Low body mass index and MS

[Cometsmom]

In the past two years, I've lost 30 pounds unintentionally - all tests have ruled out everything from thyroid problems to cancer. I'm 5' 7 and now weigh 105 pounds (BMI roughly 17). I had been told 30 years ago that I either had TIA or MS after experiencing right side clumsiness, hand weakness, slurred speech with an MRI positive for suspicious MS lesions as well as abnormal evoked potentials. Haven't had any real symptoms till recently. New MRI shows more lesions so the radiologist read it as MS. I see a neurologist next month for definitive diagnosis.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has had a similar situation? As far as I know, all my nutritional labs are normal, but I can't help but wonder if losing all this weight after being 135 pounds for years may have brought about these new symptoms.

[Zyklon]

22 pounds in 5 months with diet, walking and healthy lifestyle after first relapse.

I notice my body is much more prone to lose weight if I don't eat enough. I guess my body needs much more energy with MS.

[jimmylegs]

hey there

first, nutritional labs can be a. incomplete (ie looking at a scant handful of nutrients in relative isolation vs examining relationships between cofactors, various ratios etc) and b. poorly interpreted (ie 'normal' is not good enough).

second, i lost 20 lbs in the last yr unintentionally but it was a good thing. i could happily do it again lol.

years and years ago, in the months leading up to my diagnosis, my weight dropped like a stone but again it was only about 15-20 lbs and it was not like i was wasting away. it was just a surprise. i was working full time as an outdoor winter sports instructor so pretty active.

in the earlier pre-dx case i had upped activity and then decided to eat nuts less often. apparently the nuts had been keeping my weight steady??? i had a bad habit of restricting nutrient dense foods back then. curious if you've been referred to a dietitian, to have a look at your daily macro and micro nutrient intakes in relation to your activity levels? i confess that the diet support i had pre- and post-dx was not enough to be sufficiently protective, but it's better than just relying on blood work and the potential pitfalls of access and interpretation!

[Cometsmom]

I haven't seen the nutritionist yet but prob should. The initial weight loss was due to stress (self employed and lost an acct) but I just keep losing. My appetite is still low and even though I'm forcing myself to eat I just can't maintain any gains. I just wonder if the weight issue is contributing to my current symptoms (or vice versa)

[jimmylegs]

how's the protein, energy and general nutrient density of the foods you *are* managing to eat? malnutrition can sometimes, counterintuitively, contribute to lack of appetite (amongst other things).

[Cometsmom]

Good question! I drink two 350 calories of Ensure with 13 grams of protein for lunch and then eat a normal dinner usually red meat, chicken, pasta, veggies, salad, etc. I don't know much about the nutrition side of things so I'll definitely meet with the nutritionist at my doctor's office and see what a better meal plan might be.

Thanks for your thoughts on this!

[jimmylegs]

Ok so given some preliminary digging:

"The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is a modest 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. The RDA is the amount of a nutrient you need to meet your basic nutritional requirements. In a sense, it’s the minimum amount you need to keep from getting sick — not the specific amount you are supposed to eat every day."

so for your body weight, you're looking for *at least* 48 x 0.8 grams of protein per day, or just over 38 g minimum.

so the 2 ensure are getting you to 26 g or 68% of minimum daily requirements (for maintenance as opposed to gain), so will be worth looking at what your other meal(s) deliver in terms of basic macronutrients.

note re ensure:
https://ensure.com/nutrition-facts-questions-answers
"Are Ensure products to be used as a meal replacement or a snack?
"...Ensure ready-to-drink shakes and drinks can be used as a snack and as an occasional meal replacement."

can you specify the particular ensure product(s) you're using most often to replace lunch?

re dinner protein, a 3 oz serving of beef will deliver 22g, chicken 27g, 1c kidney beans 15g, 1c quinoa 8g (complete) whole wheat pasta 8g (partial).

so, looks like it might be time to spread your protein intake out over the course of the day a bit better, and take the emphasis off ensure as a consistent meal replacement. will be good to see what the doc has to say!

full disclosure: having sought info via the same resource many years ago, i can see now that i wasn't given detailed enough explanations for everything i was told, to take any of it on board in a meaningful way. it took getting sick to really kick my ass onto the learning curve. hindsight: 20/20 as usual :S lol le sigh

related:
harvard's 'healthy eating plate'
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying- ... ting-plate

' "Unfortunately, like the earlier U.S. Department of Agriculture Pyramids, MyPlate mixes science with the influence of powerful agricultural interests, which is not the recipe for healthy eating," said Walter Willett, Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition and chair of the Department of Nutrition at HSPH. "The Healthy Eating Plate is based on the best available scientific evidence and provides consumers with the information they need to make choices that can profoundly affect our health and well-being." '

comparing researchers' HEP to USDA 'myplate'
https://www.health.harvard.edu/plate/co ... da-myplate

[NHE]

Good question! I drink two 350 calories of Ensure with 13 grams of protein for lunch and then eat a normal dinner usually red meat, chicken, pasta, veggies, salad, etc. I don't know much about the nutrition side of things so I'll definitely meet with the nutritionist at my doctor's office and see what a better meal plan might be.

I use one of Garden of Life's protein powders. They make several varieties. The one I use is the unflavored Raw Protein. Each 28 g serving has 22 g of plant based protein. In contrast to Ensure, there's no sugar in it. The flavor is OK, it's neutral.

https://www.vitacost.com/garden-of-life ... nt-formula

[Zyklon]

BMI is not the only important thing. Fat % is very important too. You may have a BMI of 22 but with very high fat % which may make you unhealthy.

[Punchy]

Having weight loss surgery in a couple months, definitely not an issue for me!

I need to be at an optimal weight for mobility and assistance, should my disease get me to thatvpount.

[Rusane42]

I have lost weight 2 times unintentionally. I am 5'6 and normally weigh 145lbs to 140lbs. 1st time i went from 145lbs to 105lbs in 3 months. Not intending at all. It came with a huge relapse. Again I have lost 20lbs from May to September. Omg just to try and get some weight I ate a whole apple pie to myself in 2 days. Next day, I lost another damn pound. I don't exercise like running or weights but I walk by dog 2x a day for an hour at a decent pace. If I exercise I feel sick, weak and i lose my vision and shake. So that it off the table. It is frustrating. Being too thin is just as dangerous as being over weight. I lost my booty and boobs..I look like a prepubescent kid..

[jimmylegs]

where do you live, roughly, R?

any news from punchy?