Bit too skinny, may have to take my rings off.

[ohyouBadBadkitten]

I need some 'really gentle on the tummy' ways to at least keep my weight on at the moment please. I realised I was getting a bit too skinny when my rings flew off today when I was waving my hand about. (took quite a time to find them)

Weight has been sliding off a little bit over the past month or so, I've not been very well. Last week I went onto meds that are really upsetting my tummy despite omeprazole. even a cup of decaf tea makes it sore. So I am having to force myself to eat small meals, but they clearly arent enough to keep my weight up.

If it carries on I'll go and see my gp, but is there anything really easy to digest in the mean time that tastes nice - like complan only not disgusting. I'm not sure if I can take supplements as everything seems to be contraindicated on this med.

Also, while you are at it cures for med induced insomnia/nightmares would be great please.

I've not chatted with the gp - I've been just underweight for ages but stable - just my body type. This new medication I'm on for heart stuff seems to be melting it away. I'm on the last med that will work (according to gp and cardiologist) but it is horrible and only suitable for short term(though at least I'm not close to fainting all the time unlike the last med). Once I've had minor heart surgery(ablation) I should be back to normal hopefully.

naoko - that sounds so familiar, that is helpful - thank you. I think bland food is certainly helpful.

ohyou bad-thats horrid!

is it listed as a side effect?

it is, but its listed as one of the minor side effects. tis this one

dont you just hate side effects!but if its helps the more serious thing its good.
im on antibiotics at the moment and they make me woozy and stupid for an hour or so after taking them.

that is true - my heart is behaving itself beautifully!
antibiotics are not nice. I hope you feel better soon.

oh im fine, just dopey!

mines just for a urine infection,nothing major just unpleasent for a bit.

glad your hearts behaving

so am I

Ohyou - Do you know when you will be having your ablation? I'm being referred to an EP for flutter, which seems to be a post surgery complication for me. I have managed to avoid meds, apart from warfarin, because my heart rate is being controlled by a pacemaker. However, the upper and lower chambers are out of sync, so it does need correcting. The medication you are on doesn't look particularly pleasant.

I haven't got my appointment through yet, but it doesn't seem to be urgent so I am expecting a wait. I'm glad I'm being referred to the same doctor that fitted my pacemaker because he was really good. My main irrational fear is that I get a date when I am on AF because the catheter goes through the groin area, so you don't wear undies, and that would just be yuck. I can't trust tampax because of flooding.

I've got no idea - not even whether it will be weeks or months. go said the cardiologist was sending me an appt to go and see him in clinic 'soon' and he will let me know what he is going to do. Its really rubbish not knowing timescales isnt it. Feel like my life is on hold. I tried to do a bit of gardening today and came over 'all funny' then dh got cross with me.

Your fear is my biggest fear too! Out of all the things to be worried about - but it is very practical. It was bad enough when I was in hospital recently trying to manage all the cables attached to me, a hospital gown, a drip, a cardboard pan (they were doing a fluid balance thingy) and my mooncup. I got all tangled up with my drip stand and a nurse had to help untangle me

I read that it can take a few hours and that you then have to stay lying down for a few hours.I'm going to be upfront about it with the cardio when I see him and ask how people manage. I'm hoping that the gp will be allowed to prescribe something to postpone it. I'll report back if I get my appt first :) How long have you had a pacemaker?

I will ask too, I suppose tmi is an alien concept to these doctors . Most women must worry about this, although it is quite rare to see pre-menopausal women as patients in cardio department waiting rooms.

I've had my pacer for three months, since having heart valve surgery. It was implanted a week after my surgery, and I was quite shocked when I discovered that I needed it because I had not had previous heart block. I am totally dependant on it, but it does not cause any problems, so long as I don't dwell on sudden battery failure. I was the first patient to ask the technician about the effect of coronal mass ejections on pacemakers. Do I get my geek stripes?

you absolutely do get geek stripes (I think horizon may be looking at CMEs this week). And a gold star for making me feel better about all of this!
So how are you doing now in yourself? - its a fair bit to come to terms with.

