A lot of weight gain after surgery?

Spiderkeys
Spiderkeys Posts: 338 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I'm just recovering on 1 day surgeory to repair a hernia just above my naval, which I would never of noticed hadn't I lost all this weight in the first place.

Now despite a slight decrease in appetite, a lot of pain, unable to hardly excercise, my weight has skyrocketed over 10 pounds, in only 2 days, my scale is looking ugly, my belly seemed to have doubled in-size.

What be could be the main possibily or are too many to mention? pain-relief (Endone), slight constipation, harder to pass urine, swollen operation site?

Is this normal, I'm now feeling i'm wishing I didn't go ahead with the surgery, I would expect a bit of weight gain, but this much is only 2 days is ridiculous.

Replies

  • Realtree2429
    Realtree2429 Posts: 81 Member
    You get completely pumped full of fluids during surgery. Take care of yourself and rest, the water weight will go away soon!
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
    edited January 2015
    It isn't actual weight gain (unless you ate 35,000 calories over your maintenance calories over the last 2 days). It is most likely just water weight.
  • leena31
    leena31 Posts: 14 Member
    Realtree2429 wrote: »
    You get completely pumped full of fluids during surgery. Take care of yourself and rest, the water weight will go away soon!

    This. The same thing happened to me after I got my thyroid taken out.
  • Spiderkeys
    Spiderkeys Posts: 338 Member
    So my odd stomach size can be just water weight? I havent measured it, but yeah, the only thing I can think of it, is stay far away from the scale for a while
  • Quasita
    Quasita Posts: 1,530 Member
    Surgery causes swelling, both visible and non-visible. As said above, you get a ton of fluids in surgery, in the form of saline. Me, my first surgery made me gain 10-15 pounds during the surgery alone! It floored me as they hadn't told me about the expected weight gain, but the doctors were not concerned.

    Depending on how involved the repair, the internal swelling can take months to dissipate. My last surgery, it took about 6 months before the inflammation went away (internally). Ten pounds isn't bad, and you really shouldn't be focusing on anything other than good after care right now anyway :)

    Some antibiotics and painkillers can cause you to retain water, as can simply not moving around as much while you're couch-bound. I would raise a concern with your doctor if you continue to gain or it doesn't gradually go out, but only AFTER your official recovery period.
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
    Spiderkeys wrote: »
    So my odd stomach size can be just water weight? I havent measured it, but yeah, the only thing I can think of it, is stay far away from the scale for a while

    Yes and no. Your body is damaged during surgery so it swells up, so your odd stomach shape is most likely extra bloating from the water weight and inflammation.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    It's water weight and inflammation. Don't step on the scale for a few weeks.
  • RaspberryTickleChicken
    RaspberryTickleChicken Posts: 629 Member
    Shouldn't this question be directed to your surgeon or primary physician??
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    Spiderkeys wrote: »
    I'm just recovering on 1 day surgeory to repair a hernia just above my naval, which I would never of noticed hadn't I lost all this weight in the first place.

    Now despite a slight decrease in appetite, a lot of pain, unable to hardly excercise, my weight has skyrocketed over 10 pounds, in only 2 days, my scale is looking ugly, my belly seemed to have doubled in-size.

    What be could be the main possibily or are too many to mention? pain-relief (Endone), slight constipation, harder to pass urine, swollen operation site?

    Is this normal, I'm now feeling i'm wishing I didn't go ahead with the surgery, I would expect a bit of weight gain, but this much is only 2 days is ridiculous.

    Fluids from the procedure, water retention from the inflammation around the surgery site, also the anesthesia tends to, er, back you up quite a bit.

    Stay off the scale for AT LEAST week, is my recommendation, your body is freaking out (appropriately!) and you will not get an accurate weight gauge for awhile. The absolute last think you want to do is deprive your body of the fuel it needs for cellular repair.

