Weight Gain since Stroke

[jo31]

Not sure if I put this in the right area so feel free to move it but here is my questions....

 

Has anyone had trouble with weight gain since your stroke? Has anything worked helping you to take the weight off? I have gained about 25-30lbs which can attributed to the medication and my inability to be as active as I was. I haven't increased my eating, I actually may be eating better as I am not at work for lunch eating burgers and fries. I currently work part time and will resume full time work at the begnning of next year.

[Blonde Eyes]

Yes, I have put on at least 20 to 25 pounds since my stroke (which was 8 months ago today). In the beginning, I lost about 20 pounds, because I was put on Topamax to control the seizures and help with the headache. When I was switched to Lyrica, I started putting on the weight quickly.

 

I came off Lyrica because of that reason (after 6 months), but had to go back on because of leg pain and brain burn. When I went back on, I noticed how ravenous it made me during the day.

 

I wish I could come off it completely, but until I heal some more or there is another alternative, I will have to put up with it.

 

Walking helps keep some of it under control, but that is difficult when I'm having trouble with my leg.

 

I'm no help, just sympathetic.

 

Lisa

[mikisteph]

Another one who has piled on the pounds since i had the stroke, my situation is complicated by being diabetic and being stuck in a wheelchair. I have been to the gymnasium and swimming at the pool and finally to a dietician whose considered opinion was that i would be doing very well to maintain my current weight, as far as losing any, forget it because the effects of medication and medical conditions make it very difficult.

 

Again i am no help and again just sympathetic

 

Mike

[jstern]

I wish I could be of an encouragement having a story of a terrific weight loss and how I did it, but , alas, my story is painfully the opposite. My stroke was nearly 6 years ago, and I gained about 25 pounds immediately and haven't been able to get rid of the same, nor have I found a way to stop the weight gain. This is a source of great depression for me, if only I could give my excess weight to my hubby who's lost 50-60 pounds over the past 18 months due to cancer, but everything he's lost I've gained and won't take back. It's not fair! But, who said life is fair?

I have left side deficet and cannot spend a lot of time on my feet, so the exercise more thing isn't a valid possibility.

I'm trying to not have a hateful attitude toward those who cannot(will not) understand what it's like to be in my shoes. As far as eating less,I eat about the same as my hubby, who hasn't gained an ounce and he's less active than I am.

Sorry, I hijacked your thread to vent my gripes! But you opened a festering sore with your question.

 

[jwatrous]

Yes - we are not as physical as we used to be, so weight gain is easy

June

[jo31]

No worries about the venting! I understand. I have always been active and fit and its a visual reminder of how much my life has changed. When I say I hate my body people react that I should accept it and we all get older and change. I'm 32!!!!! I should still be able to go to the gym, play volleyball, ski......... Now I can't it's hard to take and the weight gain just keeps reminding me. Of course my closet full of clothes that just don't fit anymore doesn't help. Working part time now with full time bills and I'm supposed to buy a new wardrobe?? Oh and I can't wear heels anymore as my balance just isn't there. I fall over in flats some days.

 

Sorry for venting I'm having a bad day..... Tried on 3 pairs of pants before I found one that fit this am.

[2ndChance]

I should still be able to go to the gym, play volleyball, ski........."

 

Stop shoulding on yourself! You are a 32 year old stroke survivor now. You're lucky you can get out of bed by yourself.

 

I gained 80 pounds after my stroke. I've been losing steadily since restricting my diet and eliminating my Trazodone.

[tom71]

I too had piled on the pounds, but after being totally disgusted by the person staring back at me in the mirror, I have found a way to lose it, I became motivated by the biggest loser tv show, bought the book, made a lifestyle change and retook control of my life, so far I have lost 70lbs, and still want to lose 15-20 more, which should be no problem.

God Bless,

Tom

[dorothy]

Tom, Way to go !! :happydance:

Keep up the good work !!

