Has anyone lost weight post surgery?

[weekycat]

Hi everyone,
Has anyone lost weight after surgery? Not that I'm complaining mind you, (I've got lots to lose), but the numbers on the scale have been dropping every day since my valve repair on May 30!

I love this side-effect and hope it continues! My husband told me before my valve repair that he had a theory. He figured I was only overweight because my heart wasn't pumping efficiently. I've had somewhat of a weight problem all my life, but in the last five years I've put on approx 80lbs! Pre-surgery, it seemed like the numbers kept going up for no reason, I really don't eat that much, I know I wasn't getting the exercise I needed either, I never had much energy etc. So now I'm hoping the energy level will increase and the weight will continue to drop off. Has anyone had this experience, or know of any medical reason for this to happen? Thanks, Jean

 

[Nancy]

Yes Jean-

My husband also lost weight after all his surgeries. I guess it happens for all the reasons you mentioned above, plus when the heart isn't pumping right, fluids can accumulate and that can also account for lots of the weight loss, because your heart is now working more efficiently.

He also lost lots of muscle mass after his surgeries. This will return pretty fast when you are exercising more. Walking is important.

If you were put on a "no added salt" diet restriction, like lots of people are after surgery, that will increase the weight (fluid) loss.

Glad to hear you're doing well.

 

[DickV]

My doc told me that after surgery I was burning about 5000 calories a day just healing and because I was not eating that much or doing anything, I lost about 18 lbs. After about 4 months or so I gained it all back.

My valve/graft surgery was two yars ago May 25th and I am the exact same weight (to the pound) now as I was the day I had surgery. I have read many posts about people either losing or gaining weight after surgery but the surgery or the coumadin has had any effect on my weight.

 

[weekycat]

Did you need to lose weight?

Did you need to lose weight?

DickV,
I'm hoping that's not the case for me. I was just wondering if you needed to lose that 18lbs you lost or not. In my case, as I said, I could stand to lose a lot more! I have been on the treadmill almost every day, finally made it to 20 minutes yesterday. I figure if I keep adding a few minutes a day at home and at cardiac rehab, I can't go wrong, since I got very little exercise pre-surgery.

This afternoon I go to my pcp for a post-op check up, and I know they'll weigh me. I'm curious to see what the difference will be between that and my pre-op physical weight which was on May 24.

At any rate, I'm hoping losing some of it without having to try will give me the incentive to continue in my weight loss. Jean

 

[DickV]

No, I didn't need to lose it. I got pretty damn skinny. I am 6'1 194 lbs and I dropped 18 lbs off that. I am back to where I want to be.

 

[RobThatsMe]

Hi,

Same happened to me. I was 174 prior to surgery, within 2 days after surgery, I dropped to 150. That was alittle over 2 years ago. I now weigh 171. Just not as much muscle as I had before.

Due to the meds which slow my heart rate, my metabolism is now much slower than before. Therefore, I am not burning as many calories. Also, since I cannot lift weights like I used to, my ability to regain the muscle mass is effected. Muscle weighs more than fat, so, the muscle weight I lost, has turned into some spare tire weight.

Oh well, sure beats the alternative of not being here! Besides, I still can work out and stay toned which has got to help me in the long run.

Hmmmm vanity or life... both would be nice.. <smile> But if I had my choice.. I am glad for the life!

Rob

 

[JimL]

I lost weight before surgery; those little water pills work wonders on CHF! That made me ravenously hungry during the two days before surgery; I ate as many as seven hospital meals a day and still lost water weight. In surgery they pumped in several gallons of fluid, and brought me up to perhaps 200 pounds, but the little water pills took care of that in the next few weeks.

 

[bruizer]

I lost about 10 pounds after my Ross Procedure even though my body fat was about 9 percent prior to the surgery. It seemed that I continued to lose weight regardless of what I ate. From what I have been told, this is normal because your body has just gone through a lot of trauma. Eventually, your weight will get back to where you were prior to the surgery, if that is what you want. Like Rob mentioned, I cannot lift heavy weights any more. Since muscle weighs more than the other stuff, I am still about 5 pounds less than I was prior to the surgery.

 

[Mara]

I lost a lot of weight right before my surgery which was also right before my wedding. Since my surgery I have gained 20 or so pounds. But I have not been eating anything different, except I substituted soy protein for animal protein at one or two meals a week. Plus, i am eating a lot more fruits and veg. Go figure.

