weight gain drinks

[Radars]

anyone ever use weight gain drinks because I am only 8st,also I have no testosterone it has not recovered since finishing my treatment for locally advanced prostate cancer and now been diagnosed with severe osteoporosis,

[Fruitandnutcase]

I googled for you and found the information below - there are lots of things you can do at home. Hope you can find something here to help you. Could you get your doctor to refer you to a dietician?

What's a good way to gain weight if you're underweight?Answer From Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

Eating nutritious foods that are high in calories is a good way to gain weight. It's also important to understand the reason why you're underweight.

Being underweight can be defined in a couple of ways. It can mean low weight for a person's height, defined as a body mass index (BMI) of less than 18.5. It also could be weight that is 15 to 20% below the typical weight for a person's age.

There are many reasons you may not be at your goal weight. Recovering from an illness or losing weight as you age are two examples. It's also common for athletes to want to gain weight as muscle.

It is best to see your health care provider if you lost weight unexpectedly. Your provider or a dietitian can help you gain weight in a healthy way. Together, you can create a plan based on your needs.In general, your plan may include:

Eating more frequently. Slowly begin to eat 5 to 6 smaller meals during the day. Try to tune into your body to recognize when you might be hungry. But you may need to plan times to eat even if you aren't that hungry.

Choosing food with lots of nutrients. Set up a routine to eat and drink things you like and that have a lot of nutrients as well as calories.

Talk with your health care provider or dietitian about how many calories to eat a day or in each meal. You also can ask how many servings you should eat of the different food groups.

Top it off.  Add extras to your dishes for more calories, such as cheese in casseroles or nut butter on whole-grain toast. You also can add dry milk or liquid milk to foods for extra protein and calories. Some examples are mashed potatoes or soups.

Try smoothies and shakes. Avoid beverages with few nutrients or calories, such as diet soda. But a blend of high-calorie, nutritious ingredients in a smoothie or shake can help if you're eating on the go.

Meal replacement drinks also may be part of your weight-gain effort.But watch what and when you drink. 

Beverages can make you feel full. If that's the case for you, avoid drinking during a meal or before. But make sure you are drinking enough throughout the day.

Exercise. Exercise, especially strength training, can help you gain weight by building up your muscles.

Exercise also may stimulate your appetite.There also are medicines that help boost the feeling of hunger.

[Radars in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

thankyou, it is hard for me because what's good for prostate cancer is not good for osteoporosis and vice versa, I have just started having 5mg of creatine a day to see if that helps, but with no testosterone it's hard .

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Radars]

You really need to be referred to a dietician who can help you work all that out. Good nourishing food ought to be ok for both conditions though.

[Radars in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

thanks, when I see the endocrinologist he will probably know whats what.

[MyStar86]

if you speak to your gp they can prescribe you fortisip this is what the dietitian gave me due to my very low bmi weight around 6st and 5ft 6. Fortisip is what you get given in hospital I have it due to my bowel issues and it contains all the vitamins needed calcium and but d etc.

fortisipdrink.co.uk/

The link above gives you the details, they are not great but 300cals in a 200ml bottle so it’s a good way to get calories my dietitian put me on x3 of them.

They also do calogen shots which are 160cal in a tiny shots worth so it depends what you want.

These are very good and full nutritions as they can be used as a full diet without food to give the bowels a rest (not that you need that) I’m just explaining that they are much easier and more nutritious than just tryint to force more food in you.

[Enantiodromia77]

Hey there, I do hope you are feeling a little better. Understandably you have conflicts between osteoporosis, prostate cancer, hypothyroidism and other conditions. I would assume Drs have considered direct TRT testosterone replacement therapy and decided not as it would impact on the prostate significantly for you. Are they specifically holding back on any form of intervention on this front? Testicular stimulation via HCG , (human chorionic gonadtophin )may bring a more immediate hormonal balance on a short term basis. Excess testosterone will get converted to oestrogen which will help improve bone density. Parathyroid function should also be considered and if possible the pituitary axis involvement . All of these areas require specialist knowledge to ensure you are getting the correct answer and a good post therapy health plan in place

During therapy bone marrow cells can be affected and the Oncologist should be looking at this too with you and post therapy follow ups are essential to getting you back to your normal daily activities.

