weight loss

[crankykk]

ok so correct me if i'm wrong but I thought during tx you lost weight, is this only for some or is it based on type of tx. thanx ...

[Diane12855]

Kind of reminds me of being pregnant.

Diane

[RobertBeWell]

I did drop five pounds after the first couple weeks, but moved back up over the next six weeks.

I haven't noticed a lot of change in my appetite level (it's *slightly* less),  however, my taste in food is COMPLETELY different and changes constantly. I'm finding myself having no desire at all for foods I used to love, and a strong appetite for things I never cared much for.

Additionally, my tastes often change from week to week.

Weird-o-rama.

[nygirl7]

I had no appetite at all and lots of nauseau - of course going hyperthyroid at week 24 didn't help at all, all i know is I looked like an old grey skeltal vampire. However; as Trin said boy oh boy after treatment those pounds just swooshed back on and my cholesterol went up up up.  It was kind of more fun before when I could eat all the fudgicles a day I wanted. ;)

[carol411]

I lost 40 pounds on tx, but 60 would have been better.  That 411 in my name is my height and with 60 extra pounds, one friend compared me to a basketball.  He was convinced that if he patted my head I would bounce around the room.  But I just didn't care to eat.  A sour jumpy stomach kept me from hunger so I only ate when I had to for the medicine.

[paen53]

My appetite was shot on tx, but thanks to protein drinks, I only lost 12 pounds over 72 weeks. But I looked like I lost more because my face was so gaunt. I had some nausea, especially late in the course, but little vomiting to accompany it. I was surprised I hadn't lost more.

[SusieS2010]

I do not believe that most people have nausea and vomiting on treatment. In fact the Pegasys package  insert says only 5% of people have nausea and vomiting. I think perhaps that more people lack appetite on treatment. However, some people have no GI adverse reactions but their fatigue makes them very much less active. And if you hang out on the couch or in bed, with the quart of ice cream and no exercise, you just might gain weight. In our support group it runs about half and half with almost  no one complaining about the nausea and vomiting.

[Diane12855]

You're right..sorry.

Diane

[Bali05]

great topic after Thanksgiving.......

[Diane12855]

You've got that right!!!! Add to that the fact that so many parents who are busy all the time keep their kids from complaining by giving them snack food, and we can see that we are setting our country up for a major health care crisis when this generation grows up.

One of the things I see a lot of that really concerns me are nice slim mothers and their fat teen age daughters. It's like the mom knows how to take care of herself and hasn't even bothered to teach her child how to eat right.

I tell you.. not eating when I feel emotionally or physically bad is HARD. Life long habits tend to pop up before you even think about it. I tried to remember that with my kids because I didn't want them to have to deal with it too.

Diane

[Trinity4]

"I know in my case, when I was little, my mom was the type that always soothed bad feelings with comfort food, and taught us kids to do the same."

I know you're not morbidly obese and this is off topic but yesterday we went out to a restaurant for Thanksgiving lunch.  There was a family of four sitting across from us, mom, dad and two kids and they were all morbidly obese.  The boy was about 8 yrs and the girl about 6 yrs.  I'm sure mom and dad are teaching them wonderful values like don't drink, don't smoke, don't do drugs etc.  But they have also taught them is it's OK to comfort themselves with food.  In other words, eat your emotions kids, it'll make you feel better.
That is sad because those little kids don't deserve having to run the risk of health problems at such a young age.  Not to mention the taunting and teasing they'll get from other children.  Many times when you see fat parents you see fat kids.

Trinity

[Trinity4]

The majority do lose weight but some people just don't.  Doesn't matter what brand of interferon or ribavirin because antiviral therapy as a whole seems to diminish the appetite regardless.  In my case I consumed smaller portions because I couldn't get down what I had been accustomed to eating but I ate whatever I wanted to and still lost weight.  Some people stay the same or actually gain weight on treatment which is hard for me to understand but it happens.  When you think about it though, we're trying to consume higher fat foods to enhance ribavirin absorption and those types of foods tend to stick the ribs more.  You have to be careful after treatment because it's easy to pack the pounds on and cholesterol shoots up with many too.

Trinity

[Diane12855]

Most people do loose a lot of weight. They have bad nausea and vomiting. Some people tend to want to totally avoid food when their stomach feels upset, so they loose lots of weight.

I know in my case, when I was little, my mom was the type that always soothed bad feelings with comfort food, and taught us kids to do the same. When I started having the nausea, I discovered that if I didn't let my stomach get completely empty, the nausea wasn't as bad. That paired with the inactivity that is caused by the anemia and the fatigue caused me to gain weight since I've been on tx.

Diane