Weight Gain

[Jed]

Hi All,
Hope everyone is doing great. I have been doing ok since my last stint in the hospital its just that i lost like 25 lbs when i was in the hospital and am have difficulties gaining it back. I was only 135 before i got sick and that is my normal weight. I think if i would gain my weight back that would help with more energy and i can get back into the gym. Do you guys have any words of wisdom for me? Are there any supplements that might help and ones i should stay away from because of my heart issues and the fact that i am on coumadin too. I want to gain my weight back without eating alot of junk. Gain it back in a healthy way. Anyway thanks in advance for your comments and help, Jed

 

[Pegasus]

I am not the valve patient but a couple of years ago I lost too much weight during an allergy treamtent (food sensitivities). I am 5'3 and went down 94 pds. which was way too low. My usual low BP went even lower which left me dizzy and without energy.
I started eating lots of fish and legumes meals (chick peas, black beans, lentils, pinto). I would divide meals into 5 small serving during the day. I'd cook with health oils like olive oil and when I made soup or bean stews I'd add extra Flax seed oil to the meal for fat. I'd eat lots of veggie stir fries with brown rice. All those meals are easy to digest. The legumes take a bit work with soaking overnight... I had also taken some soy protein in healthy shakes for breakfast and digestive enzymes for best meal absorbtion.
Since I didn't have OHS you can't exactly compare my experience in gaining back weight but the regime seemed to work. I don't know though if and how soy protein and enzymes interact with heart meds and Coumadin! This always should be checked with a doctor or pharmacist.

My husband (the valve patient) lost also too much weight after his OHS and we pretty much followed above meal planing incl. lots of fresh pressed veggie juices or fruit shakes but without the mentioned supplements since he was on Coumadin for 3 months.

Hope you feel better soon!
All the best
astrid

 

[kodi]

Jed, I'm not an expert by any means but I think Pegasus' plan sounds really good. I would also consider adding a regular slim fast in there too, not as a replacement, but as a supplemental boost in calories. The regular has a very good proportion of carbs/protein (4 to 1) and will help in making sure you get enough protein. I'd also make sure you got enough iron. But as always, check with your doc. You might also think of seeing a registered dietian. Good luck.

 

[Rich]

Jed,
I lost a lot of weight also after my surgery, and I'm also on the thin side.
It took some time but it came back.
How long ago did you have your surgery? Maybe it is simply a matter of time.
Rich

 

[WayneGM]

I lost weight in the hospital. My OHS was at the end of Feb 2006. I didn't get back to my pre-op weight until Dec 2006. I was eating properly and everything. It just took time.

 

[Trinityheart8891]

hey,
eh, what pegasus said....I would add some things like dried fruit and cheese, I would also add ensure (similar to slimfast, but its meant to be added for supplement) but I would watch the vitamin K in these things (they are added I think, and this has been mentioned here) I was having nutrition/weight issues when I had my reflux surgery last year and the ensure really helped.

Morgan, 20

 

[heavyshot]

Hi Jed,
My experience is just the opposite. I weighed 135 lbs pre op. I started gaining weight immediatly after surgery and now weigh 170 lbs. I think a major contributing factor was the fact that I quit smoking. I also believe I was dying from my heart problems. All that is fixed now and I have a healthy appitite. I eat as much as I want but I also work out like a fiend. I run and lift weights daily. My suggestion to you is not to worry too much about the way you put the weight on. I think it's important for your self esteme to just put it on any way you can. You can worry about getting into shape afterwords. Good luck to you.

 

[Jed]

Weight Gain

Hi Guys,
Thanks so much for your advice/ideas. My OHS was back in the summer of 2004 but last year ago this past April i had some setbacks. Had an anureisism in my head, and endocarditas on my Aortic valve and my right elbow. I was a day away from having Aortic Root replacement when they called saying my infection cleared up and i didn't need the surgery. I did have an emergency craniotomy when i was flown to Johns Hopkins from my neighborhood hospital where i took myself "feeling like crap". During that time it was touch and go and that was when i lost the weight i was talking about. Just having a hard time getting back to my "normal" weight. I am working on it and thanks again for your help as always, Jed

 

[Pegasus]

Jed, your body has been through a lot... I am so sorry you had this happen! I'd give it some time but I'd also speak to a doctor just to make sure that all is well and thyorid function is normal.
Are you taking multivitamins? (just watch the Vit. K if it has any in it)
It might be a good idea to take probiotics as well to replace the good bacteria in your stomach since you most likely were on mega doses of antibiotocs but I don't know how it reacts with Coumadin. Check with your doc.
Wishing you well
astrid

 

[jds]

Lost weight pre-op and a little more in the hospital

Lost weight pre-op and a little more in the hospital

Hello -

Before my whole experience started I weighed about 172 at 5'8". A little pot belly but mostly a fair amount of muscle in my shoulders, chest, and arms from climbing, backpacking, and weights.

I got bad pneumonia in January, 2007, and spent a week in the hospital where they discovered my mitral leak. My rest pulse was up to 95 (prior to 1/07 it was 65) and was very short of breath and could not do much other than walk slowly. Climbing, backpacking, and weights were out. So my muscles and pot disappeared.

I was at 158 (down 13#) when I went to the hospital on May 23 for OHS. While in the hospital, weight varied all over the place. When I left on May 30, my weight was 153# (down another 5). Since then, 3 weeks ago, it has fallen to 147 or 148# but is stable there.

I'm feeling good, walking a lot (2 hrs a day), and eating well. I don't really expect to put much weight back on until I can get back to strength training sometime in July.

I miss my muscles - and rock-climbing - but expect to get them back.

John

 

[Nancy]

I'll never forget what a member here told me a long time ago when my husband's muscles had attrophied from lack of use after a difficult bout with something or other. Told me that muscles have a memory and would get back into shape pretty quickly once old activities were started again. That turned out to be true, and I had to keep reminding Joe of that fact when he got discouraged.

So, I'm passing on those words of wisdom for you to keep tucked in the back of your mind.

 

[MyBloodRunnethOrange]

I had my AVR on May 3rd of this year, and I weighed 235 lbs. at the time of the surgery. I am 6'6" by the way. I had pleural effusion after my surgery and wound up having a thorocotomy on June 1st. At my low point following that surgery, I weighed 193 lbs. I had lost a total of 42 lbs. YIKES! I am now in my third week of cardiac rehab and currently weigh 208 lbs. I believe that it definitely takes some time and patience to gain back weight in a healthy manner. I would suggest enlisting the help of a dietitian also... might be helpful. Good luck. I hope you get to the weight you are looking to get to.