MS and weight gain

[ceceliaskye]

Hello all. I am wondering if anyone else has experienced problems with weight gain and flare ups. I admit I have not seen any real remission from symptoms in over a year. I have however gained over 30 pounds in the last few months. I have not started any new meds to cause this. But, I have also not been very mobile either. Is this common for others?

[Tawanda]

Have you been less active since you've been diagnosed? It has only been a year, so you've probably been too busy digesting (no pun intended) to the diagnosis to take care of yourself.

Now it's time to lace up your tennis shoes and reduce your calories. M.S., or no M.S., you need to burn off more than what you take in to lose weight.

I certainly have been less active since I was diagnosed and have had to make adjustments for not burning the calories I used to. I don't think M.S. makes you fat (in fact, a lot of people on this board have said they've gotten thinner), but I do think that many of us have become less active with the disease and need to take that into account when it comes to our nutrition and exercise.

It's kind of like the initial weight gain after having a baby or quitting smoking. You have to get on top of it as soon as possible because it won't be any easier to get off later!

Good luck. Sorry about the M.S. diagnosis.

[Hawkgirl]

My weight has fluctuated depending on the medication I'm taking. Sometimes what I'm taking kills my appetite and I lose weight and become quite thin. Other times I'm on something that makes me hungry and I put on weight. And other times it could just be bloating or retaining water. When you're on a lot of medication like some of us are, your weight can fluctuate.

But I have never heard of anyone gaining weight as a *symptom* of MS.

[valeriem2220]

I was just diagnosed Wednesday and my neuro did mention diet and exercise. He did tell me there will be some meds that will make me gain and also with the times of immobility with MS you will gain. So I am going to get ahead of the game here and get my body ready for this fight as much as I can.
I have a hard time working out as much as I would like but every little bit helps.

[woodstock]

Before my first diagnosed flare at the end of June, I went to the doctor in April because I literally gained 10 lbs over one night and there was no explanation. It's not unusual to have fluctuations up or down of a couple pounds from day to day, but never 10 lbs. I still haven't lost that.

I've thought alot about that time. I specifically recall at that time that I had a few (maybe 3-4) times when I stumbled over my feet which in retrospect may have been foot drop. I also recall having blurred vision around that time in the evenings and unusual feelings in my legs at night. Not sure if that was just related to an awful lot of stress I was going through at work at that time or if it was related to MS.

[Cat Mom]

Since I stopped working in Feb, 2007 I haven't gained a lot of weight but my body has definitely changed "shape". There are lumps, bumps and rolls where there weren't any before, my clothes fit differently. Also, check your medicine side effects, maybe some of your weight gain can be attributed to them.

[NickyOz]

Catmom,

I can relate to the bodyshape change. I am not overweight at all but I am careful with what I eat and I swim a lot. I don't want life to be harder than it already is.

However, I lost my ability to walk anaided or very far. This happened 6 months ago and never improved. One thing I always had was a flat stomach. Since my walking has been affectd I have got a very pronounced lprotuding belly - no matter how much I swim

I accept this change in my body as I accept so much now. but this happened very quickly