That is amazing ! :Clap-Hands:

Weight control is such a big thing.

[TOM HOLUB]

I've gained 40 to 50 pounds since my stroke in March 2002. Befgore the stroke I ran marathons so the lack of aerobic exercise is killing me, I walk now with a cane and AFO. I bought a NuStep exercise machine (sortiof a recumbent elliptical machine) that helps. Ii also belong to the local Y and use their elevated track for walking It's still a bit depressing to only walk a quarter to half a mile when I used to run 8 miles a day. My sugar level has also climbed so I'm on a Sugar Busters diet which seems to be helping. The holidays are very tough, especially becausen I have a wife who is a terrific baker. I'm assuming with continued work on the diet and exercise,

I will start to see more progress.

 

 

tom holub

[kanderson]

i too have put on the weight, i am disgusting, i have always had to watch my weight, but now, with less exercise and numerous other factors, i cannot stand to look anymore, my husband trys to grocery shop and buy the right things but not always, i get bored and lonely which contributes to my bad snacking habits at times. i dont even want to say how much i have gained. it is so depressing. kimmie

[anna2]

yipes! the weight gain is a touchy topic in our household. hubby thinks its all about having lost the determination i was known for I know its more about being less active physically. no more swimming, horseriding and other activities to help burn calorieswhile the diet hasnt changed so dramatically. I do try to watch how much I eat. Managed to shed about 5 kgs before Ihit a roadblock. need to lose another five to reach my target.

Sorry, no magic formula here either, but I do understand

anna

[Aussie Ken]

I feel very lucky since the stroke i lost over 20kg (sorry but we use metric in Aussie) in the first 4 months whist in hospital, since i've been home (over 2 years) i haven't put on any or lost it considering i sit around most of the day except for physio and laps of the hallway. Kathy keeps a close watch on my diet.

I just wished i didn't eat the junk food years ago.

[janiem]

Sadly, I also gained a huge amount of weight, partly because of my medications, and partly because I have to sit so much at work. I'm very good about what I eat, so I never felt changing my diet would help me this time. I

[hemideb]

Yes - BUT I am planning to do something I am feeling very intimidated about. After spending my life as an athlete, then stroking, now being WAY out of shape....

 

.... I am going to try to spend TEN minutes on my elliptical trainer today! I am healthy enough for it not to be harmful. I have the okay. I'm just scared!

 

It's a New Year thing.

 

 

[smarshall]

Hi jo,

Me too; goes with the territory usually. (I even have exercise equipment - THAT I USE!!!) Sometimes I think as a stroke survivor I'm doomed; I only exercise when I'm ok physically to do it; and unfortunately that hasn't been often enough to take the added pounds off.

Susan :cold:

[msbrandon924]

YES, I HAVE PUT ON ALOT OF WEIGHT, SINCE MY STROKE IN 1998. ALL THE MEDS, LIMITED EXCERISE, I'M GLAD THAT I READ THIS BLOG. I THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY ME. I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING AND NOTHING SEEMS TO WORK. I DO BELIVE IT'S THE MEDS, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, HIGH CHOLESTROL, AND NOW I HAVE RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME, SO THAT'S A NEW MED. AND HAVE LUMBAR PROBLEMS WITH MY BACK. SO , I DEFINTELY CAN RELATE TO EVERYONE ABOUT WEIGHT GAIN, BUT ONE THING IS FOR SURE, I DO HAVE MY LIFE (NOT PERFECT), BUT I'M ALIVE. :Clap-Hands:

[mikisteph]

Hello all,

 

Weight gain is a fremendous problem and not one that has an easy answer, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, other medication and the inactivity that goes with stroke make it all very difficult to even stabilise weight never mind lose weight. For any that are trying, and that is probably most of us, i wish you well.

