Weight Loss concerns

[Patrick Haley]

I will be having my AVR/MVR/Maze Surgery in Chicago with Dr McCarthy on November the 8th. I understand from others that ones appetite takes some time to return after surgery.I really cannot afford any additional weight loss at this time in my life ( I know this is a nice problem to have). My question is, are their any nutritional items on the market that one can eat or drink to at least minimize weight loss after surgery? Thanks

Patrick Haley

 

[Ross]

It's not that simple. Food, except for limited weird stuff, is going to taste terrible and you will not want to eat. Don't worry, whatever you lose, you'll gain back in a short time. My Doc was worried about me and told my wife to bring me whatever I wanted including big greasy cheeseburgers, anything to start putting some weight on. Well I did, only I didn't stop at where I was, I went on to an additional 20 pounds over and have stayed there ever since.

If you get a mechanical valve, nearly all supplements are going to tank your INR. There isn't much of anything I can think of to enhance your weight staging.

Give McCarthy a hug for me!!!!

 

[Nancy]

Try to pack as many calories in whatever tastes good to you as you possibly can. If you feel like a glass of milk, add some Ovaltine, or even ice cream stirred in. Think fattening.

 

[geebee]

Chocolate malts or milk shakes along with vitamins that do not have Vit.K or large amounts of E. That should get you through until your appetite is back.

Also, not everyone has a problem with poor appetite. I did not for any of my surgeries (although I wish I did).

 

[TomS]

May not be an issue

May not be an issue

In the hospital, the only thing that I REALLY didn't want to eat was the unsolicited big bag of White Castle onion hamburgers that my brother-in-law brought me. You may well feel the same.
Best of luck,
Tom
St. Jude, AVR 8/16/05

 

[PaulW]

big appetite

big appetite

I didn't eat well in the hospital and lost weight. Those pain medications, etc. made me really nauseated. Lost lots of pounds. However once I got home I had my usual big appetite. Unfortunately or fortunately, I'm not sure at times, I have a fast metabolism and haven't been able to get all of my weight back more than 2 months post surgery due to all of the extra exercise that I'm now doing to strengthen my heart. My doc said to eat anything and not worry about cholesterol for the first months, so I've been eating steaks and lots of sweet potato pie and other yummy things. My wife has made a real effort to cook some new dishes to tempt me although I do do a lot of the cooking myself.

 

[Mb]

Hello!

My husband is also a slender man, although not as much today as he was ten years ago.

Post surgery, he was sort of "blown up" for a week or so post surgery, due to all of the fluids they load you with during the procedure.

It did take awhile to get his appetite back, and add to that acid reflux....you can imagine.

One of the thins he did was have on hand those "flavored milks" in the frig. He would drink one of these a day. I think they helped a lot.

I cannot recall how much weight he lost during the few weeks post surgery, but I'd guess it was about ten pounds. Then, of course he was not burning lots of calories post surgery, so it didn't take more than a month or two to get back to close to his normal weight. - Marybeth

 

[Patrick Haley]

Thanks to all for your weight loss input

Thanks to all for your weight loss input

I want to thank all of you for responding so quickly to my thread concerning weight loss. My wife is concerned more about this weight issue than the scheduled surgery. I had a failed pulimonary vein ablation in 2003 for my AFIB that kept me in the hospital for seven days, and I lost a ton of weight(no pun intended) and have yet to put back on those pounds lost. It looks like I will have to schedule hospital delivery from all those splendid take out and delivery resturants in Chicago.

Thanks again,

Pat Haley

 

[Cris N]

. It looks like I will have to schedule hospital delivery from all those splendid take out and delivery resturants in Chicago.

Pizza would be a good choice

How 'bout eating now & filling up on those nutritional shakes - the ones loaded with Vit k that you will want to avoid after surgery. Ice cream is good too - especially with fresh, sugared, blenderized strawberries and chocolate sauce on top. I did not have an appetite problem after I got home... I did get incredible food cravings that my husband was all too happy to indulge in with me!

 

[BAV Pt's daughter]

If it really gets to be a big problem and you can drink shakes, you can purchase calorie booster to add into shakes also. You might think about supplementing your meals instead with ensure or boost in place of your usual tea or water. That is an easy place to pack in some extra calories. Small frequent meals will be best, as much as you can tolerate anyway. Best of luck. I am also very underweight for my height, and I definately know what you are going through. I fight like mad just to maintain my current weight now, and I am healthy. I wouldnt know much else to do if that was compromised, as picky as I am. Load up on the ice cream and whole milk!!

 

[aussigal]

MMMM...glad there are a few of us who lose weight too easily when we arent feeling well...
We have a product here in Aus. called Sustagen...it is a nutritional supplement that you can add to milkshakes or smoothies as well...

 

[Mary]

If it really gets to be a big problem and you can drink shakes, you can purchase calorie booster to add into shakes also. You might think about supplementing your meals instead with ensure or boost in place of your usual tea or water. That is an easy place to pack in some extra calories. Small frequent meals will be best, as much as you can tolerate anyway. Best of luck. I am also very underweight for my height, and I definately know what you are going through. I fight like mad just to maintain my current weight now, and I am healthy. I wouldnt know much else to do if that was compromised, as picky as I am. Load up on the ice cream and whole milk!!

I think members have warned against Ensure due to vitamin K--don't know if you're planning on getting a mechanical valve or not.
I would be loading up now on the calories; you'll lose weight, but it will come back quickly once you're home. I hope weight loss is the biggest surgery complication you encounter.

 

[terryj]

My husband also could not afford to lose much weight after surgery. He lost about 15 lbs. and we all teased him about his skinny legs. His appetite came back after about 6 weeks and it didn't take him long to gain it all back. He did like the taste of banana and grape popsicles for some reason after surgery. So I kept lots of the those in the house.

 

[joanne6]

Weight Loss

Weight Loss

Good Morning,
The only time in my life when the weight "fell off" was after my heart surgery.
I had put on 10 lbs of fluid. By the time I took the Lasix at home for 2 days, I had lost 22 lbs. I was told not to diet and to stop the Lasix. Did not want to eat, did not want vitamins. Did try to drink fluids, though. You do not want to get dehydrated.
My appetite like most of the other folks has returned too well. I have now put back most of the weight and have to go back to Weight Watcher's as soon as I can talk myself into going. I have been having too much fun eating.
You probably won't want to eat-I did finally eat some soft ice cream on day 4 and that went down easily. What do you like?
Jo

 

[samiam]

Greetings from Florida...

I'm not on coumadin, so these comments may or may not help.

I also lost 10-15 pounds and they are still off. I had a very limited appetite for about 6 weeks, and was anemic. I made sure I drank a lot of Gator Ade. Also, my wife got me chocolate boost. That was really good tasting!

Good Luck.

 

[Cris N]

I think members have warned against Ensure due to vitamin K--don't know if you're planning on getting a mechanical valve or not.
I would be loading up now on the calories; you'll lose weight, but it will come back quickly once you're home. I hope weight loss is the biggest surgery complication you encounter.

Yeah, be careful of the Ensure and Boost. Both contain approx 25-35% of RDA of Vitamin K. Someone once suggested that the hospital intentionally gave both to patients on warfarin just to keep them in the hospital longer while adjusting INR level. They wouldn't do that would they?

Cris