Ooh, I've got geek stripes and a gold star from ohyoubadbadkitten .

I'm doing very well in myself, I have had quite a bit to come to terms with, probably haven't always been the easiest to live with, but things are much better now.

I'm glad you are feeling a little better, its nice just knowing that you are not the only one sometimes. It is scary going in for procedures like this, and being awake just makes it more daunting. However, I have to say that medication they use for sedation is fine stuff .

I hope you get a date soon, the amiodarone looks really horrid.

buttonmoon your DD sounds like me . I was very very skinny as a kid. I am 5'3 and I was barely 90lbs. I also ate a great variety of food. Basically anything that is put before me. I think I have a normal appetite but my mum said I ate very little.

Anyway I grew up fine but just very slim. So it's not necessarily a bad thing! I still don't fancy all you can eat. But I can always eat a pudding and I never worry about food. I do look at my weight as I have a tendency to lose weight too fast. But I have learned to just be happy the way I am. I know I look better if I put on some weight, but it's very difficult to fight your natural weight.

good to know about the sedation.
back to the doctors with me on Monday. resting heart rate has been mid-high 50's today and its supposed to take a few weeks for the medication to be really doing its stuff. Been a bit dizzy through the afternoon. I dont want it to slow down any further. Am hoping they will say to half the dose.

Tell me about it TerrorNova. I think my natural weight is about 15stone! It's a constant battle!

It's good to know that others have experienced the same though. All the info out there is geared towards fat kids' parents - the skinnies don't get a look in. I know that obesity is a huge crisis looming but there are people at every end of the spectrum and they need help just as much.

Like I said before - I'd happily lay off her if only she was healthy and skinny.

OYBBK, how about thick milkshakes made with milk, lots of nice icecream and some mashed banana, sprinkle of cinnamon if you fancy. Lots of calories and a touch of healthiness.

icecream sounds good :) My tummy was feeling quite a bit better and I managed to eat proper food this weekend but its back to horrible this morning (perhaps its allergy to work ) Very faint last night, trying to get through to my gp to make an appt with her.

Re: weight.
Make sure that everything you ingest has some calories - dint fill up on water. Drink squash (not sugar free, obviously). Keep snacks all over the place so you keep seeing them and can have a small something. eg sweets in the car, flapjacks etc. Adding butter to veggies etc as someone suggested.

Re: insomnia
Could you change the time you take your meds? If you're taking them at night, take in the morning instead. Do you know which one is the culprit?

squash is a good idea. I made a batch of flapjacks yesterday, so that's good.

Sadly not on the insomnia side, they are twice a day (moving to once a day at the end of the week)

Thank you :)

cant get through to my gp. Going to be late for work. grrrrrr.

When my DS was recovering from illness the pharmacist said that the best thing for upping calorie intake easily is creamy yogurt. If you check the labels, some of them have 250 calories per pot. DS would have a high-cal yogurt for pudding and the rest of us would have a "normal" yogurt, so that we were all eating the same thing, but he was getting extra calories IYSWIM. If he had a second yogurt as an after-school snack, that was 500 cals. Plus the pharmacist said that once his weight was back up, he could just go back to normal yogurts, without having acquired a taste for something unhealthy.

That's a brilliant idea re the yoghurts! Am about to do my Tesco shop. Will add some thick and creamy yogs to the list.

Think as for a picnic- so there's always something appetising to hand. Mini cheeses, scotch eggs, cheesecake etc. if you literally cannot face chewy stuff, soups- scotch broth, chicken noodle etc.

gp appt was rather a waste of time. He looked at my bp readings and could see why I was going faint (again) despite having really upped my calories over the weekend but as he wasnt my gp and the meds had been started by the consultant he was reluctant to change the dose and I need to go and see my own gp about it. Unfortunately she isnt in until the middle of next week :(

If your BP is low you could try compression stockings (eg flight socks) if you have any. Can help with fainting.