 

Mike

[alpinejunkie]

First and most important DO NOT GIVE UP!! If it is important to you simply find a way that works for you. There is a way that will work with your new stroke body and stroke lifestyle, you just need to find it. Sometimes it's hard just because we CAN remember what the past was like. I was a cyclist and a junkie for mountaineering. I used to do all sorts of stuff to burn the calories. There were some days I'd have to eat 2000+ calories just to replace what I burned in my workouts. Now if I eat more than 1800 calories per day I get fat, make that fatter!

 

I've lost quite a few pounds. It is so so much harder when you can't be active. But then a lot of things are harder after we become strokers so we get used to that. One thing that helped me was to write down everything I ate. I know it sounds old fasioned but I was amazed how much more I was eating than I thought. I found this way cool software called Calorie King. It makes it super easy to track everything you eat. I am still about 10 pounds over what I want to weigh but heck I don't need to fit into that climbing harness anymore anyway and I don't torture the neighbors by wearing lycra when I cycle.

[Phyllis4732]

Oh yeah......The food in step down wasn't so great and I couldn't drink what I loved- Pepsi (Not diet). It just tasted awful to me and my weight either went down or stayed the same but then I came home. The Dr. said not to try to loose it then - but of course not now- I gained at least 20 -25 lbs. Hard trying to get it off now. BTW, I refound my love of Pepsi. That doesn'y help.

[jkirshenbaum]

I, too, gained weight after my stroke, mainly because I figured what the hell? I might not be here next week, so why not eat the things I like but have avoided to keep trim. So, I ate a bag of potato chips a day and gigantic chocolate cookies. Two Klondikes for breakfast. I gained 14 pounds. Three years later [2005] I got serious and decided to lose the weight. Here is what I did: no desserts, no chips and cookies; turkey bacon and an apple for breakfast; some nuts at 10:30 a.m. as a snack; an orange and a banana for lunch; a 100 calorie bag of cookies as a snack at about 3 p.m.; a normal dinner, no starch. I am back to a very trim 101 pounds. Took me 6 months to do it. There was some expense involved: my clothes got too big and I had to take them to the tailor to alter them to fit.

Good luck with the weight loss.

[jackietoo]

I too have gained weight since my stroke, I used to weigh 120, and worked every day at a state mental institution in nursing.... now I am a LOT less active, but eat the same as I used to. I KNOW WHY I gained weight, but can't seem to lose the weight....... activities just exhaust me! I bought an exercise bike, ride it a couple times a day, but that is about all I can do!

 

So HOW do I lose the weight? I don't eat junk food much, its the lack of exercise for me! :Tantrum: :Tantrum:

[Mywife]

I too have gained weight since my stroke. While in the hospital, I had a feeding tube because food tasted aweful to me. Since I wasn't eating, I lost about 50 pounds in the hospital. I came home from the hospital, found my love for food again. I went from not eating, to eating. I think I have gained those 50 pounds back. I started weight Watchers about a week ago, and determined to loose that and more. My endurance is not what it should be, so that, and eating again helped me to put the weight on I think. . Weight Watchers worked for me once, so I am determined to make it work again. The key is to watch what you eat and get in as much physical activity as you can. Good luck! :cheer:

 

 

 

 

Tara

[bella]

I,too, have gained since my stroke...6 years ago. I hate looking at myself sometimes. so much has changed(not just the weight). just given how many of us are in the same boat really helps understand the why's of the weight gain. we really can't blame ourselves, totally. these are unusual circumstances we are living with!

 

*congrats to all who have battled and found success :Clap-Hands:

 

beth

[alpinejunkie]

My wife and I went to Walmart to buy some wiper blades for the car yesterday. Some evil manager had put a display of "theater" candy on sale for 88 cents per box. I came home with three of the big boxes you get at the movie. One each of Junior Mints, Hot Tamales and Milk Dudds. I'm going to be mad at myself for eating them but they have been soooooooo good. I haven't had these since I was a kid. Well maybe I won't be so mad ad myself. Giving in once every 24 years or so isn't to bad is it?