I keep gaining weight

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Seahorse714

Member
Joined
May 24, 2015
Messages
21
Reason
DX UMND/PLS
Diagnosis
05/2015
Country
US
State
Fl
City
Summerland Key
Another big thing I frustrated with is my weight gain and I don't feel as if I am eating anymore than I used to. Exercising has become a chore. Any advice?
 
I don't have a weight gain. More a shifting of the sands. I am becoming my mother. I am getting a barrel body. I have a rowing machine that I can't use until my wrist is fixed.
I can no longer swim. No treadmill or stationary bike. Due to inactivity I now have osteoporosis and the side effects of the treatment drugs are prohibitive. Pre PLS I was
in excellent shape. At 60 I had a body and youthfulness of a 35 year old. I am not bragging as I realize that this scenario seems to be a common thread among us. I am
just reminiscing. I have no answers anymore about anything.
 
I am confined to a PWC so minimal exercise. These are things I do:

Breakfast - Coffee, toast or cereal with skim milk, yogurt to take pills, plate of fruit to eat during morning (apples, oranges, pears, kiwi, berries etc). Keeps me regular.

Lunch - Water and sandwich maybe a few cold vegetables (carrots, pickles or celery)

Dinner- Usually 3 vegetables and a meat or fish. Sometimes a pasta dish or a dinner salad. Usually water but sometimes a beer/wine.

Very rarely do I eat any snacks. Rarely any carbonated drinks. Even diet ones mess up your system. Rarely any deserts.
Keep salt to a minimum and minimal processed foods. I have managed to keep around 180# @ 6'1".
 
Sandy I too have gained weight. I live in a small cul-de-sac, so walk that everyday and have a spa everyday. That's it except for house work and shopping etc.
I'm TRYING to give up mocha, as I can't work off the calories like I used to.
I sleep copious amounts as well.
Unfortunately there are no easy answers.
I still don't have my final diagnosis, but my perth neurologist is very confident in PLS / Mills. I want to know which one, not either /or!
Adjustment is the worst, but once accepted will become easier to make adjustments.
Oh yeah...big girl here. 200 at 6foot. Lucky me.
J x
 
Tim started gaining weight as soon as he lost his limbs to the point that we were starting to have difficulty putting him in his chair or shower chair. Then he was diagnosed with diabetes, so I put him on a diet. He is now at a good weight, and we have stabilized it. We have figured out what he needs to take in to keep his weight steady. Of course he can't get food on his own and it is easy for me to put him on a diet. Our dog doesn't get any scraps so his weight is stable. Unfortunately, I am perfectly capable of getting food for myself and very little self control, so my weight is up.
Paulette
 
Thank you everyone!
 
Wow.. my husband is trying to gain weight. His doctor said he needed to gain weight as he has lost 15 pounds in a year with 8 in the past three months. He is 5'11 and now weighs under 140 pounds. Send some of the weight his way. Wish I could give him a few pounds.
 
Wow.. my husband is trying to gain weight. His doctor said he needed to gain weight as he has lost 15 pounds in a year with 8 in the past three months. He is 5'11 and now weighs under 140 pounds. Send some of the weight his way. Wish I could give him a few pounds.

I would so love to send him some of my extra kilos!
I've read maintaining weight is important for PALS.
All the best with your efforts there. You could search threads on how others do it, it's quite a common complaint I believe.
God bless, Janelle x
 
I have also gained weight since diagnosis. It's about a pound per month, which I think is mostly due to sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise, though I do admit my diet, which was mostly vegetarian, has become much more liberal.

I mean, if you have ALS, but are lucky enough to still be able chew, eat and swallow, who wants to just live on salads?

I used to work out regularly, but now I only walk distances of less than 100 feet. Anything longer requires my scooter, so not much caloric burn there. And, of course, I sleep a lot and nap also. Average 9 hours per night on Trilogy, though sometimes do 14. Not much caloric burn there either.
 
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Chris, I like your shifting of the sands comment. Exactly!
I am also dealing with a weight gain. Minor- 10 lbs over a year, but another thing that adds to a general feeling of "not well". I try to use the local pool (kiddie pool, it's warmer- the regular pool is cold enough to set off spasticity) as much as possible, as well I see a physio. Both cause me days of debilitating fatigue and, of all things, foot pain. I will keep at it as long as I can, or till I'm told I'm causing more harm than good.
As far as the weight gain goes? I suppose I could stop indulging in full cream in my coffee, beer or all the delicious things I like to treat myself with occasionally. But then again, maybe I won't. I chose not to eat prepackaged or processed foods years ago, and eat sometimes less than 1200cal per day- mostly vegetables and lean meat.
 
I've been told that a high fat / high calorie diet is the best thing I could do to help slow the rate of muscle degeneration. Despite the fact I have had a heart attack in the past (2005)
 
I tell my doctors that I have weighed more than my present weight but have never been anywhere near this fat! The sands have not only shifted, but, if I didn't know better, I would think I had ingested styrofoam. I am bigger everywhere except possibly my arms which are the only parts that get much exercise.

Apparently, this is something else to adjust to. I have always been a klutz but was strong for my size and reasonably well "stacked" until age 69 when this thing (PLS) hit.
 
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