  • MummyKate85
    MummyKate85 Posts: 154 Member
    Was it keyhole surgery? The reason I ask is that during abdominal keyhole surgery they quite often inflate your abdomen using gas so that they can see/do things easier. This can make you look really bloated! It happened to me once and I came out of surgery looking heavily pregnant! I was advised by the doctors that it was normal and that it would settle eventually, which it did.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    Same happened to me. It's the fluids they give you and the drugs. It goes in a week or so.
  • Barbellarella_
    Barbellarella_ Posts: 454 Member
    Why would you even weigh yourself after surgery? Its logical that the number wouldn't even be accurate anyways, so I personally wouldn't bother. Better to focus on recovery and taking care of yourself.
  • Spiderkeys
    Spiderkeys Posts: 338 Member
    Actually it wasn't keyhole surgeory it was just a small incision, but obviously the latter was correct, most of the excess weight gain from just my tummy alone, that night I woke up hundreds of times to pass urine, so must of dropped over 8 pounds thur the night (didn't bothering weighing myself this morning though). Now it's day 3 feeling more better, I can walk further, and now been able to walk now with my back straight, not bend as the day before, stomach feels still a little bloated, but can't wait till the pain stops, the stiches disolve up, can I can start toning up my stomach again.
  • clyn27
    clyn27 Posts: 102 Member
    Everything the previous posters said is accurate. I had a very simple, no down time at all, in and out of the or in 40 mins procedure and gained 8 lbs that day just from fluids and the meds they pumped in me. And my mouth was freakin dry!!! I probably drank 5 lbs in water that day trying to get my mouth to a point where it wasn't too dry to even eat.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    I had a relatively minor oral surgery on Wednesday, which required that I start antibiotics the previous Friday. Despite eating at a deficit, my scale weight was up 1.1 lb. from Friday to Wednesday, and since the surgery it is up another 2.2! It's definitely fluid retention, since I've been scrupulous about logging.

    If you are normally active and have had to rest due to the surgery, some of the water retention might be water stored with muscular glycogen. I have to take a week off of any exercise more vigorous than walking, so I expect my glycogen stores are being at least partially replenished.
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
    I've had three surgeries during my weight-loss process.

    What you are experiencing is normal--it could be air (especially likely if the surgery was lapro or keyhole) and water retention/swelling.

    Give yourself a couple of weeks before you step on the scale. Really.
  • ourtruelovewillneverdie
    ourtruelovewillneverdie Posts: 170 Member
    Sounds like fluid retention.
  • kieran_78
    kieran_78 Posts: 6 Member
    Thanks for the comments here.

    I had inguinal hernia repair on Monday - feeling bloated since the op
  • myfitnesspale3
    myfitnesspale3 Posts: 276 Member
    MummyKate85 wrote: »
    Was it keyhole surgery? The reason I ask is that during abdominal keyhole surgery they quite often inflate your abdomen using gas so that they can see/do things easier. This can make you look really bloated! It happened to me once and I came out of surgery looking heavily pregnant! I was advised by the doctors that it was normal and that it would settle eventually, which it did.[/quote

    That's wild. How does the gas disperse? Do they use air?
  • Spiderkeys
    Spiderkeys Posts: 338 Member
    kieran_78 wrote: »
    Thanks for the comments here.

    I had inguinal hernia repair on Monday - feeling bloated since the op

    Wow it only took me a less than a week until the pain stopped completely, now almost 2 weeks later I just about I even forget I had the op. I think it was the medication that cause, now not only is weight back to normal, I even lost unintentionally more weight so now I lost 4 more pounds now weigh less behind I had the op, it like 14 pound decrease in just over a week, my weight plays funny games with me.
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
    Quasita wrote: »
    Surgery causes swelling, both visible and non-visible. As said above, you get a ton of fluids in surgery, in the form of saline. Me, my first surgery made me gain 10-15 pounds during the surgery alone! It floored me as they hadn't told me about the expected weight gain, but the doctors were not concerned.

    Depending on how involved the repair, the internal swelling can take months to dissipate. My last surgery, it took about 6 months before the inflammation went away (internally). Ten pounds isn't bad, and you really shouldn't be focusing on anything other than good after care right now anyway :)

    Some antibiotics and painkillers can cause you to retain water, as can simply not moving around as much while you're couch-bound. I would raise a concern with your doctor if you continue to gain or it doesn't gradually go out, but only AFTER your official recovery period.

    ^All of this.
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
    Spiderkeys wrote: »
    kieran_78 wrote: »
    Thanks for the comments here.

    I had inguinal hernia repair on Monday - feeling bloated since the op

    Wow it only took me a less than a week until the pain stopped completely, now almost 2 weeks later I just about I even forget I had the op. I think it was the medication that cause, now not only is weight back to normal, I even lost unintentionally more weight so now I lost 4 more pounds now weigh less behind I had the op, it like 14 pound decrease in just over a week, my weight plays funny games with me.

    Oops, just saw how old the original post is. Glad to see you checked back in, that you're healing up well, and that the scale is showing you nicer things :)

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