Weight and PBC.

[jrobertson1]

Saw my consultant's registrar last week who told me to lose weight. I am 10st 7lbs and 5' 5'' and thought that was OK as I have been heavier in the past. My BMI seems to be within the limit for my age and height. Since I'm not officially regarded as overweight (according to BMI), why am I being asked to lose? Incidentally, I was weighed with all my winter woolies and boots on so came in at 10st 11lbs. Assumed they would deduct some for clothing!

[Hidden]

If they calculated your BMI on the 10st 11 weight that puts you into the unhealthy range.

[Hidden]

Hello jrobertson.

I'd personally take no notice myself!!

Up to a few yrs ago I worked as a cleaner at a small GP practice and my working day was within surgery hours so staff and patients and medics about. I had my BMI done there at the time and I was only 9 stone 4 pounds and I'm 5ft 2inches height. My BMI came out just slightly over the line that gave me as 'overweight'. I looked nothing like overweight!

I had left the surgery before I started with the itch in 2010 that lead to PBC diagnose and I was weighed with clothing on on my first hospital visit and I did ask my height and also weight. I'd lost a few pounds by that time and was panning out as within 'normal range' on BMI then.

If you were to look at me you'd say that I needed to actually put weight on, not be labelled as 'overweight'!!

I did recently see an article on the Telegraph website as the BMI is being re-calculated for medics to use and on the new one, I am panning out as 'overweight' now so shall be interesting if I'm referred to that by a doctor/nurse at some point as to me it is highly ridiculous. (I am showing around the 9 stone mark on a good day, 8 stone 12lbs on others. I used the 9 stone for the new BMI calculator I filled out on Telegraph site.)

I'd not get hung up about it. I know I have found myself with this PBC that I only have to not eat very well one day and my weight can drop up to half a stone (I'm only taking urso by the way) so I'd rather eat well as opposed to someone informing me I was overweight and could do to have a diet to use.

Good Luck.

[jrobertson1 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks, Peridot. What I'd like to know is what does this have to do with PBC? Weighed in today at 10st 6lbs but at hospital I was 10st 11lbs with all my clobber on. When asked, the registrar thought I should try to lose at least another stone in weight. As a 52 year old menopausal women, I think that is a tall order. Only eating around 1600 - 1800 calories a day as it is and am swimming, going to gym and playing badminton every week as well as walking.

[Hidden in reply to jrobertson1]

You sound pretty good to me weightwise that is and likewise I am very active every day, go walking frequently (and camping part of the year) and though I don't go to a gym think I can safely say I am good at arm lifting (bags of groceries I walk home with!) I'd personally say I could do no more regards taking exercise.

I think what makes me laugh is the fact I know that a lot of the medical profession just do not practice what they preach to patients.

Just a thought, this registrar you mentioned, is he the admin or a doctor?

I've yet to reach the menopause (I'm 48 now).

I don't think weight has too much bearing on PBC itself unless one is visually overweight or even what is considered obese. I think it does us all well to try to eat well after PBC diagnose and from what I have read, malnutrition can be something that can beset some of us (lack of Vit D (sun best), calcium, Vitamin B and folate). Myself I just try to eat even less fat than I used to do but I refuse to cut out certain things altogether (ie I buy butter due to no additives and dry fry on a cast iron griddle certain foods). for me at the end of the day it is how I am feeling and how the PBC appears (current bloods appear good).

[Axl888]

Well I struggle to lose weight. I eat three meals a day and no snacks. I exercise daily for at least an hour, sometimes two, walking and aerobics. I have a fairly largish house and am always cleaning something, I work full time and always on my feet going from one end of the building to the other etc. I eat healthily, very rarely eat crisps, cakes biscuits etc. I know I have too large a portions though and I am one of those people that were brought up to clear your plate. I need to address that problem but not sure where to start. Any ideas, help welcome. I am 49 and have just gone in the menopause. I stopped taking the URSO for a bit to try to lose weight and it made no difference at all except to my blood work so back on it. I feel my weight and lack of being able to diet is due to menopause rather than PBC?

[Hidden in reply to Axl888]

Hello Axl888.

It seems to be said that taking urso may or may not cause weight gain.

I know taking urso for just over 2yrs now it has made no difference at all to my weight. I've not yet started the menopause (I'm 48) but I also hear from my retired friends that you are more prone to weight gain once you have gone through the menopause.

I too was raised with meals that were supposed to be eaten as in a clean plate but for me I've found as the years have progressed on me I've naturally cut down.

I know many years ago now I cut out eating after around 6p.m. as to me normally that is a time when we are all slowing down for the day and I couldn't see point in eating later evening if not long after would be retiring to bed.

Do you not think though that having PBC might be a slight advantage in being slightly what one would consider oneself has being overweight.

I might not be very big on the weigh scales and it has been said by certain people that I probably could do to put a bit of weight on but I'm not a featherweight at all, quite the contrary. I reckon a lot of my mass is actually more muscle as opposed to fat and it's that that I do not want to lose with PBC as that can happen over time.

I think if one is doing well with PBC and the urso appears to be giving good blood results (as much as I loathe taking the urso and am still a bit sceptical I will continue taking given the blood results), we are eating pretty healthily and doing exercise as and when (as I know most PBC sufferers get badly fatigue) then I personally feel there's more to life. We should be grabbing what enjoyment we can of life now.

[Lynne-k-g in reply to Axl888]

One way of addressing portion size is use a smaller plate and black plates are best as you don't see the gaps on the plate and your portion sizes appear bigger. I hope this helps.

[Pandemonium]

I am overweight. I cannot exercise as fatigue/joint pain/muscle pain are too much. I asked professor Jones at Newcastle (who is a world renowned expert on PBC) about why I couldn't lose weight, even when I'm eating a very low calorie, low fat, low sugar diet. He said that the PBC antibody attacks something in our system that affects the way our body metabolises fat. It somehow bypasses the fat burning bit. Sorry I can't be more specific, but it was a year ago and I can't remember exactly what was said!!!

This is something that my doctor at Addenbrookes didn't know/hadn't mentioned when he'd moaned at me to lose weight & exercise more!!