I want to gain weight

[Lillupie]

hello,
 I know this is going to sound silly to  most of you. I really want to gain more weight! I have lost atleast 12lbs in the last 6 months. I know that doesnt sound like a lot. But it is to me. I am only 4'11", and with my dry weight I am down to 105lbs.
I cant fit any of my clothes any more. My boobs have shrunk half a cup size and I was small to begin with. Just no fat. lol

 What do you guys do to gain weight besides pour the meat down your throat? My albumin has been above 4.2 for the last few years.

Im hearing no bacon, which does have  alot of fat and no sausage, which has fat too. Now they said no flour. so I guess no dessert for me, not that I was a sweet person to begin with.
What is left for me??

Lisa

[Restorer]

No flour? Surely that's only if you're diabetic. White (not whole wheat) flour is just fine.

I'm eating cornbread with whipped cream right now. With butter and honey would be even better. The thing that made the most difference for me was having a clean kitchen and a dishwasher so I could cook without taking the energy to wash things before and after.

Bacon isn't a great choice because it's so salty, and most brands have added phosphates. The same often goes for sausage. As far as meats go, I like pot roast and pulled pork, which are both made with fatty cuts of meat. I add heavy cream, not milk or creamer, to my coffee. Sour candies are usually "free," since they're just sugar and flavorings, so you can boost calories that way.

Saute vegetables instead of steaming them. Slather butter on your corn. Have lots of bread with your salad. Drink soda or sweet tea or cranberry juice.

Fat is always free on the renal diet if you're trying to gain weight, and as long as you're not diabetic, so is refined sugar.

I'm 5'6" and 110 lbs, so even more underweight than you. I'm eating more now than I was a few months ago, but my weight still doesn't seem to be increasing at all, so I know what you mean. Good luck.

[Rerun]

Again, I push the "NePro" drink for dialysis patients.  You can order a six pack just to try it.  I like the Butter Pecan but there is Berry and Vanilla too.  It is high calorie, low potassium and low Phos and carb study.

Call Ross Nutrition:  1.800.986.8502

          Drink a can before bed.  It will make you feel full.

[jbeany]

It is a hard thing to accomplish on a renal diet - limited meat, cheese, chocolate, peanut butter....all those fatty things that would add pounds in a hurry.  Your real option here is probably sugar, sugar and more sugar.  As long as you aren't diabetic, there's no restriction on that.  Sugar cookies, lollipops, hard candy, taffy, caramels maybe...  just double check ingredients on line to make sure you don't end up with something sneaky high in phos or potassium.  Also, as long as it's white flour, then yes, it should be fine - which gets you bread and pasta.  Maybe some good crusty bread dipped in olive oil for a dinner appetizer?

[chook]

I lost almost 10kg post tx and am gaining slowly again. The drugs have pushed my cholesterol up, however to gain weight I drink milkshakes from full cream milk, adding icecream and sugar. That always seems to add weight for e and is easier to stomach than a sit down meal when my appetite is not so good. I figure when my energy levels and wieght are back to normal, I'll watch out for the bad fats then. Good luck!

[Lindia]

Don't you do PD ? ?     Arent' those restrictions a little different from hemo ?      Milkshakes and icecream sound good to me, if you can have milk.    Also - unsalted butter -- YUM !    And I loves me some cornbread, butter and honey.   Also -  cooked rice, with butter and honey.   

Hopefully - some PD people will also have suggestions.   GOOD LUCK !

[Riki]

you may have some of mine.. *L*  I'm a little more than 5 feet tall, and am close to 230lbs.. I can definitely stand to lose

[kristina]

Hello. Lillupie,

Could it be that your weight-loss is due to a lupus-flare-up?
I am just wondering because I once lost lots of weight
and it was due to a Lupus/MCTD-flare-up.

Good luck from Kristina.

[mykey711]

Ice Creme, Ensure. if you're not a diabetic

[Lillupie]

hi,
 hate to admit it but that would be nice and be able to get back on steroids that will help me to gain weight. But i have not had a lupus symptom in 12 years.

Lisa

Hello. Lillupie,

Could it be that your weight-loss is due to a lupus-flare-up?
I am just wondering because I once lost lots of weight
and it was due to a Lupus/MCTD-flare-up.

Good luck from Kristina.

[Restorer]

Oh, I forgot to mention: "premium" ice cream like Haagen-Dazs and Ben & Jerry's are better than cheaper brands. Look for something with more than 15 g of fat per 1/2 cup serving, with ingredients like milk and cream, and not skim milk. The single-serving $1 cups are perfect.

