Hi I’m new to this forum but would appreciate advice on weight gain. I can no longer do any strenuous exercise and am unable to walk more than a few metres without frame. Despite trying numerous diets have been unable to shift even an ounce ! I know inactivity is the biggest problem but could do with some advice on how to tackle things. Was diagnosed in 2000 but weight problem has got worse in past couple of years. Am now on Pregabalin which I know can be linked with weight issues. I am at wits end now and 3 stone overweight. Any hints or advice would be gratefully received. Kindest regards to you all Jackie x
Hi Jackie, and welcome to the site
Weight gain is a b****! Meds definitely don’t help, but the main killer is the lack of activity I reckon. In which case, it’s really important to eat appropriate amounts of food (easier said than done!) and do whatever exercise is possible. A group of us from my local MSS branch (Hillingdon) have started going to the gym a couple of times a week. It is definitely helping me and the guy in our group who is pretty much a full-time wheelchair user has lost over a stone already. I’ve heard that the MSS does an exercise DVD (by Sally Gunnell?) that is suitable for wheelchair users, so it might be a good thing to start with if the gym isn’t an option? Or maybe both??
Good luck!
Karen x
Hi Jackie,
My walking sounds about the same as yours. Only use my scooter or wheelchair outside the house but I lost 3 stone with weightwatchers in the run up to my daughters wedding 18 months ago.
(I was determined not to be the fat lady in the photographs)
Jane
Hi Karen Thanks for your reply and also to you Jane. I think one of my biggest enemies is lack of self control over portion sizes ! Hard to admit but even harder to stick to esp when hubby is such a fabulous cook ! I should probably give weight watchers another try - lost 2 stone with them back in 1976 when I was 12 as I was due to be bridesmaid for my brother and he didn’t want his fat kid sister ruining the photos - actually I said that not him but you get the idea ! It’s a great comfort to know a lot of us are in the same podgy boat so all hints and Ideas are gratefully received. I think I’m going to be spending a lot of time in this forum ! TTFN Jackie x
Just looking at my previous post - I obviously made a typo but what the heck did I put for weight watchers to become a filtered word?
Got it — I typed it as one word making an interersting one in the middle which is what got filtered!
LOL
Jane
Exercise tends to help you work up an appetite and the research showing exercise actually helps weight loss is very poor and not sufficient to justify the "eat less exercise more mantra that has bedevilled the obesity epidemic for the past 30yrs or more. When they used to use bedrest as a cure for obesity the results were far more impressive.
The video here shows how the Swedes are sorting out their obesity and diabetes problems. It certainly enabled me to lose weight and become more active and has improved my mobility. It’s also simple common sense. No one with any sense would suggest taking off the brakes of your car would be helpful and suggesting that will power and self discipline were all you needed to maintain optimum speed under all circumstances would be crazy. As fat passing through the digestive tract triggers the release of satiety hormones and applies the brakes to appetite the same applies to diet.
Take the fat out of meals and you promote increased calorie consumption.
hi jackie, welcome.
i too suffer from this problem (and take pregab). Before I was prescribed it, i was a size 10, now 12 months down the line I’m a size 16!!!" and that’s no typo!
I am due for my annual neuro check up tomorrow and have never weighed myself since this explosion of weight. Thought I might, it may give me a kick up the bum to do something, but i too struggle. I walk nowhere, sit most of the day, its no wonder I’ve become quite ‘round’.
i guess i’m going to get told to exercise but when your waist down is not playing ball (waist up is) -its very hard indeed.
Will let you know what my docs say tomorrow.
Chin up
Aly x
Hi Aly, Yes i know what you mean, waist up little or no problems i could probably weight lift for England !! Waist down forget it ! I have gone up from ‘comfy’ size 14 to an 18 plus and I could scream with rage. When sitting down my legs feel like they want to do the walking, but as soon as I stand up they dont want to cooperate. Are you on any other meds ? I also take Tizanidine so the combination probably doesn’t do me any favours. Saw neuro 2 weeks ago and was told the answer was to do more exercise, and then do a bit more ! It seems no matter what I do the weight creeps on, even if I live on lettuce leaves ! I look forward to earring how you get on with neuro. Hopefully he will have some sensible advice to offer. Speak soon Jackie x
Hi Jackie,
I suffered from a lot of weight gain with having so many relapses and taking steroids for them 
Thankfully I was lucky enough to get on Tysabri so no more relapse or steriods since I started back in 2008.
I know not everyone with MS can exercise A couple years ago I was able to try going to the gym through a 12 week GP reveral course and still am I can’t do a lot but with what I can do and going to slimming world I lost 10 stone.
I need whatever exercise I can do and the trainer told me eating after you exercise you’ll feel hungry but thats the best time to eat within an hour of excercising your body is still able to burn of the calories without exercising.
I cained a small bit of weight again with going to the gym but I was told thats muscle I don’t look any fatter well just a bit round my arms and legs but its muscle lol I was told that it will help my body get more oxygen into the blood so I wouldn’t feel as tired well that part must be true cause I don’t suffer from fatigue anymore.
