Rapid weight loss post-op

mountaingoat · February 16, 2012, 10:36:58 PM

I am experiencing an alarming weight loss in the 3 weeks since my bilateral with Dr. Gross. I have lost weight before after my other surgeries but nothing on this level. I am normally thin by anyone's standards - 5'8 and 135lbs. I haven't weighed myself but I am literally falling out of my clothes in only 3 weeks. I would guess that I have lost 8, maybe even 10lbs. My appetite certainly was affected in the initial 10 days after surgery when I was on so much medication so that could be part of it but I am still unsure of why it continues and hasn't stabilized at this point. I wouldn't say that I am especially hungry so I'm not eating a lot but I've been eating plenty of high-calorie foods and enjoying desserts, etc. and still losing weight.

I don't really want to go see my primary care doc as I am not especially worried at this point and don't want to go through a bunch of invasive tests quite yet but I'm wondering if anyone else has had this experience. I realize this may seem like a luxury problem but I guess its a little concerning to me. Maybe it is just related to the body trying to heal and using up stored fat to do so? Who knows.

Amy

Luanna · February 17, 2012, 12:10:42 AM

Hi Amy,
I ate like a piglet and lost weight. Thought it was kind of strange. I'm not overweight and don't really want to lose or gain.

Now, at almost 6 months post op I'm still eating like a little piglet and am gaining the lost weight back along with some MORE that I don't want to gain. Darn...

I think my metabolism was using all the calories to heal.

Luanna

tennisgirl · February 17, 2012, 07:37:44 AM

Amy,

I have lost almost ten pounds too...am at 126 and am 5'9''. I started eating toast with honey and peanut butter with raisins yesterday to try and up my weight. Pain meds are killing my appetite and I basically have to force myself to eat. Am also going to get whole milk (I normally drink about two gallons a week).

I think alot of energy goes into healing, and you had two hips done, so it makes sense. Try to get some high calorie foods into yourself (preaching to the choir), as I am going to try, even though it's hard.

Take care,

Mindi

Dannywayoflife · February 17, 2012, 08:24:38 AM

I would contact your doc just to make sure, but it sounds like your body is using a lot of energy to heal it's self. You have had a massive amount of damage inflicted on it to implant your device.

Aerial · February 17, 2012, 08:39:19 AM

Same here, 5'7" and 127 lbs (typically). I am still down three pounds since surgery but was down as much as five pounds for awhile. For me, it was an inital loss of appetite and muscle loss that contributed to it. With more active now, my appetite is certainly back!

hipnhop · February 17, 2012, 11:47:10 AM

Me too, down 8 pounds and loving it. It is loss of appetite. For whatever reason I cant tolerate diet soda or cookies anymore. I guess that is a good thing. I plan to keep it up and get down to where I want to be and then maintain. It's a good thing. Just make sure you are eating healthy and at least three times a day.

.

WTW15 · February 17, 2012, 06:32:17 PM

I'm stabilized, but my appetite is still off. I lost about 5# total. I'm guessing between the healing and the meds, things are just tweaked. Hang in there and enjoy the "all you can eat" diet for a bit.

mountaingoat · February 17, 2012, 06:37:12 PM

Oh, I'm definitely enjoying it. I've been drinking microbrew beers (Odell's 90 Schilling is my fav), eating pizza and devouring carrot cake...my favorite things that I ordinarily try to exercise some restraint with as they are all so high calorie. I even pigged out on a huge piece of coffee cake last weekend when we went out for breakfast.

I just don't have a consistent appetite but when I do eat its often the naughty stuff! ;)

Aerial · February 18, 2012, 09:17:02 PM

Keep food choices nutrient dense and high calorie.......not saying a carrot cake treat isn't OK but avoid empty calories!

Dannywayoflife · February 19, 2012, 01:37:31 AM

I aggree with Aerial. Nutrients are vital. If my theory about bone health being the deciding factor on longevity of these devices is correct then nutrition will be a HUGE part of that. Fruit and veg are vital.

Woodstock Hippy · February 19, 2012, 07:01:13 AM

Am I the only one who gained? Working really hard and training harder all my life, I ate like a man on his way to the gas chamber and never thought about it. In the hospital it was like a big rolling buffet; breakfast, morning snack, lunch, snack, dinner, evening snack. I kept chowing down until Christmas when I realized that I was getting pretty porky. I got an app, My Fitness Pal, for my Ipad that lets you record you calories in and calories burned and I bought a scale in January and now I have the flab on the run. If I stay at my present pace, I will be back to my correct weight by the time I can start to run again in May.

And my hips will be feeling great!

Dannywayoflife · February 19, 2012, 07:10:53 AM

I gained too but given the sheer amount of calories was getting down my neck for the year before my op it's not surprising. I am now dropping the weight thanks to having the motivation to sort my nutrition out again.
I really struggled for the year between my hip scope and resurfacing the whole thing really depressed me and I comfort ate as I was unable to train.