Weight loss for thin people during tx

[catmagic0406]

I have not started tx yet.  Biopsy is scheduled and tx should begin in early July after everything is in place, insurance, all labs, etc.

From what I have read, weight loss is usually experienced during tx, mild, moderate, severe.  I am thin now, weigh 115 pounds and 5'3".  My concern is weight loss.  Ten pounds would be okay, not great, but okay.  But 15 or 20 pounds would render me not only skeletal in appearance but probably would cause other problems physically, internally.

Should I try to stuff myself with high calorie foods now?  I'm a grazer so I don't eat meals exactly.  I eat too much sugar as it is.  

Any experience of comments on this?  

Thank you.

[1oftheclub222]

I am on Peg/Rib, just about done with week 17.  5'3" was 120, now at 117.  I have been trying to do light weights for my arms, lunges, squats and sit ups for about the last 1.5 months to keep the muscle loss at bay...I don't do too much, maybe 15 or 20 min about 5 days a week, that's all i can muster up.  But the weight loss hasn't been too bad, my guy makes sure I eat, even when i'm not into it :).

[catmagic0406]

Thanks for the responses.  For some reason I am not getting notices of them - until a few days later.  Example, I just got notice of these last two today.

I turned into a couch potato a couple years ago.  I do NO exercise - nothing.  So even though my skin already hangs off my bones under my upper arms, I guess it's gonna do the same thing other places.  Butt sag ~ I see that one coming.  

I have no idea how tx will affect me, just as none of you did.  Now I'm finally slowed down enough and not freaking out constantly (I have to work on it), I'm just going one step at a time.  Next step is biopsy on May 22.  Being thin does have its advantages.  Easier for doc. to find a spot to insert the needle, and the liver is right there on the other side.  I hate the IV insertion more than anything else.

[brianmo]

I did Victrelis and weight at start was 114 and finish was 114. I thought for sure I would have a  weight loss but did loose muscle. Its coming back. I tried to eat as much protein as I could during tx to hang on to what muscle I could.  I looked so pale and bad during tx. Glad I did not  have weight loss.  If your doing the other tx you might be ok because of how much you have to eat which is a big challenge. I only had to have a small snack with my meds and even that got difficult.  Good luck

[babs824]

i weighed about 108 at start and ended about the same. lots of high fat smoothies and not much exercise kept weight normal. the muscle loss was obvious thought as arms tummy and thighs looked way older than my 65 yrs. i got right back to exercise, walking lifting and spinning and was back to normal in a few mos. try to keep calories to min of 2000 a day using avocado nut butter and full fat yogurt. cheese and bread are good too. best of luck.babs824

[catmagic0406]

I kept writing "think" instead of "thin"  ~ ha ~ "think or swim" or something.  I don't know.

I AM THIN.  Husband is THIN.  And now we pig out while I feel good - happy day.  Gonna go stock up on stuff I never used to eat - steak, hamburgers, etc.  I won't over-do but I will pack on some pounds somehow.  I may have to actually cook (gasp!) and sit down for meals (gasp!).  We don't even have a kitchen or dining table!  We have a counter that is half full of stuff.  Clear the counter and bring on the spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread.  Three meals a day maybe?  Now THAT is stretching it, but gee, no wonder I'm skin and bones (and showing my age - ever notice it's the skinny ladies whose faces fall down?)

[catmagic0406]

I'll be using Incivek.  And... I already was gaunt looking - age 65 and think and it's like my whole bottom face has fallen - jowls, deep wrinkles, all that.  This happened in the past YEAR.  Ha - up until this sudden progression of the nasty virus that is now esp. hungry, I was actually thinking about a mini face lift.  Yikes.  I'd say that takes a way back burner now.  Ha ha - yeah, maybe all those lower face wrinkles will just "poof out".  I had stopped eating red meat because of how it would affect my liver (I mean, it made me sick), but now that tx is around the corner, I'll get back into it.  I mean, how many people would LOVE to be able to eat greasy burgers with cheese and fries - and all kinds of high calorie stuff?  Milkshakes, here we come.  I will do that - work hard at putting on the pounds now.

Exercise - hmmm - I have lots of excuses on that one- this time of year in AZ is really hot - getting much hotter.  The local (well, 20 miles away) gyms so not for me.  BUT, I can dance my butt off in front of the tv with Sirius hard rock stations and do some push-ups for upper body strength.

