Weight Gain After Surgery

starling01

I had major surgery yesterday: general anesthesia and removal of a fairly large tumor. When I (pretty blearily) weighed myself last night, I was 6 pounds heavier than I was before the surgery. Weighing this morning, those 6 pounds were now 3 pounds. Is weight gain immediately after surgery just to be expected? I hate to think I'm going to have to work all over again for those 3 pounds, as dumb as that sounds. The weight gain on top of the surgery really threw me.

Shesaid_destroy

Honestly, i don't know but your post made me want to tell you to look at the bigger picture.
You have just had major surgery and your health, more than your weight, ought to be - in my opinion - the bigger concern.
I understand where you are coming from. It is quite a ***** to lose 3 pounds, it's a lot of efforts.
Don't worry about it and focus on your overall health. The rest will follow.
I hope you recover soon.

babyluthi

I had major surgery yesterday: general anesthesia and removal of a fairly large tumor. When I (pretty blearily) weighed myself last night, I was 6 pounds heavier than I was before the surgery. Weighing this morning, those 6 pounds were now 3 pounds. Is weight gain immediately after surgery just to be expected? I hate to think I'm going to have to work all over again for those 3 pounds, as dumb as that sounds. The weight gain on top of the surgery really threw me.

Was it abdominal? Was it laprascopic?

If so, they pump about 20 liters of CO2 into your abdomen. This can take a few days to dissipate.
Also you don't know how much IV fluids they gave you during the op. Sometimes it is a considerable amount.

Alwayssohungry

During surgery they pump you full of IV fluids of all kinds - a weight fluctuation that big in one day is most likely fluids - especially if three of them are already gone.

MexicanOsmosis

During surgery they pump you full of IV fluids of all kinds - a weight fluctuation that big in one day is most likely fluids - especially if three of them are already gone.

^^This. Not to mention, if you have 49 more pounds to go, 3 pounds should come off relatively quickly if you just stick to your calorie goals.

starling01

Thanks everybody!

The surgery removed a very large lipoma on my lower back. I had general surgery with full anesthesia, not a local, because of the size of the thing and its location near my spine. They had me hooked up to an IV, so I assume they were giving me fluids as well as whatever they give you prior to anesthesia.

The weight itself is causing health problems, and it's a useful distraction while I wait for test results. Since I'm in my early 60's, losing weight is not as easy as it used to be. Those 3 pounds really were difficult to remove. Yes, ;I have over 49 pounds to lose, more like 60. I hope it is fluid. I'm not going to weigh myself again until the next week to avoid freaking out over something like this.

Mokey41

The extra weight is probably fluid but a peek at your diary tells me that if you are logging correctly you are seriously undereating almost every day. Weight loss with age doesn't have to be hard and eating less than 1,000 calories a day is not a healthy way to go about it.

starling01

Mokey41, I hope to resolve some other health issues soon which will improve my appetite. I had a lot of personal catastrophes land on me the past three years,. and I pretty much pulled the covers over my head and ate ice cream. You're right, it's not healthy, and it's unpleasant, and I don't want to continue to eat like a bird. .

I do try to log everything correctly, although I think some of the calories in the database are kind of off.

And thank you!

Zaniejane

You did not gain six pounds:) I wish you a speedy recovery, I imagine the hardest thing will be eating at TDEE while recovering. I have a tendency to eat cheese, wine and potato chips when I'm feeling precious:)

This thread is also a good reminder not to weigh in the day after surgery! Thanks:)

Ang108

I had major surgery yesterday: general anesthesia and removal of a fairly large tumor. When I (pretty blearily) weighed myself last night, I was 6 pounds heavier than I was before the surgery. Weighing this morning, those 6 pounds were now 3 pounds. Is weight gain immediately after surgery just to be expected? I hate to think I'm going to have to work all over again for those 3 pounds, as dumb as that sounds. The weight gain on top of the surgery really threw me.

First of all let me congratulate you on your stamina. Having major surgery and getting up the same evening, to step on the scale and being clear minded enough to think of weight loss makes you quite an exception. When I had major surgery I could not get up and had to be forced to after 48 hours and my brain was literally empty of concrete thought and this was true for everyone I know with major surgery.

Don't worry about your weight gain. It is water which your tissue hangs on to to repair itself. That , combined with the general anesthesia and Iv fluids will do that. Give it a week and you will be back to normal.

QueenofScott

Don't worry. I'm guessing the weight gain is due to all the extra fluid. I did not weigh myself for a week or so, but when I did get on the scale I had actually dropped 5 lbs. I definitely understand worrying about weight gain. I was far more worried about gaining weight as I awaited my surgery, than I was worried about the actual surgery. My fears were unfounded, and i went on to lose a few more lbs since then. Your surgery is not a sentence to gain weight:) Just eat healthy foods and walk as you are allowed. You'll do fine! I hope that your recovery goes well and that you are feeling well soon.

Zaniejane

I had surgery yesterday, just weighed myself and I gained 10 (!) pounds.

starling01

I want to thank everyone for your comments and support and apologize for not responding. I've spent a week going back and forth with doctors and antibiotics, and frankly wasn't up to logging on.

Two things: doctors' scales are NOT consistent. They varied as much as 10 pounds, and never in the 'good' direction.

Meds: I'm not allergic to anything, but the antibiotics I remember taking as a child for things like UTI's now seem to have very ugly side effects. I don't know if it's my age or if the meds themselves have changed. One of the antibiotics knocked me on my *kitten*. Horrific dizziness, nausea, humming in my ears, acid reflux, intense stomach pain, and on and on. I understand it's the drug they prescribe for anthrax. I'd have to have anthrax or plague before I'd take it again. The second isn't that bad but it still comes with unpleasant dizziness, and this is just tetracycline.

As a result, I've lost some weight but obviously not the way I would have preferred

Zaniejane

The ten pounds I "gained" are gone again:)