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J-Pouch Weight gain

Sat, February 13, 2010 11:10 PM

I had a colectomy last year and finally got my ileostomy taken down properly and now have a J-pouch. Things are going well, had a few accidents but nothing to worry about too much. My mom says I still am pale, I notice it when I'm in her room, which consequently has terrible lighting. But I'm beginning to feel much healthier. I am finally at the weight I was before the surgery, but my mom wants me to gain more weight because of the paleness, she's afraid I'm not getting enough nutrition.
I'm still pretty weak, but it's only been three weeks and after it's been a month I can start physical therapy. I'm hoping that will help with my strength and promote faster healing.
Since I don't have a colon and end up going to the bathroom much more often than most people she thinks I'll never have a problem with being overweight. Is this true or should I be as conscious as anyone about consuming too much food? The last year of my life I didn't pay attention because whenever I was hungry I ran with it, because I needed to gain back the weight I lost after the first surgery.
I guess I'm just afraid of being a malformed twenty year old. I mean I hope there are several good bikini years in me, in due time.

hey2308
Joined Jul 23, 2008

Wed, March 03, 2010 1:00 AM

Reply posted for hey2308.

Usually you don't gain a lot of weight after getting thr j-pouch surgery- but over this last year, i gained about 20 pounds so be careful, you can gain weight quickly.

sunkissed2348
Joined Jan 7, 2009

Tue, February 23, 2010 6:24 PM

Reply posted for hey2308.

Very important to DRINK liquids more frequently now.

bonjoe
Joined May 16, 2009

Sun, February 14, 2010 6:10 PM

Reply posted for hey2308.

hey2308, supporting what your mom said, I distinctly remember my surgeon telling me that I would likely never have a weight problem and, over the years, I have found that to be true.

About me: my surgeries were over 20 years ago; I lost a lot of weight (approx. 30 lbs); I gained about 20 of those lbs back in the years immediately after; I have lost 10 of those 20 lbs in the ensuing years as I have gotten into increasingly better shape (as you allude, when you feel good it is amazing how much you want to do).

Here is what I have noticed over the years: (1) I can gain weight just like anyone else over a short period of time (like the Holiday season) by overeating and/or eating lots of junk (sweets, junk food, etc); (2) I tend not to ‘hold’ that weight over longer periods of time because eating constantly means constant peristalsis which means more frequent trips to the bathroom (the more you eat the more you go); (3) my weight has tended to stay in fairly narrow ranges that correspond to how physically active I am (that is, my current weight is less than it was 10 years ago not because I eat any differently than I did 10 years ago, but because I workout more and I am in much better shape); (4) overall, I strike the ‘best’ balance between eating and going to the bathroom when I’m eating similar foods in distinct meals at roughly the same times of day.

Bottom line: continue to “run with it” in terms of eating when you are hungry because it will fuel your recovery; you probably won’t have a weight issue in the future due to your new plumbing; think of your weight in terms ranges that correlate to your fitness level rather than an absolute number; look forward to your physical therapy because it will definitely help you to feel better; and make sure to stay hydrated as you start to workout more (without a large intestine to absorb fluid back into your body, dehydration can be an issue, especially as you exercise more).

Prayers and Best Wishes

stephenbsmith50
Joined Nov 20, 2009

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