Breakfast?  What is breakfast?  Well, guess I'm gonna start finding out.  No restaurant near here, but I can cook up eggs, bacon (I hate sausage), pancakes, etc.  I have always had a hard time eating in the morning, but that is going to change - have to eat that fat with my morning Incivek anyway.  My husband will love this - he is very think because...... I don't cook.

Thanks, all.

[flcyclist]

I was doing Inf/Riba and was also concerned about weight loss since I'm tall and thin.  Throughout the 48 week tx I didn't lose any weight, but as mentioned above did lose muscle mass and looked gaunt.  If your PI is Incivek, eating 20 grams of fat per dose will help keep the weight on.  I wouldn't worry too much since this might no be a major issue.  

[BoceprevirGal]

Hi cebean:  Do you know which one of the protease inhibitors you will be using?  The Victrelis has a 4 week lead in, with just the Interferon and Riba, and the Incivek starts all three at once, and their is a 20 grams of fat requirment, when you take you take your dose (actually, you eat 30 mins before the dose, I just found out) every 8 hrs.
   I have always been a medium build, but I didn't want to appear gaunt, so I beefed up a bit, before my Tx.  I am on the Victrelis, so I initially lost about 8 pounds, the first month, and I actually looked a little better. But then, when I added the Victrelis, it has to be taken with food as well, and I take the doses at 7 am, 3 pm and 11 pm, so...eating in the early morning and that late at night , tends to put pounds on peoiple. Plus, lots of us get hemolytic anemia on the Triple Tx, by 8 weeks, so I am too tired to ride my
bike like I used to, but I think I may start again.
  But yeah, I ended up gaining about 6 pounds on the Triple Tx, and I look flabby, but I was getting so wrinkled in the face, that the extra weight kind of poofed out the wrinkles, hah
  I remember you mentioning you were worried about being too thin, so if I were you, I would get proactive, and try to put a little weight on, so you dont worry about the weight loss later on.  If you like red meat, that's a good one, with a potato and a salad, it doesn't have to be large portions, but balanced and appetizing works for me.  Avacados have a ton of fat as well, so yu could do guacamole and chips, to graze with. Another thing that puts weight on, is going out to breakfast, and getting the scrambled eggs and bacon breakfast : )

[orphanedhawk]

Just to let you know, I looked so gaunt at the end of tx. My face was ashen, lean, extra wrinkly. Now the color has returned, and it's filled out.

Your suggestion about exercise is great. I'm a big proponent of keeping moving, stretching, etc throughout tx, as much or little as one is able :)

[Idyllic]

I'm 5'4" and weighed 115 when I started triple and the weight loss didn't render me that skeletal. I lost 13 pounds and so far have gained five pounds.

Unfortunately, based on what I see in the 9 women in my group the weight loss seems to be more muscle than it is fat. Plus, since women tend to lose weight from the top down, I can see it in all of our faces. We were all just talking about that the other day - about how in some way it seems like treatment has aged us a little (err...a lot).

Yes, your clothes may fit looser and I am not suggesting there won't be some fat loss just that muscle atrophy/loss seems a definite possibility. My BMI was 19.1 when I began treatment so my body fat was really low so I began investigating the relationship between protease inhibitors, weight loss and muscle atrophy. I found a link related to this but the protease inhibitors in the article dealt with those used to treat HCV.

What made me begin to wonder the type of weight loss that often happens with the protease inhibitors was something Magnum said in his post about he lost 22 pounds when he treated with Triple therapy:

"I lost 22 lbs in one month. Dr. Gish was concerned and said most was muscle mass due to the non-proliferation of protein enzymes by the liver."
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/Back-again---sort-of/show/1716602#post_7859984

My doctor echoed similar thoughts as well.

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The point I am getting with is stuffing yourself with high calorie foods may increase your weight however there is no guarantee it will be the weight you lose when you begin treatment.

I would say get in shape and eat healthier. I think those who are in some kind of degree of physical fitness when they treat are better able to cope with the rigors of treatment. That, and the weight loss may not appear as profound.  :)

[orphanedhawk]

Like you I'm thin.
Before beginning tx, my doctor suggested I put on weight.
Sugar isn't what adds calories.
Just go high on the carbs and dairy, bread pasta and cheese will put on the pounds.
The hardest thing is making your self eat more.
But I did it and so can you.:)