scoliosis and weight management.

[sonya]

hi, my name is sonya, i'm 31 years old and from perth, western australia. i have kyphoscoliosis and have fusion that corrected my spine to a 67 degree. my biggest query is that i have had two children, eat very well if not too much sometimes and only weigh 43 kilos. my heaviest was 50 kilos when i was 21(i had surgery when i was 17) does anyone else out there have trouble gaining or managing their weight. i have always wondered whether it was related to my kyphoscoliosis.

[sweetness514]

I can tell you that before I had the surgery and had a 60 degree thoracic curve, I had to eat at least 4-5 times everyday to weigh between 100 and 110 pounds(I was 5'4"), and that was after being 90 pounds until age 19 when I drank Ensure to gain some of those pounds. Now that I had surgery, I gained between 10 and 20 pounds(I go up and down), am 5'5" and I think it's not only due to the fact that I'm older but that my back is more straight and it seems the weight stays on more. I eat much less and much better too.

[Gail]

Hello Sonya,

I was thin before surgery and lost down to 99 lbs after surgery. I made milkshakes with Vanillla ice cream and Ensure Plus to try to gain weight. I managed to get my weight up to 104 lbs and I have maintained that weight for approx. 3yrs. However, if I skip a couple of days drinking Ensure I will drop down several pounds quickly. What some people do not understand is that it is as frustrating for thin people to gain weight as it is for heavier people to lose weight.

Kindest Regards,
Gail

[sonya]

to gail,
thank goodness! you are the first person to say what i say regularly to defend my light frame. there are endless diets to try to lose weight, but society doesnt seem to fathom that weight gain is harder as there are few supplements that will alter your size. you are the second person to recommend ensure plus, so i am going to try it for one month starting today, i will keep you all posted if i gain any weight.