Hi, friends:
This is my situation: I was diagnosed UC 8 years ago (I was 21), about the same time I started the gym. Curiously, before UC I was really skinny (49kg/108lb) I'm 170/5'7, and despite the fact I had constant inflammations and weight lost, my final balance before JPouch surgery was 69Kg/152lb, last January. However, after JPouch surgery I was 63Kg/139Lb and never could gain up again in the 3 months previous to takedown, since I got a blockage and thus dr. restricted very much my diet. My takedown was about 2 weeks ago and now I'm worried because I'm now 56Kg/123Lb, since I now have a worse diet - because I have to get used to my new digestive system. I can't eat lots of food and carbs (rice/pasta) are forbidden until I have more control over urgencies. I wonder if you could tell me your experiences about this, specially if it's normal to lose that big amount of weight, and if it's hard to recover it. The doctor said I could start the gym with very light weight next week, but my nutritionist doesn't agree, since I am eating really few food. She will tell me the right moment. But I feel bad about my look (OK, I have never been big, but now I'm really skinny) and I think I will never be able to recover what I have lost...
any help?
thanks in advance

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Jimmy Neutron,

Check out this video. I've seen it posted a few times before. If I remember correctly, if not Hopefully somebody will correct me but I think it is our own member "Curious."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDoujZ1K8ww

hey, keithO
Thanks for the video... wow! really impressing, although it's not for me: I'm small, and you and Curious are big. Actually I don't care very much being small (short), as long as I look fine. But still I have many concerns:
1-I have an ileoanal J Pouch - no cuff. So when I sat on a hard chair it seems to get upset: spasms and false alarm urgencies become often, I believe that's because the anastomosis is pressed. But anyway as long as I have that frequent-urgency problem I can't have a good diet. I remember when I had the colectomy 1 year ago, I got home in my bones, but I could eat everything and 3 months later I had recovered most of my weight - this time is different: I am losing weight because I can't eat... and I don't know how long it will last.

Finally, I thank for your support and I wonder if I could PM you once in a while for training tips or gym stuff... if you don't care!

Thanks and regards.

Well I am tall 6'2" but I am in no way a body builder or in good shape at the moment. I used to weigh about 190 and after a month in the hospital and my colectomy the day I got home I weighed 139. I too was scary skinny. Before I got sick I was a welder and was in shape just because my young metabolism and the nature of the job. I lifted weights a little in highschool but living in he shadow of Yosemite I did alot of hiking as well (hiked half dome twice starting at midnight under a full moon). That was before I got sick however. Now I am unable to do much in the way of exercise and have gained all my weight back and more, I am up to about 205 but with much less muscle than I had before. I haven't had my takedown yet and I am having another surgery to remove my rectal cuff and hope after that I can do some backpacking and hiking before I rush into my take down.

I'm sorry I can't be of any help about training, my motto has always been eat what you want but be active, go out side and see the country. That kept me in alright shape before UC but I am hoping I can live that a little longer after this next surgery then I think I may have to modify it a bit post takedown in the things I eat. Two weeks post takedown I don't think you can expect much in the way of varied diet but in the coming year you should adjust better and be able to eat more and more. Take it easy now and just test the water with different foods in the coming months. I understand being self conscious about your appearance as I was afraid to leave the house at my worst because of the fear of what people might think when they saw me but its still early in your recovery and adjustment period, I'm sure it can only get better from here.

Although your diet is restrictive you can get some extra calories and protein from ensure or boost. Ensure Plus has 350 calories and something like 13g of protein.

I lost a ton of weight and then could not put it on for a while after the takedown. It does take some time for the body to get used to the new equipment. I did eventually put on weight, more than I wanted to. Why can't you eat rice or pasta? Those would be good for carbs. How about protein shakes? Hope this helps.

Hi, Lizzie:
I don't know if you already read my profile: I had 2 temp. ileostomies: first was ending, and no problem with any food. Second was kind of loop (not exactly, but also implies that I had 40 cm of ileum out of service). This ileostomy was for 3 months - between JPouch surgery and takedown - and I realized that the external bag got inflated like a balloon when I ate rice/pasta. Probably because the 40cm are used for ending the absorption of carbs.
Currently I'm being advised by a nutritionist and since I have many false urgencies and most of them are due to gas, she has removed "BRAC" diet as an option for next weeks. I will see her about 2/3 times a week, so she can adapt the diet. But that's the reason why rice/pasta are not good for me now. It's curious: before I had the JPouch, with the ending ileostomy (without bowel) I never had problem with any kind of food, including dairies, beans, and Mexican Food...

For me it is the opposite. With the end ileo - I was prone to obstructions. With the j-pouch - so far I've been able to eat everything and anything. Seems to me 3 weeks is way to soon after takedown to start lifting weights. I think I waiting close to 10 weeks (although I can't remember exactly now) and I still ended up with a hernia.

It's curious: before I had the JPouch, with the ending ileostomy (without bowel) I never had problem with any kind of food, including dairies, beans, and Mexican Food...

This is common, you have very new plumbing and it's learning how to behave like a colon/rectum. It will take time for you to lose the sensations of frequency and urgencies. For me the takedown surgery was far more difficult than the colectomy and it was all due to how my body was adjusting to foods. I had a very limited diet for about the first 6 weeks post surgery. I did engage in exercise but limited it to walking. You need to be patient and understand that recovery from here on out will be marked in weeks or months, not days. You will gain weight and your pouch performance will get better.

Sue