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Husband not gaining weight and remains under weight

Posted , 3 users are following.

FairyTaz
FairyTaz

Hiya everyone

my husband was diagnosed with ceoliac disease for some years now with lactose intolerance and no matter how much I feed him and how high fat they are, he remains under weight. He's 6ft tall and 9stone 3lbs, also age 28. He is so strict with the gluten and lactose free diet that he doesn't even eat out. Google suggests people can gain weight with ceoliac disease but this is not the case for him. 

Has anyone had this issue of having trouble gaining weight, if so, have you figured out a way of putting it on?

He doesn't eat breakfast but has a sandwich (gluten free) and a high fat snack for lunch and a large homemade evening meal. Then in the evening, at least 2 high fat or sugar snacks.

even though we are very careful with contamination, etc... Every few weeks he will have some symptom of the disease and always very gassy

thanks smile

1 like, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • FA54321
    FA54321 FairyTaz

    Posted

    Hi! Firstly, a good idea would be to keep a food diary, to check that gluten/wheat is not sneaking into his diet unnoticed.  I have found things with my own diet in the past that have sneaked under the radar. He needs to write everything down as he's eating it, to ensure he doesn't forget anything.

    If that isn't the case, he needs to go back to the doctor to check it isn't something else. There is something caused refractory disease, when people with coeliac disease still have symptoms and need the help of steroids. 

    Until you mentioned being gassy, the thing that came to mind was diabetes or a thyroid disorder. Once the doctors have ruled out other conditions, perhaps he could increase his carbohydrates rather than fats.  If you consider how people on the Atkins diet lost weight eating fat and high protein, consuming fats is not the answer and not good on a regular basis.

    You mention your husband is on a lactose free diet too, does he take any medication for any health conditions that might contain lactose?  I take medications for a few other health conditions and they contain lactose. Another thing I have found is I cannot eat codex wheat starch, (which is wheat with the gluten taken out) as I am very sensitive to wheat, regardless of the fact I have coeliac disease. Another thing to watch out for is gluten in lip balms or hand creams etc.

    Good luck with the detective work, as I know how tricky it can be trying to find out the cause.

    • FairyTaz
      FairyTaz FA54321

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply. I did consider refractory version but when I mentioned it to him, he says he couldn't possibly have that because he only has the symptoms he used to have every now and again. I will keep a diary and research everything he eats again to ensure there is no gluten as we are too picky with contamination for it to be that.

      no he takes no medication and doesn't use lip balms. He does have an awful lot of carbs but it's true, maybe the same amount of fat too, better get the balance right on that.

      symptoms he has all the time which has got worse over the years is the energy he has. He just wants to sleep all the time. Were abit scared of him having another blood test because the last one (his ceoliac test), he passed out cos he also had a folic acid defficiency.

      ill do all the checks you mentioned before mentioning a doctor to him. I don't know which ceoliacs version his uncle has as he doesn't stick to the diet at all

      thank you!! X

    • FA54321
      FA54321 FairyTaz

      Posted

      Some Coeliacs do seem to have a problem gaining weight, but the fact he gets symptoms now and then makes me think gluten is hidden in something. You say he has no energy and wants to sleep all the time, have you considered that he may have a problem with his thyroid? I know people think that it causes weight gain, but it is not always the case. The same can be said of people with diabetes. 

      If he needs another blood test, ask the nurse/phlebotomist if he can lie down on the examination table for it, to prevent him fainting. Does he take anything for the folic acid deficiency?

  • Pollyana
    Pollyana FairyTaz

    Posted

    Hello sorry to hear that your husband is still not gaining weight however, having been diagnosed with caeliac disease two years ago and being lactose intolerant as well, I have not gain weight either. I was told that I would probably gain about two stone, but I haven't, I think it also may depend on age and how much activity you do. Good luck with the diet.
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