WHAT THE...? I gained 12lbs from surgery?

HelenTheKitchen
HelenTheKitchen Posts: 383
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
I had my gallbladder taken out on Tuesday and have been pretty much living on saltines, jello, and hydrocodone ever since. I had my first real meal last night (some steak and potatoes) and everything went down perfectly. So I decided to get back into my normal eating routine today.

I got up and weighed myself and the scale says I weigh 12lbs more than I did the morning of my surgery. How is that possible? I'm still pretty bloated from the gas that they pumped into me to get to my gallbladder, my ankles are still a bit swollen and I know they were pumping stuff into me at the hospital, but 12lbs!?!?!?! Is this normal?!?! Will it go away?

Please help!

Helen

Replies

  • JasonVickers
    JasonVickers Posts: 17 Member
    I was pretty bloated after having mine out, didn't weight myself though - but I did return to normal in about 4 weeks.
  • mejustmichael
    mejustmichael Posts: 109 Member
    Maybe they left something in you... lol jk

    It sounds like its pretty normal. but ask your doc. It could be u weighed yourself before u had a chance to get rid of that stake or your bod hasn't had enough time to absorb and get rid of the saline they use in the actual surgery or your IV.
  • chatterbox3110
    chatterbox3110 Posts: 630 Member
    I wouldn't worry too much, you do tend to retain an awful lot of fluid following surgery and of course, your digestive system will have slowed down completely.

    I'm the same if I fly, I can gain up to 7lbs in weight before I get off a plane!

    I'm sure once you are back in a normal pattern it will fall off!
  • CraigIW
    CraigIW Posts: 176
    Is Jello not full of sugar? I find if I eat any sugar I can gain easily, especially if I'm not moving around.
  • chrisallcock
    chrisallcock Posts: 173
    Maybe they left something in you... lol jk

    It sounds like its pretty normal. but ask your doc. It could be u weighed yourself before u had a chance to get rid of that stake or your bod hasn't had enough time to absorb and get rid of the saline they use in the actual surgery or your IV.
    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • SouthernBell86
    SouthernBell86 Posts: 275 Member
    I wouldn't worry about it just yet. Your body is still healing, and probably you are swollen in other areas too and just don't notice it. I bet you retain a lot of fluid after something as traumatic as a surgery. The surgeons removed your gall bladder but now your body is doing the real hard work of healing and recovering from the surgery. I recommend you to just take it easy and keep eating normal healthy foods, don't worry about what the scale says for a few weeks. :)
  • ivyjbres
    ivyjbres Posts: 612 Member
    Usually the digestive systems temporarily slows down or stops when you have invasive surgery on your abdomen. You could be retaining stuff.
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
    water gain mostly. swelling from the surgery.. etc
  • shadow3829
    shadow3829 Posts: 103 Member
    It normal. I gained that after my hysterectomy. It comes off quickly. It the gas and swelling. It will come off and probably some extra.
  • GypsyWagon
    GypsyWagon Posts: 82 Member
    Anesthesia will do some wacky things to your body, too. ITA with everyone, your body has been invaded and "looted"...it just needs time to heal and adjust. I have no doubt that you'll drop the excess fluids in no time. Hang in there and take it easy on yourself while you recuperate. :flowerforyou:
  • l3xii
    l3xii Posts: 160
    Maybe they left something in you... lol jk

    It sounds like its pretty normal. but ask your doc. It could be u weighed yourself before u had a chance to get rid of that stake or your bod hasn't had enough time to absorb and get rid of the saline they use in the actual surgery or your IV.
    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • epoint
    epoint Posts: 88
    It's leftover from the IV fluids, and from the fluid retention around the traumatized parts of your body, or at least that's what I was told. I was 7 lbs heavier when I came home from having my hysterectomy last month, and I hadn't eaten for days plus I had a colon prep ahead of time. I was a little panicked about it, but it disappeared in 3 or 4 days. Perfectly normal I believe.
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