1. < Digestive Health

Malnutrition possibility?

Posted by blackscarecrow @blackscarecrow, Jan 18 7:30am

M36, 5ft7,169 pounds ...

Hi all, I have a problem and a question; Lets say I have some malabsorption/malnutrition issues for the last year (still not officially diagnosed)...but those are my thoughts based on the infos i read on the internet. Sudden weight loss after blood donation (8kilos in 3 weks) , dry, pale, somewhere saggy skin, vertical nail ridges, greasy stool/diarrhea, hair falling all over body (legs,eyebrows,pubic hair), bleeding from gums, swollen tongue with white coating,sunken eyes and so on... could point towards that diagnosis...I even lost facial fat and fullness of my face like that lipoatrophied HIV positive ppl. (I dont have HIV btw). Even my sweat is smelling on ammonia indicates my body is breaking down more proteins for fuel maybe? So its either malnurishement or some of those issues like SIBO or BAM fat malabsorption or carb malabsorption + nutrient malabsorption...or Whipple's maybe? Got tested for celiacs, blood draw tTIga, negative.
Ive been eating very bad food for a quite a time, like only junk food like hot dogs and stuff like that, not too many vegetables and fruits...usually food with high calories but without nutritional value + Ive been donating blood every 3 months...is it possible that i got my body to the point of malnutrition? Cuz i even got anemic (iron deficient) dark circles around eyes, but ive managed to correct that with iron pills... Anyway...are those malnutrition symptoms? And, could malabsorption/malnutrition cause elevated cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels? Maybe from constant weight loss body is burning stored fat and regards to that i now have constantly elevated lipids? Ty

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Digestive Health Support Group.

blackscarecrow | @blackscarecrow | Jan 22 4:32pm
In reply to @slkanowitz "When you get the stool test for pancreatic insufficiency the test for bile acid malabsorption should..." + (show)
@slkanowitz

When you get the stool test for pancreatic insufficiency the test for bile acid malabsorption should be done too. With your significant weight and hair loss you should also be checked for overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) and diabetes. I hope you get this figured out soon!

Jump to this post

My sugar levels are ok. But we will do Hb1ac now,just in case. Any thyroid is fine. Checked that already. Malnutrition causes hair loss... Vitamin deficiency, I hope.

REPLY
dia2ne | @dia2ne | Jan 22 5:22pm
In reply to @debhammel "Looks like @slkanowitz is aware there's a blood test - that's a whole lot easier than..." + (show)
@debhammel

Looks like @slkanowitz is aware there's a blood test - that's a whole lot easier than collecting a stool sample IMHO 🙂

Jump to this post

I suffered the typical symptoms for years & wrote it off to just IBS which my doc diagnosed about 20 yrs ago. Then about one & a half years ago symptoms got worse so I saw a gastroenterologist. He tested & said since I have slightly low pancreatic enzymes he could prescribe pig enzymes in a drug called Creon. They too are horribly expensive, but I was desperate for relief! Medicare health insurance does cover 75% of the cost except when their payouts reach a certain level & then I pay 100% of the prescription cost until another level is reached. Then it goes back to me paying only 25% of the $1,700/ month! I've been taking Creon before every meal & every fatty snack for over a year now & I am pleased that it does help! There are still a few disappointing days each month that result in the awful symptoms; like when I forget to take pills before a meal & don't remember 'till over half an hour or an hour later. I'm sensitive to gluten & dairy so there are many ways to upset my digestion! I hope this is helpful.

REPLY
1 reply
celia16 | @celia16 | Jan 22 5:51pm
In reply to @dia2ne "I suffered the typical symptoms for years & wrote it off to just IBS which my..." + (show)
@dia2ne

I suffered the typical symptoms for years & wrote it off to just IBS which my doc diagnosed about 20 yrs ago. Then about one & a half years ago symptoms got worse so I saw a gastroenterologist. He tested & said since I have slightly low pancreatic enzymes he could prescribe pig enzymes in a drug called Creon. They too are horribly expensive, but I was desperate for relief! Medicare health insurance does cover 75% of the cost except when their payouts reach a certain level & then I pay 100% of the prescription cost until another level is reached. Then it goes back to me paying only 25% of the $1,700/ month! I've been taking Creon before every meal & every fatty snack for over a year now & I am pleased that it does help! There are still a few disappointing days each month that result in the awful symptoms; like when I forget to take pills before a meal & don't remember 'till over half an hour or an hour later. I'm sensitive to gluten & dairy so there are many ways to upset my digestion! I hope this is helpful.

