet and Nutrition now back to the weight I want to be.

Use this to help and support members of our community.

My many recipes.

Please if I can help with anything pleas ask. You have been given some excellent links by @Sam_Scope.

Hope that helps you as well.

Pleasure to meet you.

Take care.

@thespiceman

Tra7cy

I have put on **** loads of weight since my body has been debilitated, used to be a steady 9.5 stone went up to 16.5 stone finally now I'm 13, but it's not thru exercise, it's thru not being able to cook and eat. My muscle mass has gone completely, I used to be a gymnast! I can still do the splits when I call **** over tit! ??

benjamintolmer

You can also try yoga and exercise which might be very helpful for you.

smitha

I am struggling to burn my belly fats over the last year. I tried out many methods to lose inches. From last 3 months, I am taking a weight loss supplement named Super MIC B12 which has active ingredients benefits. I lost up to 3 inches in one and a half week. I think it is a better way to lose weight because it doesn't require any prescription to purchase it nor it has any side effects on the body. It is also well-known as Lipo B Shots in the market. [Removed by moderator]

thespiceman

Hello @smitha Pleased to meet you welcome.

Thank you for joining and sharing.

I am one of the team of community champions. Who guide, advise and help new members.

Sorry to tell you do not believe in weight loss supplements.  Often can be a problem.  Leading to be relied on to lose weight.

Many have high sodium content. Others can cause laxative problems and issues.

I know this because have the knowledge and personal experience plus qualifications.

Done a lot of research into looking at nutrition, diet and wellbeing.

Had weight issues ballooned up due  to addiction history and junk food diet. The just ended up losing weight a lot when coming off. Plus muscle mass.

Only safe way to lose weight is two ways. First one is contact those who can advise and give you the correct information.

These are as I have explained in my post.  The originator of the post. Wellbeing community units. Run by council services.

You get a lot to advice and information.

Had year with wellbeing service looking at Nutrition, diet . Got a lot of positive support and it helped me to think about food.  The way we eat and everything around that.

Got qualifications and knowledge which I use to educate my self and others who need it.

Also second Nutrition and food science a lot of aspects of diet are about that.

Read the books of  Doctor  Ian Marber who is a Nutritionist and has many other food science qualifications.

Combined proper controls on portions plus exercise can help to maintain a good lifestyle.

Also his books and websites are very scientific and that is somewhere something we to know. The science of food. The coloration of energy and food is a complex one and often confusing. Those people who had success and those who do not but have the same body shape and yet can not lose weight.

Having a balanced diet and vary it. Fat is not the enemy . This is a misnomer we need fats to have and regulate the bodies systems.

Olive oil, Rapeseed Oil  Nuts ,Oily Fish are good sources of fats we should be taking.

I for example eat Peanut Butter. Considered a unhealthy fat not so. Yet we think so,, so much misinformation out there.

Usually by those who are marketing the products.  Just because it says this is this safe.

My concern. 

I would never replace a meal with a supplement could be harmful.

You need to be careful. From one who knows.

As losing weight body could not handle it. Kept getting palpitations . Chest pains.  Not used to having to pump harder the heart so needs to regulate blood pressure.

A visit to the hospital was due.  Understand I was OK but have and do anxiety over any such diets or lifestyle changes. With out consulting the right people who know.

Crash dieting and losing weight quickly can be a source of this.

Besides it costs money these supplements many of these have sometimes not enough of the ingredient in them to help you.  To losing the weight

According to the research by WHICH magazine.

Might not be what you are taking .  Could be other aspects.

Something to consider.

Please can I advise need to speak to your Doctor before doing any diet or lifestyle changes.

Hope that helps you understand.

Please if I can help with anything please ask.

Take care.

@thespiceman

davet

Hi, I too had a weght problem following my stroke, having played premier amatuer rugby league for many years, my playing weight was around eleven and a half stone but this went up to almost fifteen, I was very used to trying to add weight before the season started and losing it after the season obviously exercise played a big part in losing weight but so did watching what I ate I didnt go in for fancy diets I simply cut down a little on my food intake and tried to be sensible, out went the bacon sandwich for breakfast, in came cereals, cornish pastie for lunch out, sensible sandwich in with no crisps, dinner was usually the same but smaller amounts, snacks were out replaced by fruit, this was my usual regime and one season when I was carrying a serious injury and couldnt exercise I lost two stone in three months,  sensible eating could be your answer

Waylay

Gabapentin is known to cause weight gain in some people. Not helpful if you need it, obviously.

When I first became disabled I had been very fit. I went from exercising every day to lying on the floor 24/7. It didn't occur to me that I needed to eat less because I still had so much muscle mass, and I was on opioids and benzos, but over 4 months I went from 10 to 11.7 stone (doesn't seem like much, but I lost tons of muscle and replaced it with fat). Once I figured it out I dropped my food intake a lot, and I eliminated sugar almost entirely*. I lost some weight, very slowly, but I needed to be able to move a bit more to lose more. Once I'd had surgery I started to do isometric exercises**. Later on I started to do really small weight-lifting exercises***.

* The total calories one eats/drinks - calories used up through exercise is the most important part of weight loss, but for decades, fat has been labelled the 'bad guy' in diet and nutrition. In recent years, a number of research studies have shown that fat is no worse for us than carbohydrate. In fact, diets that are low in carbohydrate and high in fat are now widely regarded as being healthier,  particularly in terms of blood glucose control and weight loss, than low fat, higher carb diet plans. Reduce sugars gradually, and add more healthy fats into your diet (from nuts, seeds, olive oil, fish).

** Isometrics involve very little movement, and they build a little muscle (not nearly as much as strength-training exercises involving more movement, but if you can't move much they can still help). Muscle burns more energy than fat, even when you're just lying around, so building muscle is good.

*** If you can move a bit more, you can lift small amounts of weight using muscles that you don't have problems with. This builds muscle in these areas. For example, my back, abdomen and legs were very unhappy, so I did little arm lifts: https://go4life.nia.nih.gov/exercise/overhead-arm-raise/

You don't need actual weights - you can use drink bottles and fill them with progressively larger amounts of water. Ask your GP or physio before starting anything like this tho!

Hope that helps. It worked for me, although it took a long time.

hollygirl

I have rheumatoid,fibromyalgia and osteoporosis also copd. My spine is degenating too,really healthy lol,I have gone from a size 8 to a size 18 in 2years,I’m also on tramadol and gabapentin but I think the gabapentin seems to be the thing that’s added the pounds and the steroids don’t help,I’d love some advice on how to lose some weight. I’m in a wheelchair and can’t walk I’m just so depressed about it 

thespiceman

Hello @hollygirl  Pleased to meet you.

Thank you for sharing. Sorry to hear your depressed. Understand a lot of the issues the community.

I think what is important speaking to your Doctor. They are there for advice and guidance.

Many surgeries do have members of the team they can call on.  Often Dieticians or Nutritionists.

I also if I can suggest.  Speak to your County Council. Do have a community health unit.

You can ask you Doctor about this. That is what they are there for.  They can refer you.

I know have used this myself. As I have stated in previous posts . They will work with you discuss options, choices and guide you to looking at the whole health history you have..

Very useful, informative and knowledgeable.

They do take clientele with disabilities. That is something they do.

They also may signpost you to relevant organisations.  To help, guide you with your disabilities.

Please if we can help and advise with anything. Please ask. We are here to be supportive as a community.

Ready to listen.

Please take care.

@thespiceman