Temperature regulation post surgery?

[pem]

Hi. Does (or did) anyone else have trouble regulating body temperature after surgery? If so, for how long?

I am 3 months out as of yesterday (yay!), but I seem to have bouts of feeling like I've lost my core heat and can't get it back. I don't seem to have a fever during these times - in fact, my actual temperature seems about normal, so I guess it is a perceptual thing.

Anyway, I'd be interested to hear about anyone else's experiences related to this.

Thanks a lot,
pem

 

[spartangator]

Oh yeah, this one's fairly common, according to what others have posted here. In fact, even four years later, I swear it still happens, although I have the opposite issue of you, it sounds. I'm frequently hot, regardless of temperature, and I don't recall that ever really happening before surgery.

 

[Just ASK]

Yep, I had the exact same thing. I figure it was a combo of losing 30 lbs as well as the fact that my 'plumbing' was finally working correctly. I had always been one who LOVED air conditioning, but found that I was constantly adjusting the AC temp upwards against my wife's wishes. For the first time ever, I found it enjoyable to drive home from work (21 mile trip) with the windows down and no AC in 90 degree temps here in Florida. It felt like I had traded in my old carcass for a new, improved version. Then my appetite came back, I gained 20 lbs, and I lost that need to be heated vs cooled. It will probably fade for you by the 6 month mark...

 

[RunMartin]

I feel the cold a lot more since surgery especially my hands and feet.

 

[epstns]

I can relate to this on two separate levels. First - for the first two or three months after surgery, I was cold almost all the time. I walked around the house wearing normal clothes and a Polar Tech vest - I just couldn't get warm unless I wore extra layers of clothing. A trip outside in the late winter/early spring required several layers of clothing. Not at almost 8 months post-op, I'm back to where I was pre-op.

As for the long term description, for the past several years I find that I do not tolerate extremes of temperature in either direction very well. I probably do better in the heat than I did the year immediately before surgery, but so far I do about as well (or badly) in cold as before. Living in Chicago, I have to keep clothing for several seasons handy all the time.

 

[scott.eitman]

Yep! I would say the bulk of the being cold was in the first 3 months. This happened to me for both surgeries.

 

[pem]

Thanks - sometimes it's just helpful to know that what you are experiencing is a normal part of the recovery process.

pem

 

[pem]

Thanks - sometimes it's just helpful to know that what you are experiencing is a normal part of the recovery process.

pem

 

[Michellemar]

And another one here! Actually in the hospital they decided to diuretic/ thing me-kinda to the max, overnite one night. Woke up with my consciousness somewhere near -my-? Thorassic area (?) decide perhaps they'd dumped my electrolytes, too(?).friend brought pedialyte. While I was waiting, sitting on the bed, probably a 68-70degree room- began to as I put it, assume room temp(????!)- looked at the monitor and I think it was 96degrees or even less(?). Now having been colder than THAT during surgery I think just didn't have any bells go off in my body sensory system or something(!). So I yelled for a nurse, she brought me hot apple juice and I saw later the thermostat had been turned up nicely. Getting home my house was 76-77degrees, thank you! With a heater in my room at night, too!! I'm only now, 6mos out, getting more able to generate-and-keep my own heat...a bit. And thisbis with a less fat layer than before ( kinda skinny) so I'm doing well in the thermogenesis dept....you will too! Michelle

 

[normofthenorth]

It seems like "Murphy was an optimist", since one of the more reliable symptoms of (the dreaded) Endocarditis is wide swings in temperature, like chills and fever -- not exactly what people are describing, but maybe close enough to be confusing. I'm just sayin'. . .