Jump to this post

What symptoms did you have before you started on this med? I’m type one and dealing with digestive issues.

REPLY
1 reply
blackscarecrow | @blackscarecrow | Jan 23 2:02am
In reply to @slkanowitz "Yes EPI can exist alone. Once it is treated, if you have residual GI symptoms then..." + (show)
@slkanowitz

Yes EPI can exist alone. Once it is treated, if you have residual GI symptoms then you have to look further. But this could be the only thing causing your trouble.

Jump to this post

Just one more info if u might know? If EPI, why am i having high cholesterol and triglyiceride levels and they are only getting higher and i keep getting more malnourished? Did u also have impaired lipid metabolism, by that i mean high cholesterol and trigylicerides?

REPLY
slkanowitz | @slkanowitz | Jan 23 10:28am

There could be a link between the EPI and high lipids. One cause of EPI is chronic pancreatitis which is associated with high lipids and diabetes. Serum amylase and lipase are tests for pancreatitis and should be done along with a HbA1c for diabetes. There are many causes of CP so that needs addressed as well.

REPLY
stageivsurvivor | @stageivsurvivor | Jan 23 11:05am
In reply to @blackscarecrow "Could I have only EPI? Or it always comes with some other disease like Celiacs,IBS or..." + (show)
@blackscarecrow

Could I have only EPI? Or it always comes with some other disease like Celiacs,IBS or something?

Jump to this post

While EPI can exist alone, I am aware of surgical and non-surgical pancreatic cancer patients that after being prescribed a pancrealipase when fecal elastase test result indicated EPI, still had GI issues of malabsorption. It turned out that upon further diagnostic work-up, a co-morbidity existed or occurred at some point. Lactose intolerance and gluten intolerance (celiac disease) were the most frequently occurring. Other co-morbidities that can occur are Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, IBD/IBS, small intestinal bacterial overload (SIBO). If problems are not resolved after optimizing a pancrealipase and evaluating a different brand, a GI specialist should be consulted for a further GI work-up.

REPLY
dia2ne | @dia2ne | Jan 24 9:24am
In reply to @celia16 "What symptoms did you have before you started on this med? I’m type one and dealing..." + (show)
@celia16

What symptoms did you have before you started on this med? I’m type one and dealing with digestive issues.

Jump to this post

Symptoms included- diarrhea, gas, stomach/intestinal cramping, soft oily bowel movements, movements that almost always float, constipation, tiny thin "snake" B. Ms, & what I call "blasting or projectile" B. Ms!

REPLY
blackscarecrow | @blackscarecrow | Feb 6 7:16am
In reply to @slkanowitz "When you get the stool test for pancreatic insufficiency the test for bile acid malabsorption should..." + (show)
@slkanowitz

When you get the stool test for pancreatic insufficiency the test for bile acid malabsorption should be done too. With your significant weight and hair loss you should also be checked for overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) and diabetes. I hope you get this figured out soon!

Jump to this post

hey slkanowitz, do you possibly know, if over the counter digestive enzymes could do as well as creon? im thinking of to buy them for a tryout because my GP says im making things up...

REPLY
slkanowitz | @slkanowitz | Feb 6 8:36am

I have found the closest thing to Creon is Vital nutrients Pancreatic Enzymes with 35500 u lipase ( the important one) at Amazon, around $40 for 180 capsules. I am using that and it’s working well.

REPLY
caffy1 | @caffy1 | Feb 13 5:17pm

My daughter has all the same symptoms she has bacterial overgrowth in her small intestine they found it by doing a breathing test to detect bacteria she was put on an antibiotic for 14 days that didn’t help she is now on the low god diet if this doesn’t help she will have to have surgery

REPLY
2 replies
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.