unintended Weight loss/no appetite

[mattntp]

I am a newly diagnosed, longtime ms suspect. about 5 months ago I weighed about 175 and am a 28yr old man. I am 6ft3 so my BMI is about 21 which my doctor says is fine. I noticed the weight loss immediately and began trying to gain the weight back, without success.

I am not yet on any treatment(just got positive LP results yesterday) I havn't had much of an appetite since the summer. I had only been getting about 1200 calories a day. Last week I started into a 2600 calorie diet mostly following the swank diet, Yesterday I got home and my wife asked what I ate that day and I realized that I had only had a handful of almonds and some coffee. I just never feel hungry. I am beginning to look like Christian Bale in The Machinist. I have always been skinny, but I now look like a skeleton. Marijuana helps me eat, but cant smoke legally in my state or smoke in all social situations. I have trouble eating enough food, I must basically force feed myself. It feels like I must never stop eating. Does anybody else have this problem? Any tips to help with appetite?

[KoKo]

Hi Matt

I just never feel hungry.

I couldn't have said it better myself. (And I have said that!)

My appetite loss has been happening gradually over the years. The not feeling hungry used to be occasional and sporadic.

Now I would say that most of the time I don't feel hunger, and occasionally I do!

I recently bought some whey protein powder (which I saw was suggested here) because I'm concerned that I'm not getting enough protein. I've only been taking it for about a week now.

I have trouble eating enough food, I must basically force feed myself.

Matt, I really do get that. Although I do have times that are better than others. And if I'm trying to eat something that doesn't really appeal to me at the time of my non-hunger, forget it as it won't go in my mouth (much less down the hatch!)

Something that seems to stimulate my appetite is putting a little hot sauce, or ground cayenne pepper on my food. (But then I have a difficult time moving my arms and legs afterwards for awhile because of my body's heat intolerance! )

Also, it's worth mentioning that depression can cause a loss of appetite. I don't know how you're doing in that area, but thought I'd throw it out there for you to look at.

Hopefully Tara will have something to share about appetite stimulation.

Wishing you the best!

Take care,
KoKo

[Shashi]

I've lost about 15 lbs. since Thanksgiving. I haven't really done anything different with my diet other than trying to cut out sugar and fried stuff. But I still eat enough bad foods that I shouldn't have lost that much weight that fast. I don't seem to have much of an appetite either. I'm not complaining as I could stand to lose a lot more weight, but my family are a bit concerned that something else might be going on.

You should talk to your doctor about your weight loss and loss of appetite. Not everything is related to MS, and you need to be sure there's nothing more serious involved.

[mattntp]

I have told my GP, my Spine Surgeon and my Neurologist. none were concerned as my BMI is still in the healhy range for now. I was recently diagnosed and have started a new diet plan following the Swank diet suggestions while making sure to get enough healthy calories. Hopefully this healthy eating will help.

[nutritiontara]

Lost of appetite frequently results from Rx use. You didn't mention any medications? not the case.?
B vitamins will help stimulate your appetite and continue on with correcting other imbalances. Malnourishment and depression will exacerbate your problems; the Bs will help. Taking them could be uncomfortable on an empty stomach. Get a whole -food B complex and take small amounts, couple times/day.
There are several herbal suggestions on the internet...I don't have much experience with them.
I would recommend the whey protein. Use it several times a day in small amounts. This will keep you from wasting and could get the ball rolling. Good luck

[mattntp]

Thanks Tara

I am recently diagnosed, and just started the process of getting on Rebif. So, no it is not Rx related. I will add a vitamin B supplement. I just started to use muscle milk as a calorie/protein supplement. Hopefully just my increased awareness of what I am eating will turn me around. I am a bit embarrassed to admit that until about a month ago, I would eat fast food everyday for lunch and rarely eat breakfast. I am a 28yr old "healthy" male, and used to eat very unhealthy, but have never been overweight so I never had a reason to eat healthy until now. (stupid youth, I know)

[tommylee]

Marijuana helps me eat, but cant smoke legally in my state or smoke in all social situations. I have trouble eating enough food, I must basically force feed myself. It feels like I must never stop eating. Does anybody else have this problem? Any tips to help with appetite?

I am a 46 yo man with a similar problem (5'10'' 160lbs).
A few years ago I withered down to 143lbs. My fix has been switching to a very high proteen diet and I take 1 hit of reefer before every meal.
( I keep a smokeless one hitter in my car) Its not always easy, I am a christian family man and it does not fit my lifestyle.
Tic-tacs and lots of water help hide the stink but there is no way to hide it completely.

