Mil losing weight

[mrsmobbs]

Mil has lost over 1 stone since April, she has Parkinson's, seems well and eats regularly and well. But she appears to be shrinking and bending in a strange shape when she stands. She is 80 this year and not senile or anything. I think it is just old age but have no experience with the elderly so not sure what to think. Advice greatly appreciated.

[whataboutbob]

Hi Mrs mobs weight loss can be a feature of Parkinson's because the tremors unfortunately increase the energy the person is burning up. Stooped posture and balance problems are also I believe features of PD. it is a horrible disease, my grand dad had it. But a stone in 4 months is quite a lot. You could flag it up with her GP.

[CMOTDibbler]

That is a lot, but as Bob says, the tremors do use a lot of energy, so your MIL needs to eat more. That could just mean extra butter on her morning toast, another biscuit at elevenses, a pudding at lunch etc.

The bending could be the Parkinsons, or could be osteoporosis - so she needs to talk to her GP or Parkinsons nurse about it.

[mrsmobbs]

Thanks for replies, she has had some tests done this week. She does not really tremble as she has the rigid type, but will encourage her to eat more, although she does seem to eat a lot as you say a little bit more would help thanks

[RunningGingerFreckleyThing]

My MIL has Huntingtons Disease and has a lot of movements with it. She burns a lot of calories as a result. She gets fortysips drinks on prescription, which are high calorie drink a bit like those Yakult things. We also found that more calorific foods and a bit less veg/fruit works well. Your MIL can then take vitamin supplements. Like others have said though, GP is the best way to go. Hope you can help her sort it out.

[LemonBreeland]

My GM has lost a lot of weight in the past couple of years. Some of it is calories she is burning by working so hard to breathe with COPD. Some of it is osteporosis, and sadly some from muscle wasteage as she sits all day and does nothing.

It may be worth speaking to the GP about it.

Running I'm off to google fortysips as it seems like the kind of thing my GM needs.

[mrsmobbs]

I never really thought but mil does sit all day long and rarely moves. She came to us last week and had trouble sitting still on wooden garden chair as she said I was uncomfortable on her bum and her legs did look really flat for want of a better word, muscle wastage is probably a factor here, will talk to her about extra vitamins once we get gp results

[whataboutbob]

Hi mrs mobbs. Extra vitamins will not reverse muscle loss. Partly it is due to the PD, but diet can a
So play a part. At this point she needs as much calories as she can get, and protein. She should go for full cream milk, plenty of butter, cheese, and high calorie stuff like pastry, lamb, pork, roast stuff. Fruit and veg are good too of course but will not help with putting weight back on. If it is all too much for her eg she only has a small appetite, the FOrtisip drinks or similar can help. The GP should prescribe. They are v expensive OTC. Good luck.

[Fionar71]

As well as upping calories it's important to increase protein intake so look at increasing that - you can use dried milk powder in her milk (make powdered milk up using the instructions for a pint but, instead of using water, use full fat milk - it doubles the protein content but doesn't change the other levels much as its generally skimmed milk powder. Also, add extra butter to potato, cream cheese to soups and the like will all increase the protein and calorie content of food without changing the flavour too much.

As well as things like Fortisip and Fortijuice there are desserts that can be prescribed like Fortimel. There is also something called calogen which a lot of older people are prescribed.

Fionar

[Fionar71]

Ought to add, in the interim you can buy things like Complan either the soups, flavoured shakes or the natural flavour powder that can be added to porridge, or desserts.

Fionar