Gained weigh during surgery

[sallyomalley67 77]

I gained 8 lbs from the morning of surgery to day I got back from the hospital. Took me five days to lose it. Happen to anyone else? Not super concerned but dang!

[fit4life123 108]

I didn't, but you're still recovering from the air and fluids they pump into you. It's normal.

[BrandNewCB 50]

I had surgery on monday and also gained 8 between Monday and Tuesday ... I have since dropped a couple but still have 4 to go... stinks to start off this way

[Jennifer4775 39]

I didn't gain but I've heard that between all of the fluids they pump in you during surgery as well as all of the gas, its not uncommon.My doctors office did tell me that some people gain weight during the first week or two after surgery. It will come off as long as you follow the proper diet plan. Best of luck to you!

[JamieLogical 8,727]

They fill you with gas and fluids, so it's no shock you would gain. I am glad I didn't have access to a scale until 4 days post-op, because it probably would have made me crazy!

[bikrchk 1,313]

All very normal. They pump you full of a TON of Fluid in the hospital. Then there's swelling etc. My advice for any post op is STAY OFF THE scale until your first followup with your doc! The scale is for FEEDBACK on how you're doing on your program, (don't let it be your motivation) and you don't need that before you start eating real food anyway. Once you do begin weighing, do it no more than once per week. Make your goals specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. Things you can CONTROL like frequency of exercise, protein\vitamin intake, a commitment to measuring\logging your intake. Do these things and you will be successful and WAY less crazy about that number on the scale. THAT will follow if you stick to your program. How will you ever stay motivated once you're in maintenance if the scale is your primary motivator during weight loss?

[390cooper 2]

you did good, I gained 11 lbs. However the iv slipped and filled my arm with about 5 lbs alone, really ugly arm and hand ; )

[Lani789 128]

Yikes 390. I had that once and the nurses felt so bad. It happened pre-op again this time, so when the doc started to give me drugs I kept saying I don't feel it. It is just really burning. Oops!!! The surgeon was not pleased as everyone rooted around looking for another vein. I woke up to two IV tubes. One was hooked up and the other a spare in case it happened again.

Here is hoping this weight loss makes it easier to get to veins.

And yes I gained 8 pounds. I told the surgeon that bit of info should be disclosed as a possibility!

[sallyomalley67 77]

Thanks all. Im on day 6 now and back down to pre surgery weight. Just wondered if i was the oddball that gained from surgery lol. Thanks so much!!!

[sleslie771@ymail.com 0]

Yes I gained 9 pounds. Thought I was alone.

[Kindle 8,667]

Not sure how much I actually gained, but I was 5 pounds up at 5 days post and weighed the same as surgery day 11 days post. Didn't weigh again for a couple weeks and I was finally down. Fluids play a huge role in the number on the scale. I got severely dehydrated a couple months out due to diarrhea and had to get IV fluids. I "gained" 11 pounds overnight.

Edited March 6, 2015 by Kindle

[sallyomalley67 77]

Oh geez. Ok. I feel much better knowing I.am not alone. Thanks all for your responses!!!

[SCSleeve 18]

Yep, I gained 8 and it came back off the first week I was home.

[Croaker 26]

There's a phenomenon called 'third-spacing'.

It's where Fluid administered leaves your intravascular space and goes into other tissues, such that it's no longer circulating in your blood stream. Very common, happens with a lot of surgeries, especially ones involving the abdomen and/or big Fluid administration (like in the case of significant blood loss). People get very puffy. In a patient who is up and moving about, it really starts to come off about post op day 3, but it takes time. It has to go from the tissue, into the bloodstream, filtered out by the kidneys. And, if you're hydrating like you should be, it makes the process slower.

Keep in mind you got probably at least a couple of liters of fluid in surgery, and who knows how much more before being disconnected from the IV. 1 liter fluid = 1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds.

In short, it's Water weight.

[blondebomb 580]

I was in 2 days could drink much since hernia repair every sip was a spasm so IV for me till i went home I gained 8 pds while there being cut on thru tissue an IV will do it. It'll come off ..by the end of wk i was way down. Pretty normal..