My mom has lost a considerable amount of weight, we're very concerned

ChrisMcG

My mom has a colostomy bag and got back from the hospital last week. She weighed 112lbs when she got home, she has been eating like crazy. She weighed herself this morning, only a week later, and now weighs 109lbs. What could this mean? What could b done to help her gain some weight? Thanks!

Barbara53

wait and see
Three pounds is not that much, so wait and see. As long as other functions are normal, her body is probably recovering its balance. My mother's onc said to expect weight loss as time went on, and sure enough, she's shrinking. There are worse things than being able to wear one's skinny jeans. Even at 80, Mom is digging feeling slim!

nancy591

weight
When left the hospital after my debulking surgery I too had an ostomy. I was more then 20lbs less then my pre-sickness weight. When the wound care nurse came to weigh me weekly I had such a hard time gaining weight initally. I too was actually losing weight. I did gain it all back eventually. Now I am about 10 lbs OVER my pre sickenss weight.

In the past year that I've been on this board I notice that some people gain weight and some people lose weight. I was always a big eater but lucky to have a fat metabolism. Now that I am post menopausal, well, things have slowed down. I wouldn't push the food and weight issue. I think the weight will come. Or, next time you go see the doctor ask if they have a nutritionist.

GOOD LUCK!

Hissy_Fitz

I did not have a colostomy
I did not have a colostomy but I was in the hospital a long time when I had my initial surgery (16 days) and between a bowel obstruction and an Ileus, I could not eat for most of that time. After I went home I continued to lose weight, though trying desperately not to! I could only eat small amounts, so I switched to whole milk, real butter, cream-based soups, etc. I wore my heaviest shoes to the doctor's office and left them on when I got on the scale, plus two shirts and a hoodie. It was a weird feeling, since I had always tried to LOSE weight. And it worked. Too well, in fact. I am now on a quest to get back in my own skinny jeans. I have gone from a size 4/6 to a 12 in the last year. Wish I could FedEx your mom some of my extra fat!

Carlene

Tethys41

Hissy_Fitz said:

I did not have a colostomy
I did not have a colostomy but I was in the hospital a long time when I had my initial surgery (16 days) and between a bowel obstruction and an Ileus, I could not eat for most of that time. After I went home I continued to lose weight, though trying desperately not to! I could only eat small amounts, so I switched to whole milk, real butter, cream-based soups, etc. I wore my heaviest shoes to the doctor's office and left them on when I got on the scale, plus two shirts and a hoodie. It was a weird feeling, since I had always tried to LOSE weight. And it worked. Too well, in fact. I am now on a quest to get back in my own skinny jeans. I have gone from a size 4/6 to a 12 in the last year. Wish I could FedEx your mom some of my extra fat!

Carlene

Watch her albumin
I didn't have a colostomy either. But I had ascites so bad for two months that I had to be drained every third day, and they would get 2 to 5 liters each time. As a result, my albumin protien level dropped to 1.0, so low that my tissues could no longer hold fluids anyway, ading to the ascites. The only thing that saved me was 24-hour IV nutrition. I had an IV bag in a backpack that I carried around and the fluid was fed into my port. I ended up hauling that thing around for 3 months, but I got well. Keep an eye on her albumin levels, and if they get below 2.0, start talking to her doctor about IV nutirion.

ChrisMcG

I made a typo!
Her current weight is now 102lbs not 109, which means she has lost 10 lbs. But I thin what everyone has said makes sense. She might just be recovering from the surgery. She was in the hospital for 18 days, and has only been home for about a week now! Thanks a lot! I really appreciate all the assistance!