You could try Marinol but it is real expensive and does not work as well. (but it's legal in all 50 states.)

I am not a smoker and find it to be a dirty way to deal with my problems.... But it works.
160 lbs and a little stinky is better than 143 lbs sickly skinny?

Strength training also helps.

I also eat six eggs for breakfast every day. (Just put them raw into a blender with some frozen blueberry's and chug it.)
Been on this program for years and I stay between 155 and 165lbs.

Good luck on your quest.

[mayqueen]

Me too!

Hi Matt,

I'm going through the same thing. I was diagnosed with MS 2 1/2 yrs ago, but the appetite loss just started in the last 6 months. I have lost almost 20 lbs in 6 months - which, while not a rapid weight loss, is alarming because I was already thin to begin with. My BMI is about 17 right now.

My neuro didn't think the weight loss was a big deal, but my GP ordered some blood tests to rule out thyroid abnormality, etc. Everything came back normal.

I just want to stop losing weight! I am afraid to weigh myself, because every time I do I find that I have lost another pound or two. None of my clothes fit - I don't have a single pair of pants I can wear without a belt. If I don't stop losing, then my GP wants to do more tests.

I'm going to take the advice offered to you and add a B complex and protein powder. Hopefully that will do the trick for us both!

[rawksea76]

Hi,
I also have had appetite issues. My neuro won't even give me Provigil or any of the like for fatigue cause he says I will be so awake and active I will LOSE way too much more weight.

Anyway look at your MEDs thats what it was for me. I also have added a WHEY protein shake mixed with part water and part soy milk due to the HIGH potassium it contains and I can handle it better then cows. Used almond on occasion also.

Just make sure when you do eat it is something beneficial, with Protein for your muscles. You want to avoid the loss of muscle mass when you can in a healthy way.

Just my experience so I wish you luck in figuring it out.

[dm123]

Gosh, do I every wish we could swap out a little bit. The fatigue has me laying around more than usual. I end up with cookies, sweet tea, or some other sweet thing to try and get an energy surge. I know it is not the thing to do but, I sure the but word is used a lot.

My weight wet from 5'10" 171-174 to 194-195 in about a year. Steroids haven't help as the usually increase appetite. What is worse is my wife is a southern cook and cooks like Paula Dean. I love mashed potatoes. I was shocked to find out one reason they are so good is she uses a stick of butter to make a batch. The left-overs are formed into patties and fried. Fried chicken. Biscuits made with lard with butter and honey. Makes me hungry just thinking about it.

Get a Paula Dean cookbook. Drink a shot of Bourbon a day to help counter the effect on your coronary arteries about a half hour before supper. At least you will die smiling and full.

Maybe a more healthy way is supplement drinks from the grocery store.

Back when I was working out regularly, I drink a pint of 1/2 & 1/2 for a drink at lunch. Thats 1/2 milk and 1/2 cream to try and gain weight.

[jumpinjiminy]

I'm having weight loss and appetite issues as well. This happened to me last summer too - where I dropped about 15 pounds out of the blue. Then I gained it all back and then some over the course of four months, plateaued with that, and then started dropping again in August.

Part of the problem is lack of interest in food. Part of the problem is fatigue in preparing, planning, shopping and doing the clean up.

I've always been a healthy eater as far as content, but bulk is my problem. I've had to rely on protein shakes more than once to keep weight on. And when I have no appetite, those heavy foods like bachelor's and Paula Deen's cook chase away any appetite just thinking about eating them, smelling them, or even looking at them. It's odd.

I have been surviving on Boosts, Ensures, gatorades, honey in the tea, and whatever else I can throw in there to round out the one or two meals a day I can force down. And this is while on a fairly high dose of steroids. I'm a little more hungry, but not ravenous like my husband was when he was on it. He could eat an entire pizza - large! Or a dozen tacos! He gained 20 pounds in his first month on prednisone. I've lost weight on it! Despite this, my jeans are tighter. It must be fluid retention. Time to lymphatic massage that out!

I'm finding I need a concrete number of calories to set as a goal. There is no way I'm getting enough to maintain weight. It is not good.

[Windwalker]

I find it so intersting to hear that this "food aversion" issue is not unique to me and appears to be fairly prevelant among MS'ers.

For the past 15 years, I would go to the Doctor twice a year and for 15 years I weighed 170 lbs. every time...very consisent. Now I weigh 150, the twenty pound weight loss over 3 yrs. coinciding with the MS taking over my life.

What do you think it is that produces this effect in us?