Post Surgery Weight (vs. pre-surgery weight)

[airihannah]

Hi! Today I am 4 days post-surgery on a LTHR. I'm home, doing well, walking on walker with no problem, I can hobble around without it even, if I need to, though I know I should use it to encourage transition back to a normal gait.

Anyway, I just weighed myself, on a whim, and have gained a whopping 17lbs since the morning of 9/3 when I went in for surgery.

Now I know that some of this can be attributed to swelling, and water retention, but is this a drastic amount? Should I be calling the doctor and asking about this, getting on a water reduction pill or something?

I'm not surprised that I did gain some weight, but good god...i mean really, that's like a LOT.

Thoughts? :shk:

 

[Steph]

Hi! Today I am 4 days post-surgery on a LTHR. I'm home, doing well, walking on walker with no problem, I can hobble around without it even, if I need to, though I know I should use it to encourage transition back to a normal gait.

Anyway, I just weighed myself, on a whim, and have gained a whopping 17lbs since the morning of 9/3 when I went in for surgery.

Now I know that some of this can be attributed to swelling, and water retention, but is this a drastic amount? Should I be calling the doctor and asking about this, getting on a water reduction pill or something?

I'm not surprised that I did gain some weight, but good god...i mean really, that's like a LOT.

Thoughts? :shk:

Hi there, great news that you are now on the other side - as you say keep using that walker to make sure your gait is correct - one day in the near future you will be able to just chuck it away. You sound like you are doing really well.

Don't panic about the weight, I too gained some but found that a few days after surgery I kept popping to the bathroom every half hour. They put loads of fluids in your body during the op and in the days after, plus your mobility has been restricted. I have found that in the last 4 weeks I have started to lose weight as my activity levels have returned to normal, I am 3 months post op. Your doc might give give you something to help with the fluid retention tho if you ask him.

Keep up the good work

 

[JudyS]

Don't worry about that weight. I gained 25 pounds and ate practicaly nothing in the hospital and spent one whole day puking!!!
Water for sure. I spent one weekend in bed to try to reduce swelling and it worked pretty well.
judy

 

[Judles]

Jo will say our new joint weighs 10oz....I think they really weigh at least 25 lbs!!! LOL!!! (0)

 

[Steph]

Jo will say our new joint weighs 10oz....I think they really weigh at least 25 lbs!!! LOL!!! (0)

Now that is a really good excuse Judi - I shall use that one in future :D:D

So there you are Hannah, just think along those lines and you won't worry about the weight and it will just start to drop off...

 

[Jamie]

Airihannah, these guys are right....you are just out of surgery! Your body takes a while to rid itself of all the things it does to counter such a big assault on it. Just think of all you had done! The surgery, placement of a new joint, moving things around inside, and anesthetics! The fluid will come off naturally in the coming weeks. Don't worry. Just focus on how well you're doing so far in recovery.

And stay far away from that scale for now, okay?

 

[loghaula]

When I first saw myself naked after the surgery, I almost fainted, couldn't believe I was that HUGE!!!!!!!!!:shk:
Now, 6 weeks after last surgery, am able to fit in all my clothes, including tight jeans, although I have to do a little more wiggling as I didn't used to have any hip shape.
And talk about getting rid of all that fluid; used to get up every hour, day and night for the first couple of weeks, and have only just settled into a normal routine:whis:.
So I wouldn't worry about your weight if I were you, but do use the walker or a crutch or a cane to help with support for your new hip........or it will bite you and bite you good
Don't see any need in taking any more meds than what you have to; just more money out of your pocket.

Glenys
LHR 5/28/09
RHR 7/23/09

 

[sykeRN]

Hi--I also weighed myself two days after LTKR and WOW--12 pounds up. I haven't weighed myself since-- but it seemed like I lost a lot of the fluid within a few days. Now that I am starting to get more active (although still early in my recovery) I'm hoping that I will lose more weight.

Don't worry about this. Just concentrate on taking care of yourself. Regards.

 

[airihannah]

Well thanks to everyone for the very encouraging responses. It's funny, you think you have a good handle on everything to expect after surgery and when you actually get there, nothing is as you thought it would be, lol.

I'm a bit on the overweight side anyway, mostly thanks to this crappy hip, i gained about 10lbs a year every year for the past four years with this thing. So once i get through standard PT/Rehab and can move on to some gym type exercises and the treatmill, I have a lot of work to do! I just didn't think I was going to have an extra nearly 20lbs to get off! hahah

Frankly, otherwise I'm doing so well it scares me.


:pzld::pzld::pzld:
But it also scares me when someone says to always use a cane or a walker...I can get from one side of my room to the other to grab a kleenex or something with no trouble and no cane or walker - are you saying that I should not take these little juants? and to always always use support?
:pzld::pzld::pzld:

 

[Judles]

Yu don't need a walker or cane for across the room! Unless it's a REALLY big room! Have a cane nearbyb. )Ou sound like you're doing great!!! (0)

 

[loghaula]

I agree with Judi; baby steps are ok, just don't get carried away and find yourself stuck with no support.
My first surgery went really well and I was able to move without support, but I didn't want to overdo and ruin everything I gained, so kept it to a minimum. When I went for my first checkup, I was able to show OS I could walk with no wobble or support and able to drive.
There are no hard and fast rules as we all recupe at different rates and have different amounts of pain to deal with.

Glenys
LHR 5/28/09
RHR 7/23/09

 

[Steph]

Sorry, didn't mean to worry you about using the cane/walker, indoors there is always something to hold onto if you feel a bit wobbly - I meant that if you go off for walks take it with you until you feel you are walking without limping etc. I took my cane with me for a while after I really needed to - it is a bit of a comfort blanket in a way, lol, but mainly at that stage I would hold it horizontally in front of my body (a bit like holding onto a railing or exercise bar) as I felt it helped me keep my hips square and to walk properly.

Another useful tip my physio gave me was to make sure I walked using my hip rather than my pelvis, after walking stiffly and lopsided for so long you really have to concentrate to do this.

Keep up the good work and good luck with the weight loss - I am finding now that weight is starting to move from me, which is a good feeling. Like you I put on quite a bit over the last 18 months so it is great to be able to move properly again.

 

[tonerika]

Gosh,
Now I dont know whether to go jump (er stumble) onto the scale or not.
You have really gotten my curiosity up. My swelling does not seem too awful but I cannot see my backside. My kids said "MOM, you sure are bigger on the right than the left side." If the bathroom was not so far, I would just go for it. I will just make the hubby get it so hang on.......
drum roll please...... I have lost 5 pounds. Woo hoo
Must be the drugs lol (Or the fact that I have not eaten in 3 days)
Erika

 

[airihannah]

Ton,

So gratz! Wow, I have lost all but a couple pounds of the initial water weight gain. Home nurse tells me that they intentionally pump all that fluid in and that it goes to the sight of damage to increase healing time.

i sat on the pot for about 5-10 mins out of every hour for the first week and like I said, it's all nearly gone. I'm moving faster and I don't look so much like a hunchhip, lol.