Weight gain, post surgery? (ASD closure)

[Mpluso]

Hey folks,

I just wanted to find out did many of you gain weight, post surgery? (not Water weight, like I've read in other searched posts)

The reason I ask is, I've always been a tall skinny guy and no matter what I eat, I struggle to gain weight.

As you may know, I'm receiving ohs on May 18th to fix an bidirectional ASD (hole) which is 1.1cm x 1.2cm - I'm not sure if that's a big enough hole to contribute to an inability to gain weight?
Having read into everything about ASD's, I've found out a (baby) will struggle to gain weight due to a hole in the heart at a younger age, so does anyone know if this applies to Adults?
I've had this from birth, but only just found out about it, so I've been very skinny all my life.

I'm hoping that once the hole is closed that I should stack on the weight, because right now, and over my life time, the past 25 years, it has really screwed up my self-confidence.

So did you have any weight gain experience post surgery?
Do you think with this hole closed, I'll be able to gain weight, for once?

Also, I have Pulmonary Stenosis, Hypoplastic RV, Tricuspid Valve Incompetence, PFO/PDA, Bidirectional Shunt and Secondary Polycythaemia -the Polycythaemia should disappear after the ASD is fixed.
So, with only the hole closed, will the above still affect my ability to gain weight?

 

[Boston Tiger]

I know exactly what was like to be a tall skinny guy well into middle age. I did put on some weight once I got married and we started raising our kids, but I never came close to needing to lose weight, at least until my surgery. I've been on beta blockers ever since my surgery, and ended up gaining 20 pounds during the first winter after the surgery, when massive amounts of snow blocked off all the paths I had taken for my daily walks. I've adjusted my diet since then, and my weight has stabilized. But I haven't been able to lose any of my blob either, and I'd like to thing that my beta blockers get some of the blame for that.

 

[carolinemc]

It might happen, if you do not eat right and not exercise. The best advice is to eat right and exercise everyday, even just walking. Your motabolism is another thing, those with major heart issues not address tend not to gain much weight as you found out. Just ask the doctor how much you should normally weight and use that as a guide when you are after surgery recovery. Just try to relax also, stressin about weight is bad for you. Any stress really. Just try to relax, not to worry about weight issues right now. Hugs for today.

 

[Greg a]

Many meds have WEIGHT GAIN as aside effect...........thats my story and I'm stick'n to it

 

[Bryan B]

I was born with a VSD and I was slow to gain weight as a child. I am 5'9" and before my surgeries I weighed about 150lbs. I probably gained about 10lbs after my first surgery and I have probably put on another 5-10lbs after my 2nd surgery. I was very active between my first and second surgery so those were "good" pounds. I have been less active after my second surgery (for a number of reasons) so those 5-10lbs may be due to that. I'm also close to 10 years older (51) so adding pounds seems to get easier the older I get lol.

 

[Lynlw]

Hi, Welcome I'm glad you found us. It seems you are talking about hopefully gaining good weight and not worried about temp weight gain many have after surgery from all the meds, water ect, not exercising? For what its worth, my son has a few of the same CHDs you do, have you had any surgeries for the other CHDs or will this be your first? Will they need to do anything else beside closing the ASD?
Anyway, Justin had his first OHS at 10 days and then every so many years as he was growing up, for HIM pretty much after any surgery or even intervention like ballooning open the pulm artery or placing stents in it, he would always have a growth spurt of some kind, either getting taller (hes a little over 6ft now) or bulk up a little. Pretty much we figured before the interventions all/most of the calories and energy went into just getting the blood thru his heart and body and once that wasn't needed, his body could grow, even the surgry he had at 19 he put on a little more good weight, so I guess it would be possible to have an easier time putting on weight after your surgery.
Now I dont know if you just have the ASD closed and not have anything else repaired, if that will help much for weight gain. I'd think if the other things weren't bad enough to need surgery, they might not be playing much part in how you've had trouble gaining weight.
I'm gussing since you are having surgery and not just having the ASD closed by cath, by an occluder or something, they are planning on doing a little more work than just cose the ASD, but as I said, that is just my guess if you haven't already had surgery for the other CHDs.
Are you going to doctors (cardiologist, surgeons) who specialise in Adults with CHD or CHD? Also you might want to check out the forums at the adults with CHD orgs site. http://www.achaheart.org/
Good luck with everything Hopefully you'll feel beter than you have for a while after the surgery