Right now I'm waiting for some brioche dough to rise. Rich breads like brioche, challah, and olive oil focaccia are good for getting more calories.

Are you losing weight because your appetite is low? My doctor prescribed megestrol, an appetite-increasing drug, when my protein was low.

[flipperfun]

I too have struggled with my weight for three years!  This year I have finally increased weight due to a better appetite, and, I make sure I eat snacks, cakes and biscuits, ice cream (not too often), cook using butter in mashed potatoes, (not too much potato) oil in cooking, extra butter on bread ladled with honey or jam.  Sugar on cereal and don't skimp on what you fancy eating (within reason) looking out for phos and potassium.

Good luck.
PS I often make Apple Cinnamon French Toast Strata from the Davita website http://www.davita.com/recipes/breakfast-and-brunch/apple-cinnamon-french-toast-strata/r/5766

[Lillupie]

yuck, im avoiding those drinks! lol
they tend to taste like milk to me.

Lisa

Again, I push the "NePro" drink for dialysis patients.  You can order a six pack just to try it.  I like the Butter Pecan but there is Berry and Vanilla too.  It is high calorie, low potassium and low Phos and carb study.

Call Ross Nutrition:  1.800.986.8502

          Drink a can before bed.  It will make you feel full.

[Lillupie]

And what is brioche bread? I dont think I have ever heard of that.
 Yeah I dont feel like eating anything. The foods that I can eat, im sick of. The foods I cant eat, I dont want to take more binders/horsepills. They are so huge.
So I just say forget it. I generally eat only one meal a day.

Lisa

Right now I'm waiting for some brioche dough to rise. Rich breads like brioche, challah, and olive oil focaccia are good for getting more calories.

Are you losing weight because your appetite is low? My doctor prescribed megestrol, an appetite-increasing drug, when my protein was low.

[Restorer]

Brioche is sweet bread with lots of butter and eggs in the dough. Makes excellent French toast and burger buns.

I've taken to snacking on sourdough bread with butter, cream cheese, or jam. I keep ramen on hand - it's not great to eat on its own very often, but boil the noodles separately, then make broth with only part of the seasoning packet (or your own broth mixture, if you're up to it) and simmer some vegetables in it, maybe a few shrimp or pieces of chicken, add the noodles back in, maybe put a hard-boiled egg on top, and it's a real meal.

Thin rice noodles cook even faster than ramen, and have no sodium in them at all. There are prepackaged "instant" Thai rice noodle packs that come with a seasoning packet.

I don't follow absolutes anymore. The foods that I "can't have," I use as seasoning. A little bit of bacon in my pasta. A tiny sprinkling of cheese on my chili. A spoonful of hummus on a sandwich. Half an ounce of chocolate for dessert. It changes things up and makes the boring things taste better. Sometimes I just throw things in a pan and cook them and add more things until it tastes good, and put that over plain rice.

I know what it's like to not have the energy or motivation to cook. The only thing that helped for me was a change of scenery, a different kitchen that was easier to work in (mostly because it wasn't always piled chest-high with dirty dishes). Cooking really is the best way to have things that you can eat that taste good. The vast majority of affordable fast food is terrible for the renal diet.

*ramble ramble* Good luck. 

[lmunchkin]

you may have some of mine.. *L*  I'm a little more than 5 feet tall, and am close to 230lbs.. I can definitely stand to lose

Me too!  You are welcome to some of mine, Lisa!!!  How has it been going for you, other than the obvious?  Hadn't heard from you in awhile.  How are things with your fiancee/husband (couldnt remember if you got married yet or not)?

lmunchkin
 

[Rain]

I know how you feel. I lost a lot of weight when I started dialysis and I have trouble gaining.  Ithink it was because before dialysis I was getting all my calories from milk and diary and now I have yogurt maybe a few times a month and I use cream in cooking but only a little bit.

So what I've done is I started drinking Rice Milk daily (you get use to the taste),  with 130 calories per serving it's quick calories.  I also cook with different oils like coconut, butter, macadamia nut oil, lard and duck fat.  Coconut oil has a high amount of saturated fats and I tend to fry eggs or meat in it.  But it  only contains trace amount of potassium as the actually coconut does.

The other day I started getting cramps on dialysis, I was so happy, since it was near the end of treatment which means I gained weight.