Vit D level is also crucial for calcium absorption and should also be checked. I would say be aware of taking creatine as large amounts will reflect in calculations for renal function. In brief creatine via enzyme reaction forms creatinine. Creatinine is used to calculate eGFR. (estimated glomerular filtration rate). Given locality of prostate both creatinine and eGFR are monitored from a cancer and renal perspective. I would also assume you are having regular blood checks for PSA.(prostate specific antigen). Diet advice as many suggest should be sort from a dietician if not already considered an opinion from an endocrinologist could also assist you.

Diet and Nutrition wise before weight gain powders considered most likely will focus on gut bacterial flora support vitamin supplementation especially Vit B complexes to support haemostasis, Vit D, with Ca, Mg and Zn. If hypothyroid advice on foods to avoid should also be given.

To improve bone density resistance excercises can also be considered . Thinking that you may not feel to well and not have alot of energy 20 to 30 minutes on a vibration plate could help to improve bone density ( research still open to debate on this one). Some local gyms have them and usually the local leisure centres have these. Your GP maybe/ should be able to help with providing information to access these places including patient transport availability.

I wish you the best on your recovery and hope you are being provided with appropriate advice and support from your healthcate providers .

P.S just seen you are starting zoledronic acid. So it seems you on the right path tackling the osteo👍

[Radars in reply to Enantiodromia77]

thanks, I had a hospital appointment with endocrinologist on 7th Feb but that has been canceled, it will now be a phone call due to industrial action by nurses, I asked gp about trt but no,I take 1000iu d3 with k2 mk-7 get calcium from food, plus I take things for my prostate cancer and have 6monthly psa checks it's 0.05so ok,and waiting to start zoledronic acid infusion.

[Radars in reply to Radars]

ps,I take 5mg of creatine daily got to try things with having no testosterone.

[Enantiodromia77 in reply to Radars]

Love the proactive spirit. So things looking good. GP will most likely wait for Endo report. Great news on PSA result.

[MyStar86]

just to let you know if you have any bowel issues I wouldn’t advise the Zoledronic acid…..after having my second one on Thursday last week I regret it so badly!! I was doing ok the second day but the stupid infusion contains mannitol and whatever else it does it’s caused me unreal bowel pain I’m in agony literally screaming in pain!! I know I was a big advocate for it previously but I can’t believe how much pain I’m in it’s really scared me I knew it was bad last time but this is my worst nightmare. I won’t be having the 3rd one next year I’m done this is too painful. I hope it doesn’t affect you like it has me but I have a lot of bowel conditions and pain already so it’s just attacked my weakest area but it’s left me speechless I just want to cry but I can’t do anything about it now the infusion is done 😞

[Radars in reply to MyStar86]

sorry to hear about your problems, what do you mean about not to have it if I have bowel problems what kind of problems, what are you gonna do now then switch to something else.

[MyStar86 in reply to Radars]

I have endometriosis on the bowel, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2015 and I have sphincter of oddi dysfunction so name a few so that’s what I mean about me having bowel issues prior to the infusion but I remember it did this last time as I was reminded how I vowed not to have another one then so I shouldn’t be shocked but this time it’s a lot worse.

I honestly don’t know what I will do to be honest as I don’t want anything after this but I will have a private dexa this year in oct to check what the infusion is doing qs the nhs only cover one every two years but I’m not having another infusion before I know if this has even helped the t-scores. This lasts a year so I won’t be worrying about what I will do next I just want to survive this trauma. I wouldn’t dream of going to a&e evening then current nhs crisis and I don’t feel safe in the nhs emergency because it was because of them giving me medication I’m allergic to and leaving me in isolation when I fell out of the bed and broke all my ribs…….however otherwise I would be in hospital now because it hurts so much it’s making me sick from the pain.

