Anyone having issues with gaining weight after liver transplant?

Good morning from Canada 🇨🇦
My issue isn't about weight gain anymore it's about an inability to lose weight. It's very depressing 😞

@chuckhorse absolutely i lost 60 lbs and I was at 123 from 185 and it took awhile to gain back weight. I drank very high calorie protein drinks 480 calories ea plus it had the vitamins I needed. After almost 3 years food is tasting better plus everything i liked before wasn’t on my new doctor recommended diet,stay away from all fast foods and restaurants, no sushi or undercooked meat all well done, im back to 185 and staying healthy my surgical scar prevents me from getting fat or it’s very painful, I don’t get hunger pains so i just graze during the day and a very small dinner good luck with your health and recovery it’s gonna be at least a year

@chuckhorse, congrats on the new liver. You might also be interested in this discussion related to taste.

- Loss of taste after liver transplant https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/loss-of-taste-after-liver-transplant/

I'm glad to hear that your sense of taste has started to improve. How are you doing?

I'm 60 and also got a liver transplant in August 2024. I weighed 185 lbs before and went down to 135 afterwards. I couldn't taste or smell anything and didn't have much interest in eating for 4 months post transplant. Thereafter, I regained my appetite and my digestion gradually returned to almost normal. It took me a full year to get my weight back up to 179 lbs where I am today. Once I got there, I could sense that my days of eating with impunity were over and decided to change my diet to limit fats, sugar and carbs. I think the modified diet has helped a lot.

In a typical breakfast, I will have 3 scrambled eggs, half of a banana, a glass of 2% milk and one cup of coffee an hour after taking my meds. If I have lunch, it will either be a small salad and/or a piece of grilled chicken. If I'm not hungry at lunchtime, I will usually eat the salad an hour or two before dinner.

My dinners consist of low-fat proteins like chicken, beef filet, salmon, clams or shrimp along with lots of cruciferous vegetables and carbs that have been heated/cooled/reheated to minimize sugar content. I drink 120 oz of water per day. I limit my sugar/desserts to one every week or two. If I get hungry after dinner, I'll have a small bowl of fruit such as strawberries, blueberries and pineapple. If I want to spice it up, I'll add a little yogurt and granola.

To burn calories, I walk on the treadmill and get 10,000 steps or more per day. I also lift light weights 3-4 times per week.

I just do not feel great when I have a sugary treat. I feel much better since I've limited my fat and carbohydrate intake. Everybody is different, but that's what has worked for me.

@jimb43581921
Good morning! I enjoyed reading your posttransplant return to normal planning! I also was terribly underweight when I received my transplant (liver and kidney) in 2009, however I had no taste before transplant. It returned immediately afterward and I remember how wonderful a simple piece of buttered toast tasted!
I was scheduled to see a dietician ( I think due to the kidney) and that was helpful for me to return to a normal weight and to maintain a healthier eating pattern. After 17 years, I try to use common sense and to make healthy choices. Walking and smaller portions are working for me.

What was it like for you to make the transition to your current modified eating plan?

@rosemarya
Good morning. The transition to my new diet started like any other diet I've tried throughout my life. You crave the things you can't have and you wonder if the new approach is right for you. However, this diet was different in that it provided a few immediate paybacks: an end to frequent diarrhea and a whole lot more energy. I'd have to say eating this way is fairly easy for me now. If I eat too much or eat the wrong things, I am often quickly reprimanded by my digestive tract and fall back in line quickly. I can sometimes feel like I'm high maintenance at family gatherings but my desire to avoid digestive distress easily overcomes those feelings.

Best regards,
Jim