 

[Johnny Stephens]

I've lost about 50 lbs of water since my surgery in April, and am still losing. I had been putting it on over the past few years as my heart got less efficient. I thought I was just getting heavier!

Those diuretics are amazing. I take a "helper" diuretic (Zaroxilyn) whenever the demedex slows down. I have to plan this carefully to be near the appropriate facilities for about 2 days!

 

[Nancy]

Johnny-

Joe's been on Zaroxolyn from time to time also to give him a boost. Some boost huh? It's like a water bomb. Sure does the trick, though. LOL

 

[Johnny Stephens]

Bombs away

Bombs away

Hi Nancy, funny you should use the phrase "water bomb", because Kathy and I have been referring to taking this pill as "dropping the bomb!"

 

[joy]

I actually gained about 30 pounds since my surgery. I needed it though. When I found out I was pregnant with Erik, I weighed 80 pounds(at 8 weeks along). Now I weigh 110. I actually look healthy, and I feel better. I am 5'4". I have always been slim, and my mom, who is 5'5" weighs 125. She's had a lot of surgeries too, like 2 thorocotomies(sp). I used to take furosemide, and that was like a huge water bomb! I have a high salt diet right now, i know I 'm not supposed to eat a lot of salt or sodium, but hey, I'm young. I'm also a lot stronger in my arms.

 

[BrooksM]

Yes, about 15 pounds.

Yes, about 15 pounds.

I've lost about 15 in the month since surgery. I think it is mostly due to the low salt diet, I'm just paying more attention and not eating as much. I never stopped exercising before surgery just decreased the intensity. I'm hoping to have an easier time regulating my weight now, I've always been all over the board.

Brooks McIntyre
Synergraft AVR, Dr. Zehr, Mayo Clinic, 5/23/02

 

[Igor]

I?ve lost around 15 lbs since the surgery (it was around a month ago) and I think I am slowly loosing about one pound a week now. I think at least 25% of it is a muscle loss. Also, I have noticed that I definitely eat more then I used to prior to the surgery.
I thing the healing process takes lots of extra calories.

 

[Jennie]

Folks,

I haven't lost any weight since surgery (other than five pounds in the hospital, which I gained back). I have no spare weight to lose. Instead, I am having a semi-severe energy crisis - and am finding, as some of you, that I need to eat more. My theory is that since I have no "spare energy" reserves, my body is sapping my "normal" energy and require more food input. I was talking to a friend this weekend - a chiropractor - and he says that our bodies are healing: making CELLS - bone, tissue, and he went on, I forgot all that he said. This is requiring ENERGY, and he said that this would be the case for quite a while for this type of surgery. He also commented that it takes 100 days for the sternum (bone) to heal.

Just wondering if anyone else has been having an energy crisis instead of weight loss? I've never encountered this sort of drainage in all my life!! It has been getting better in the last week or so, but I am just wondering here....

-Jennie

 

[Nancy]

Hi-

I'm going to quote DickV, I hope he doesn't mind:


"My doc told me that after surgery I was burning about 5000 calories a day just healing and because I was not eating that much or doing anything, I lost about 18 lbs. After about 4 months or so I gained it all back.

My valve/graft surgery was two yars ago May 25th and I am the exact same weight (to the pound) now as I was the day I had surgery. I have read many posts about people either losing or gaining weight after surgery but the surgery or the coumadin has had any effect on my weight."

 

[Christina]

I lost a total of 12 pounds during my surgeries in 2000, but gained it back.
I want to loose 30 lbs, but my doctor tells me that 20 will be fine, so that is comforting to know. I don't know how I am going to do it though. I am eating a well balanced diet, and exercise 3-4 times a week but it hasn't come off. I used to be able to lose whenever I needed to by just cutting my carbs, but this time it seems different.
I have tried different things already, and am looking into Ultimate HGH. Any comment about this product would be grately appreciated as I don't want to waste my hard earned money. The guys at the gym used to talk about this all the time, but the injections are very expensive, and still are. I don't want to go that route anyways. I just want a pill! LOL!!!
I have also read that CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) works great for weightloss, but don't know where to get the right product. There are so many people ripping you off.
I want to exercise more often but my energy level has not come up to the level I hoped it would be, and I just don't have the stamina to exercise more often.
I hope this doesn't sound like a complaint, but I really want help with this because it is bothering me to no end. I have clothes in my closet that don't fit.

Christina
AVR's 8/7/00 & 8/18/00
TMC, Tucson, AZ
Dr. Gulshan Sethi