need help with gaining weight

[rebecca100]

Okay, I know that sounds a little backwards, but that is exactly it. I need advice and suggestions on how to gain weight. My FIL has had neck and back surgery and is on pain killers, but still lives with a lot of pain since he tries not to take the pain meds so he can spend more quality time with his family. He is in such pain that he barely eats. He is a fairly tall man-over 6 ft. and at least wieght he weighed a little over 120 lbs. he is steadily losing weight and barely eats. When he does eat he gets nauseous (sp?) afterwards. The doctor told him that he had to gain weight and muscle or he would be completely in a wheelchair before long. He uses a power chair now if he has to walk very long distances. He only eats a few bites at a time and then he is full. My dd who is 2 eats twice as much as he does. He is a picky eater on top of it all and refuses to drink ensure because of the taste. He would just as soon not eat at all than eat anything he doesn't like. The surgeries were both at least two years ago and he has been like this for some time and it is getting to the point where it is serious. We have tried ensure shakes with ice cream, fixing his fav. foods and anything else we can think of. He is considering trying some pills he found online for appetite enhancement. He wants to eat, but says he just can't.

 

[TanksHill]

Medical marijuana. Not kidding. It was used to treat my grandfather when he was in decline. It helps calm, and gives you an appetite.

Just an idea.

 

[rebecca100]

MIL has suggested that a couple of times! He flat refused. Maybe he will consider it again if nothing else works.

 

[Wifezilla]

For HEALTHY weight gain, lots of full fat dairy. Carbs will make him gain weight but not in a good way.

And yeah...get him a prescription for mj. They have it in many forms at the dispensary for people who don't like to or can't smoke it. (Our paper just did a big write up on it)

 

[rebecca100]

None of us had ever thought about it in other forms. that would probably go over better with him-in brownies or something. It is not legal in our state though, but maybe we could find a way around it. What about fresh raw goats milk? Would it be better(of course better-but I mean would it make a difference)than store bought full fat milk? We talked about getting a milk goat the other day and that would help me to convince dh and I know fil likes milk.

 

[Wifezilla]

Fresh will be better than store bought. It is more nutritious before it is pasteurized and homogenized.

 

[freemotion]

Yes, get a lactating goat now! It is super nutritious and easy to digest. And higher in fat (good fat) than what you buy in the store.

Forget the brownies and other "displacing foods." If he is not eating much, every bite NEEDS to be nutrient-dense choices.

Were he my relative or friend, I would make a big batch of traditional bone broth and use it as a base for many things, like thick stews and soups made with no carby things like pasta or grains, but lots of veggies and dark leafies like collards, kale, etc. Some good roots like carrots, parsnips, rutabagas. Celery, garlic, onions, scallions/leeks/onion tops.

Sprinkle a bit of sharp cheese or Romano on top and anyone will eat that! And it is very healing to the digestive system and very nutrient-dense.

You can also give him cups of broth flavored with a few herbs like scallions, garlic, rosemary, black pepper, and sea salt. YUM!

If you haven't fermented any veggies yet, now is the time. Making simple ferments actually increases the nutrient value of the veggies you ferment, and each bite adds lovely probiotics to the digestive tract and are also easy to digest. For example, cabbage makes me very, very ill in any form....except homemade fermented sauerkraut, eaten unheated (live.)

Dace is moving and busy, but she switched the way her family eats and her very thin daughter gained weight, and those who wanted/needed to lose weight did....imagine that! Really good food will balance you in either direction. It is awesome!

 

[Wifezilla]

Duh! Bone broth! : smacks forehead : How did I forget that one?

 

[Ldychef2k]

Going back to your original post, at its heart, this doesn't seem to be so much a nutrition issue as a pain control issue. If he refuses pain medications, and as a result he isn't eating because he is in pain, the first order of business is to control his pain and then to stimulate his appetite. Then once he is accepting food, he you can hit him with high nutrition foods that are easy on the gut. He is starving himself, so go slow.

He may have some luck with periactin, which is an antihistamine used as an appetite stimulant. It may not control his pain, but he will be hungry. In his weakened state, and with his picky eating, he may be in appetite fatigue, and periactin can help with that.

I don't mean to make assumptions, but from what you wrote, underneath the issue seems to be a need for him to be in control of his environment even in the best of times.

How long has it been since his surgery?

 

[abifae]

I have managed to gain to a healthy weight. FINALLY. and i've already lost my entire winter gain and it's not even JULY yet!

1 - lower the carbs. Increased insulin makes weight gain harder. it causes inflammation which causes malabsorption.

2 - lots of healthy fats. careful not to up the protein. it increases insulin!!!!

3 - calories calories! I lose weight if I drop below 3000 for more than three days straight. high fat, low carb snacks. I keep "fat bombs" around to snack on randomly.

4 - whole foods, healthy stuffs. bone broths mmmm. also keep the foods anti inflammatory. pack in all the vitamins you can (steamed veggies over boiled!! if you can find GOOD vitamins, use them).

5 - exercise. it evens out your metabolism. mine is SLOWER when i work out a lot because it gets more efficient.

6 - pot gives me migraines and makes me manic. i lost weight on it.

eta: yes, pain kills appetite. and back surgery is the WORSE. my step dad is there