Low Calorie Nutritional Support

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Mary2

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Lost a loved one
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PALS has a girth that has gone from 44 inches to at least 49 inches since starting Kate Farms. I believe this is around a 40 pound gain, but he appears even heavier. I have a request in to speak with Emory's dietician. We started at 2200 calories per the dietician and then dropped to 1800 calories per ourselves but his caloric needs seem less than this. He is 77 and on bipap. Does anyone have any idea of what his caloric need probably is and what is a good feeding that is less caloric than Kate Farms that Medicare will pay for.
 
What is his current height and weight? Which Kate Farms product are you using?
Is he on traditional Medicare or an Advantage plan?
Kate is pretty high sugar, so I would look at Whole Story, Real Foods, and Liquid Hope. It may not be the calories per se, as much as empty calories.
 
He is 5 feet 10 inches and we started at 200 pounds and 44 inches. At 8 pounds per inch would be a 40 pound gain so 240. But he doesn't look 240 to me. 275 wouldn't surprise me. He is pre-diabetic but we haven't had blood drawn in several years. He is on traditional Medicare with a supplement. I never should have let it get this far. Absolutely every aspect of ALS care needs to be researched and questioned by the PALS and his/her family. He is using KateFarms standard 1.4 cal/ml 325 ml per bottle so 455 calories per bottle. He does still eat some foods 3 days a week when the caretaker is here.
 
Mary, I to found that I was having weight gain using Kate Farms 1.4 formula. I am 4'11" and weighed 104lbs when I had my peg placement. My dietician wrote the prescription for 4 cartons a day each at 455 calories per carton. Within 3 months I gained 14lbs. Of course at clinic they were thrilled that I increased my BMI. I explained to them that I worried about possibly putting on more weight so we decreased my intake to 3 cartons per day, 2 if I take a meal by mouth. I'm hoping that the weight gain plateaus and evens out. I hope your husband can find a happy medium.
 
Kate Farms is very high in carbs/sugar. They do have a lower calorie formula that is formulated for diabetic patients. Whole Story has powered formulas so you can mix it with water. You can also blend higher protein meals with a Vitamix. I do my breakfast that way and have a very balanced macro- and micro-nutrient content. I recently met a PALS on Facebook who uses a Vitamix to blend what her family eats for dinner and has two feeds of Liquid Hope earlier in the day.
 
I'm 5'9", 53yo. Just before DX I was 175#. After I was in my manual wheelchair I dropped to 155# due to muscle loss. A year ago before getting my trach and feeding tube I had a stretch of about 6 months where I was lucky if I could get 600 calories in. I lost to much weight and was malnourished. After trach and feeding tube surgery and some adjustments I have a good stable diet of three cartons of Isosource 1.5 (1125 calories) plus about 100 calories of juice and a liter of water. My weight is stable and my blood work is very good. Cholesterol, sugar, blood pressure all good. I know Isosource is a crappy corn syrup and canola oil contraption but it agrees with my stomach, provides stable bowels, doesn't bloat, is nutritionally complete and is covered by my insurance.
I'm paralyzed from the shoulders down, so there isn't much muscle to support. I feed through the tube twice a day and have water when I first wake up and once more between meals. This keeps CG work to a minimum. This just what works for me. Good luck
 
Thanks everyone for the response. Jimi that is 1200 calories is about what I eat. Getting my Pals to reduce to this level will be a challenge. Emory wants me to check his blood sugar and they say Whole Story, Real Foods and Liquid Hope are not covered by insurance. I have not spoken to the dietician. I think maybe insurance does cover at least one of them looking at the website. I have to do something different. I can't let him get any bigger. I will have to put time into this.
 
You can blend your own food too, but you do need a good quality Vitamix or similar. That way you can control the calories, and even make it that you give a mix of foods insurance covers and just cook for 2 and blend his portion up.
 
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