How much weight did you lose post-op? if any

[dornole]

I have noticed a few different time people referencing losing weight post-surgery, in one case, 30 pounds (!)

Is this common? Should I plan on this? Is this water weight (I know I lost about a gallon of fluid on Lasix when I was in the hospital with congestive heart failure - that'd be 8 pounds in one day!) or fat weight?

I'm right at the edge of normal and overweight and was planning on losing a little more figuring it might help my heart to carry less "me" around - but if I lose 30 pounds even from where I am now, I'll be underweight. Maybe I should retain a little padding?

Just curious. No, I'm not trying to just have an excuse to eat more.

 

[Duffey]

I had high hopes that I would lose weight, but it didn't happen! Many people report that food is unappetizing for a while post-op, and it was to some extent for me, but that side effect didn't last long and my weight was about the same post-op as it was pre-op.
Sorry!

 

[Forrest]

I had lost 23 pounds post-op, but I had stayed in the hospital over a week due to internal bleeding that took longer to stop and because 3 organs were trying to shut down. Apparently I was one of the few whose body was extra pissed off about being on the heart-lung machine so things constricted. I was put on a special diet while in the hospital to avoid certain ingredients (I think for my Kidneys’ sake). I had no appetite during my stay, but it’s different for folks, I know someone who had the same operation and he said he actually enjoyed the food! I made it out fine though. I had gone in about 5 pounds down and so I wish I had known that there was the potential that I would lose more because I believe if you’re on the skinny side you want to make sure you maintain a healthy body mass, calories are good for healing heart tissue. But listen to your doctor’s advice. I might have been a bit of an anomaly. I usually hear most folks saying they've lost about 10 pounds, and a few folks have joked that they really hope they keep it off!

Note, my weight loss was most apparent at week 3 because the first few weeks I had fluid retention which faked me out (I think some fluid retention from the operation is relatively common). In addition, I probably lost a bit of muscle mass since I usually do sports and get lots of physical exercise, but during recovery you have weight lifting restrictions. All in all it took me several months to get back to my whopping 21-ish BMI. It will be interesting to see what others had experienced.

Best wishes for your surgery and recovery.

 

[clay_from_nj]

I went from about 200 pounds before surgery to 160, less than a year later. I would guess that up to 10 pounds of that was water weight. After my surgery, I felt so much better that I undertook to revamp my lifestyle, eating way better and exercising a lot.

 

[knotguilty]

I lost 15 to 20 pounds. Was around 189 and went down to almost 170. Lasix I think is the main culprit. But you do lose you appetite for a couple weeks. I have stayed down about 10 pounds since my heart surgery over a year ago at around 179.

 

[OldManEmu]

I was in class IV heart failure before my first surgery so this doesn't count because of fluid retention from heart failure. However my second surgery is the best diet I have ever been on, 4KG over 5 days in hospital. Nausea and hospital rations can do wonders. :biggrin2:

 

[big_L]

I lost about 10 lbs. I'm nearly 6' tall and normally go only 160 lbs, so I didn't need to lose any. I didn't have any complications and my appetite was back almost immediately. So, I don't understand why I lost weight, I'll guess it was the emotional and physical stress of the surgery.

 

[dornole]

OK, sounds like I don't have to worry about dangerous extreme weight loss - might lose a few pounds from being sick, probably be able to pack it back on if needed . . . thanks!

 

[Garserin]

I left the hospital 5 oz. lighter than I checked in, I was also on the border of normal and overweight. Didn't have much of an appetite for a week post op but I didn't gain much water weight either. Over the next two years I lost about 20 pounds through exercise and better diet. Dornole, when and where are you having your surgery if you don't mind my asking?

 

[dornole]

Garserin, I'm in the waiting room for mitral valve repair or replacement, next echo in June, cardio didn't like changes in my last one in Dec. (after 12 years of "yawn") but was not ready to pull the trigger. So I guess I am more thinking about what's optimal for my health even more--possibly prematurely getting too much info, but that is what keeps me calm.

I am in the Twin Cities and had interventional cardiology (valuloplasty) for mitral stenosis in 2002. Lost about 40 pounds via diet and exercise a few years after that when I had time and energy to devote to it. Feeling motivated again to get to the next level.

The valvuloplasty was done by my cardiologist at Abbott Northwestern in Mpls. so I actually will need a new guy/gal to do surgery when it comes to that. Maybe the Mayo will be in my future - did you like it?

 

[Garserin]

I was very impressed with Mayo and did not consider going anywhere else. Of course, Mayo is practically in my back yard so that was a very easy decision. My local clinic is part of Mayo Health System and automatically sends patients who need specialized care to Rochester.
Dr. Suri does a lot of mitral valve repairs, IMHO it would certainly be worth a trip down to Mayo Clinic. If you google him you'll see that he specializes in that area.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

 

[MrsBray]

I went from about 200 pounds before surgery to 160, less than a year later. I would guess that up to 10 pounds of that was water weight. After my surgery, I felt so much better that I undertook to revamp my lifestyle, eating way better and exercising a lot.

This is what I'm hoping for! I can't wait to be able to get back in the pool every day!

OK, sounds like I don't have to worry about dangerous extreme weight loss - might lose a few pounds from being sick, probably be able to pack it back on if needed . . . thanks!

This is what I'm afraid of - I'm an emotional eater and all the weight I lost last summer has come creeping back leading up to next week's surgery. Grrr!

 

[Boston Tiger]

Weight loss wasn't my problem. I remember keeping track of my weight on a regular basis when I was recuperating at home, and I was pretty stable then. My problems arose in the year after surgery, when I didn't realize that weight gain was one of the side effects of my medication. Now I'm dealing with an attempt to get rid of this beta blocker blob.

 

[The Thief]

I'm 5ft 10in. Pre surgery I was 158lbs. Post surgery, I lost 10-12lbs. Now, 3 months later, I gained about 5lbs back. I assume most of this wait is muscle as I've gotten back to the gym.

 

[VegasBAV]

I went from 150 pounds to 140 in the first ten days or so after surgery.

 

[Owenall]

I lost about 20 pounds after my operation, although I wasn’t particularly overweight before, went from 186 pounds to 164 pounds, my Body mass index was about the 25 mark before.
I did have complications during the procedure to replace my Aortic valve with a mechanical model, when an infection was found under my existing valve when it was removed, resulting in having to have 6 weeks of antibiotics via a drip.
During that time my appetite was poor, but since leaving hospital that has returned and I now weigh about 178 pounds which I am quite happy with.

best wishes for your surgery

 

[clay_from_nj]

5'8", 200 before surgery, went down to just under 160, now up to 163, (gaining muscle mass), feeling better than ever before.

 

[mcsf]

I lost about 15 pounds. I've been home a week now. The nutritionist at the hospital had a milkshake delivered to my room every afternoon after lunch. She was concerned about the weight I was losing. It was great!

 

[Roberta]

I lost about 15 pounds. I've been home a week now. The nutritionist at the hospital had a milkshake delivered to my room every afternoon after lunch. She was concerned about the weight I was losing. It was great!

I was 107 lbs and went down to under 100 lbs within 3 weeks post-op. As someone else said, nausea and no appetite certainly played a role.