I hate to think If I used bed rest to try and loose weight I don’t know if anyone else is like this but If I spent a lot of time In bed with my MS I start to sieze up it takes forever to get moving again when I was at my worst with fatigue and using a wheelchair I was so stiff and sore and just sleep all the time
Mark x
Hi Tom
Thanks for that link it was very interesting if always wondered how my grandma is a nice healthy weight she’s 92 years of age and everything she seems to eat is cooked in fat or butter and its just normally food none of these low fat foods.
I love that kind of food but when I eat it I put on weight I dont know where I’m going wrong
Mark
[quote
Thanks for that link it was very interesting if always wondered how my grandma is a nice healthy weight she’s 92 years of age and everything she seems to eat is cooked in fat or butter and its just normally food none of these low fat foods.
I love that kind of food but when I eat it I put on weight I dont know where I’m going wrong
Mark
[/quote]
Mark your mention of your grandmother reminded me of a nice piece of healthy-eating advice I once heard: ‘Only eat things that your grandmother would recognise as food.’ It’s a good tip, and cuts out a lot of the filtered word rubbish that gets us into trouble.
Alison
x
Someone on this forum introduced me to Barry Groves eating regime. l googled him -[ and then bought the books from amazon cheap] He advocates that we should eat like our ancestors - High protein and fat and low carb. l have been following it and have lost 7lbs since Christmas. His books are
EAT FAT and GET THIN. and Natural Health and Weight Loss His ideas are the complete opposite of the Swank Diet and Dr Jelineks. Not aimed directly for pwms - but for everyone - especially diabetics. l find if l cut out most of the carbs l never seem to be hungry. l have only to eat one doughnut and then find l need to eat the box full.
lt means not eating grain/cereal/flour but plenty of green veg/salad and lots of fish and meat especially the fatty type - cooking with dripping/butter/lard.
So a complete turnaround.
l too - know of elderly neighbours in their 90’s who eat everything cooked in fat. Lots of butter and cream. Bacon and eggs for breakfast everyday.
One lovely old lady still gardens everyday and can read without glasses. She is very tiny - not a ounce of spare weight on her.
To lose weight by exercising - you would have to walk/run miles just to burn off a biscuit.
Look him up [Barry Groves] like most things you can adapt his ideas to suit your way of life.
Best of luck
Frances.
ps. Just been out in a pair of trousers - l could not get into last year.
hi Jackie.
know exactly what you are going through, I have trouble maintaining of my weight after being dx in 2006 I put I got very depressed and was comfort eating a lot so put loads of weight on, I knew something had to be done, so since 2009 I have been attending weight watchers, I know its not for everyone but its been a way for me to loose weight, its coming off slowly, yes I do get a few weeks where I put on, but on the whole its been great especially as I canot even walk longer than a few steps up to now I’ve lost 26lbs 2 more pounds it will be 2 stones, there is less chance of it going back on as its coming off slowly.
Al x
Exercise can help…
I know we have MS but I attend ‘Tonning tables’ as do many others in this area with MS. I’ve tonned up, and met loads of new friends.
Swimmimg helps me also.
I don’t have a weight problem, quite the opposite in fact…I have lost loads recently, and my Dr always frowns as he says,
‘you’ve lost weight…again!’
OK Jackie - the update.
The only concern I had worth mentioning over the past 12 months was the weight gain. She said Gabapentin was a definite, as is Carbo (been on that but didn’t work for the pain), Pregab is a close contender and she said the only way they’d try to establish this was for me to stop meds. I said a definite no, no on this - I can afford to go backwards! Amitriptyline is also a known for this problem. She explained these meds supress the metobolic cells making them slow (or in my case go on strike!). Exercise was mentioned and I admitted I do none apart from walk to car, car to office, around the office and shopping (with a trolley).
Swimming is the most likely option BUT I have to admit I am embarrassed to expose me to the water world (this is from one who used to bare all on nudist beaches, obviously in my slim days hahaha).
My diet was discussed. I do eat/cook really healthy, chicken, veg every day, cut down alcohol intake lots too.
Basically I’d like to rent out my bubble body to a personal trainer who will do the necessary and bring it back each day a little less heavy and little slimmer!
Tonight I am putting in my MS exercise DVD for the first time in 12 months in readiness to do a 10 min workout tomorrow morning rather than have my coffee, a cigarette and watch Daybreak before getting ready for work.
In 12 months time, I shall hopefully return to a size 10 top half, with a size 16 bottom half - attractive? 
I can only be thankful that I have not relapsed in 2 years and THAT is very important to me right now.
Aly x
Hi Ted, thanks so much for this. I just watched the video all the way through. Very compelling evidence. I did read the books by Atkins a few years ago and thought then that it made so much sense (that’s when Dr Atkins was alive… I do not think the company is as ethical now) although I think this is healthier than Atkins as it’s just really about ‘real’ food, including veg. It’s really the food that our parents and grandparents (and generations before them) ate and they were not obese.
It makes such absolute sense. I had forgotten how much sense it makes… so many thanks for this. I recommend it to anyone who is struggling with weight loss.
Pat x