This topic is about someone named Eric who is recovering from a total proctocolectomy surgery, which involves removing the colon and rectum. He is about 7.5 weeks post-surgery and is concerned about significant weight loss. Eric is looking for practical advice on how to stop losing weight and start gaining it back.
Here are some helpful suggestions and insights:
1. Consult professionals first:
- It's important to see a gastrointestinal surgeon and a dietitian for personalized advice, especially after such a major surgery.
2. Consider calorie-dense, protein-rich foods:
- Foods like pie, doughnuts, chocolate, white bread, poutine, and anything with cream can help.
- Peanut butter on toast or crackers is recommended by a couple of people.
- Other options include pasta with meat sauce, fully loaded mashed potatoes, baked beans on toast, scrambled eggs on toast, homemade burgers, and stir-fried vegetables.
3. Try oral nutrition supplements:
- Products like Ensure, which was prescribed to one person, can be helpful in regaining lost weight.
4. Explore high-absorption home cooking:
- Using an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker can be beneficial.
- Cooking whole chickens and beef roasts in a pressure cooker breaks down food into easily absorbed nutrients like broth, collagen, and protein. One person even gained weight despite having a very short small bowel.
5. Request hospital support if needed:
- If not already provided, ask for a consultation with a dietitian. Some hospitals automatically arrange this for ostomy patients.
6. Keep perspective:
- Weight regain might be slow. Others who have had the same surgery report losing up to 15 kg but gradually rebuilding their weight through consistent eating and high-calorie snacks.
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