Don’t go by my experience but I said I would let you know how I got on and I couldn’t and wouldn’t lie saying oh it’s fine because it’s really not and I’m scared

[Radars in reply to MyStar86]

sorry hope you get better soon you certainly have a lot going on,the nhs is not good, my appointment with endocrinologist on 7th Feb has been canceled, now it's a phone call due to nurses being on strike, I am in 2 minds regarding zoledronic acid infusion.

[Radars in reply to MyStar86]

hello mystar,how are you doing after the problems with zoledronic acid, are you having any more treatment, or are you just going to see how you get on with just diet.

[MyStar86 in reply to Radars]

I’m still really struggling it’s totally screwed my bowel I’ve also had problems with my eyes this time being really sore and running lots with acid tears but my tummy and back are awful. My back wasn’t great before but this is agony I’m not happy at all so no I won’t be having the 3rd infusion next year that’s for sure. I’m going to pay privately to have a dexa at the end of the year as the nhs only do it every 2 years but I want to know if this infusion has done anything. I’m skeptical because it doesn’t solve the osteoporosis so if I stop it which I would have to after 3 infusions anyway wouldn’t the bones just deteriorate again anyway……not sure if this suffering is worth it at all.

Diet doesn’t work for me as my calcium and vit D levels are always fine without supplements and with my bowel issues diet doesn’t impact my bones. Not sure how the osteoporosis will get fixed to be honest…..

Good luck for Tuesday let us know how it goes fingers crossed you get the outcome and answers you want. Sorry my experience isn’t more positive

[Radars in reply to MyStar86]

really sorry you were doing ok to begin with, I hope you get back to some normality,I wonder if you had started with something else maybe denosumab or similar but it's hard to know, hope you feel better soon.

[MyStar86 in reply to Radars]

thank you! Yeah I really thought this would be better I was fine the first day or two I only had the heavy legs feeling but then it all seemed to hit me at once. Last time I felt bad from the day of the infusion but last time the infusion was run over 1.5 hours and this time it was barely 15mins so I wonder if that has something to do with it. My issue is that the infusion contains mannitol which is not good for my bowels. This time it’s only the back pain I have not every bone in my body so that’s one positive. I’ve got my bloods booked for the end of the month so I will see then what it’s doing to my calcium and vitamin D levels. I have had a total hysterectomy so I wonder if my changed hormones have also added to it this time round but it’s impossible to know. I will assess once I see my dexa results at the end of the year but I have told my family to not let me get the infusions done again. Personally I don’t think I will have another treatment and see what happens if I pay for a dexa this year privately then miss the 3rd infusion but get my nhs dexa next year then I will know if it’s had a negative impact on the t scores by not having any treatment.

I still question why I have osteoporosis because I was diagnosed with osteopenia aged 18 which is pretty odd for someone who took calcium supplements, drank loads of milk and had a very good diet plus I had as very fit and healthy but no doctor has ever explained why this has happened. Now they blame by bowel issues but that can’t be true if my blood levels of calcium and vitamin d are always fine it proves nutrition isn’t the cause nor lack of calcium and vit d. I only had the hysterectomy last April so that’s nothing to do with it as I was diagnosed with full osteoporosis in 2015 so I wasn’t even 30 then……no one seems to care what the cause is but that’s why I feel I either need treatment for life or just continue to have osteoporosis because the treatments won’t solve why the osteoporosis is happening so at some point I’d have to stop them and without a reason then my osteoporosis would just continue…….I’m confused. All the treatments sound horrible to me and it took me 6 years to agree to the Zoledronic acid.

I really hope you have better luck than me but remember any other treatment stopping it puts you at risk of rebound fractures Zoledronic acid doesn’t so it’s the only one I’m safe to stop and start which is a bonus vs always having to be on something.