CP Meds and Food

This may sound strange but does your medications and CP have an affect on your appitite and what foods you eat. We have had some threads lately that discusses if we like to cook, what we like to cook etc. I am one who loves to cook for my family but I don't care if I eat much. My wife is a little concerned as I have lost over 20 pounds in the last month. She told me that my pants are lookin g big on me and I have to wear a belt to hold up just about everything I own. With the SCS implanted 2 weeks ago, I can't wait to get my belt off when I get home. I had the transmitter placed above the belt line on the right side of my back. I normally sleep on my left side so that has been good as far as laying down.

I am not sure but I think the Lunesta that I am taking has affected how things taste and I have not wanted to eat much. I try and drink several bottles of citrus flavored water (no sweatners) each day but I eat very little. I know some people would love to have the problem of weight loss but am down 35 pounds since I started my surgeries last year. It is hard to find something that I think will taste good and then who wants to eat when you are not hungry. Last night I ate a small piece of carrot cake but all I ate all day was a bowl of cereal, a slice of cheese and some crackers with a couple cookies. Do any of you have the same problem and if so, what have you tried. I am thinking of trying to keep some healty snacks with me all day and try and keep snacking on them.

You know my appetite shifted and I think it started with my fusion surgery. I used to carry around an extra 20 lbs, which I put on when I quit smoking back in 1990. Then around the mid-1990's I changed my diet and got healthy and took off the 20 lbs. and kept them off until the past couple of years. Funny, I lost my taste for a lot of the 'comfort' foods during that time and had an appetite for mostly healthy things. And then can CP and eventually the fusion. The healthy things I used to love - like a large salad nearly every night (because I don't like veggies so this is how I got mine!) - and a nice piece of meat on my little grill I totally lost the taste for last year. And, of course, along with that started slowly returning to eating fast foods, fries, slowly putting the weight back on. The big hit came of course with those halloween M&M's that never left. And the 20 lbs. plus came back on. And has stayed.

When I lost the weight in the 90's I felt reasonably good, was healthy, could exercise. Now, well, you know. I really wonder about my cortisol levels, too, Patti, but then probably all of us have high cortisol levels with chronic health conditions and stress.

So now I've got this new thing in my life with Barrett's esophagus, and early cell changes. And this is scary. I need to take some of that weight back off, and I need to get back to eating healthy but it seems like it's one loss after another and I'm so tired of that. Couldn't I at least have my comfort foods, if I have to live with this CP? I guess not.

So, Patti, I may have to start taking a page from your book. But I wish I had my appetite back, because I did learn to change my eating habits before, but I wanted something to eat.

I think I am eating so crappy because I don't have an appetite. Does that makes sense???

I hope we can get a thread - maybe this one or another - where those of us struggling to eat healthy can support eachother. All these meds can't possibly be good for our GI systems, but then for the most part we have little choice.

Glad you started this fatherjohn.

PaLady

Well Hello Friends!
I just had to reply to this one! I love to eat! It's a the curse of growing up in an Itallian family. All my elders told me to clean my plate, have seconds, it's good for you, kids in Africa are starving and wish they could have that little peice of meat/fat on your plate and MUNGA~MUNGA!!! Now, I have to watch what I eat and suffer! I can't remember the last time I wasn't hungry! I eat when I'm happy, I eat, when I'm sad, stressed, cellebrating something, pissed off at something, starting something new or ending something, sick or healthy! I really do have a eating disorder! I'm 6'3" and around 275 right now but was over 300lbs as resient as last winter. I dream of not being hungry but it hasn't happend yet! Being w/ my wife now has been a blessing as I'm not overeating as much now. She also has me doing a lot of physicall chores, good for losing weight, not good for my CP!! I keep hoping that the smart guys & gals who research obesety will discover a cure for people like me! Until then, I'll be hungry!
Love Yuze Gise!!
Fat Hungry Pete!
PS>> FJ, after my prostatectomy, I was cut from my navel to my pelvic bone, I couldn't wear a belt as it would put the buckle right on my scare. I switched to suspenders and never looked back! You should try them! People think I'm trying to set some kind of fashion statement, I show them my scare which is crossed by last winter's hernia scare!! Looks like a cross!

PA and FJ,

Its a vicious cycle...and PA you are correct, CP wears on our hormone system, alot of people don't realize this, our sleep is interrupted not just because of the pain but because the pain has caused a disruption in our Cortisol levels, I had mine tested several times, I have too much at night and not enough during the day....interesting I can fight the fatigue during the day and make myself do things...which in turn just taxes the hormone/cortisol/adrenal levels further.   We are really like the walking dead (sorry for this but don't you feel like that sometimes?), we have severe pain, we take drugs, the pain is exhausting the drugs are supposed to cut the pain and then make us more tired..... so along comes meal time and seriously who has the energy to prepare healthy foods, its so much easier to grab a box of pasta and meat and wahlah theres a meal...not very healthy for anyone but especially we CP'ers.  Cooking and eating healthy takes effort! 

Just recently I've started making Sat or Sun my cooking days, this morning I stir fryed 4 different veggie dishes, so they are ready for me  to reheat.  I also made a huge salad with leafy greens lots of cucumbers, red peppers, carrots, tomato....the salad will stay fresh for 3-4 days so again it makes it easy to stay with my plan.

I do know that Acid reflux is reduced by cutting out foods that make acid, sugar, coconut pie lol, dairy, coffee..the more veggies we eat the more alkaline or pH balanced our body becomes preventing overacidification of the system.  You could also drink a green drink, like SuperGreens or Greens first or juice veggies!  I have a friend who is a Nutritionist and she says "small changes make big differences in the body" just start by making dinner your healthiest meal, mostly veggies, lots of good oil and you will notice big improvements within a few weeks.  She also recommends sipping lots of water with lemon throughout the day.

I guess my dream would be to be Oprah and have a cook  that way it would be done for me yup I could get into that very happily.....hahahaha!

Its not easy but it sure makes sense!

XXOO

Patti

Pete, As I was rereading your post I had to laugh. Maybe we could all get together compate scars. Now that would be a scary thing. To give you an idea, Your heighth and weight also stuck out to me. The guy that bent me in half when I was injured was 6'3" and weighed 250 and was 15 years younger than me. I weighed about 185 back then and I am 6'.

I love all of you so much!! 

XXOO
Patti

    Dear FatherJohn,

 

 

     I do not think my appetite has changed. I am or seem to be parched all the time, and take water everywhere thou. I have been unable to enjoy food fully for a very very long time. But! Never ending line of folks willing to try my new concotions and tell me what they think.

 

     *huggs*

   dani

Laurie, I think I might be in trouble. My wife came home and I told her what I made and I did not save any for her. I can relate with cooking and then when you sit down you just want to relax and eating seems to take effort. There are times that I can't hardly stand but I want to cook and when it is done so am I.

Pete, you are too much!

411111111111111111111111111111

i had severe nausea/vomiting with my meds so i am never hungry. plus the pills work better on an empty stomache. to me anyhow. my pcp switched me from phenegran to a drug called reglan, may be mispelled, but i have had no issues since taking it. also, when i feel sick my CP dr will always allow a phenegran shot. they think i might have ms so i am ok to stop in any time for torrodal or phenegran. like torrodal helps much, but its better than going to the ER and gambling with the drs. i hate their snide comments about my meds. i eat maybe 2 meals a day and never large ones, but i actually gained weight from it. though i am thirsty all the time. as long as i can hold down water to swallow my pills i feel good. you can always resort to toast or something if you feel bad. maybe discuss it with your dr and see if there is anything you can do to help. hope you feel better soon.