My weight loss after surgery

Annabelle41415
Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I got on the scale today and was surprised to learn that I had lost nearly 13 pounds since my surgery. I knew from the pictures I saw of myself at Easter that my face looked a lot thinner but didn't realize it was that much. Granted I'm 5'6" and weighed 135 pounds before and now weight 122, but that just seemed like a lot. I thought back to it and I hadn't eaten anything substantial for almost 10 days. I'm just shy of 3 weeks post surgery and my appetite is still not back to what it was but I'm getting there each and every day. It's amazing the turmoil that surgery can put your body through.

I'm feeling better all the time and energy level is improving too.

Kim

Comments

  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #2
    Hi Kim,
    As I said on another
    Hi Kim,

    As I said on another thread, I'm glad you are doing well, overall, after your surgery! I guess a lot of people lose weight in the hospital from surgery.
    That sure wasn't me when I had my liver surgery. I was warned by my doctor that I'd lose weight and I should eat lots of protein prior to surgery. I came home 7 or 8 lbs heavier. I retained a lot of fluid. My face, stomach, hands, and feet looked immense to me. The fluid left in the form of night sweats during the couple of weeks after I got home.
    I don't seem to do anything the usual way, it seems. :)

    You take care,
    Lisa
  • kimby
    kimby Member Posts: 797
    #3
    Weight Loss
    Kim,

    I'm glad your surgery went well. You will start regaining both weight and strength soon. You probably lost a lot of fluid also. Be sure to stay hydrated and eat plenty of protein.

    I drive up ST RT 23 to Ann Arbor every week. When you are feeling up to it I'd be willing to take a detour and meet for coffee or lunch or whatever. Let me know.

    Kimby
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #4
    kimby said:

    Weight Loss
    Kim,

    I'm glad your surgery went well. You will start regaining both weight and strength soon. You probably lost a lot of fluid also. Be sure to stay hydrated and eat plenty of protein.

    I drive up ST RT 23 to Ann Arbor every week. When you are feeling up to it I'd be willing to take a detour and meet for coffee or lunch or whatever. Let me know.

    Kimby

    Kimby
    Wow Kimby that would be so awesome. I would love that. I still can't drive yet, but I will definitely be up to meeting you for whatever. You have always been such an inspiration to me and we are only about 1/2 hour from Ann Arbor. I will let you know when I'm feeling better. This is just so great. Thanks for the invitation.

    Kim
  • kristasplace
    kristasplace Member Posts: 957 Member
    #5
    Hi again, Kim!
    I lost fifteen pounds during the eight days i was in for my colon resection. It didn't surprise me since they literally starved me for seven of them!! Afterwards, when i got home, i couldn't eat hardly anything. Plus i was inputting too much into the bag, and i was still very freaked out about the bag and avoided food to avoid emptying the bag! Everything drastically changed once i started chemo. I've now gained sixty pounds since my surgery in Jan of 08! My onc says everyone gains weight on the folfox regimen. I think it was the decadron that started it, then pampering myself took care of the rest! I refused to count a single fat calorie the whole time. Weight gain has slowed down now, but i still spoil myself too much!

    I guess it depends on each person. I've tended to be overweight most of my life, so i'm sure that contributes. If you tend to be on the thin side, you probably won't gain too much. Do you know if you're going to do folfox? The steroids will probably make you gain weight.

    Have a speedy recovery!

    Krista
  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    #6
    My weight loss
    Well, I was 5'2" and 150 lbs for the year before my dx. That was big for me because I was 89 lbs on my wedding day. (ate like a horse)

    I lost down to 130 BEFORE surgery because I couldn't keep anything down other than broths for over a month. I've lost down to 128 lbs as of yesterday and credit my eating the Mediterranean diet. I want to keep my weight off. It has aged my face, but my body feels more comfortable. Shucks! I'm not a kid anymore!

    Kim, you're tinier than me and are 4 inches taller. You might consider some Ensure or something like that between meals. That's what my mother used after her sinus lift. She got down to 114 lbs (also 5'2") and wasn't happy about that at all.

    God bless!
    Diane
  • nudgie
    nudgie Member Posts: 1,478 Member
    #7
    Weight Loss
    Before my DX and emergency surgery I weighed about 130lbs at 5'5". Hospitalized on a Friday 7 July and emergency surgery on 10 July (4 days); recovery in hospital ICU for 5 days and then home. 9 days in hospital and then slowly recovering from a major colon surgery. When I weighed myself when I was home I was 110. I had lost 20 lbs in 9+ days not including recovery days of getting back to eating.
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #8
    A heck of weight-loss program
    Glad your surgery went well Annabelle. I dropped about 35-40 after my surgery and put maybe 25 back on over a few months. I could stand to lose a few still but I'll try it the old fashioned way, exercise. I was gaunt, not good but clothes fit better ;-)
    -p
  • lmliess
    lmliess Member Posts: 329
    #9
    PhillieG said:

    A heck of weight-loss program
    Glad your surgery went well Annabelle. I dropped about 35-40 after my surgery and put maybe 25 back on over a few months. I could stand to lose a few still but I'll try it the old fashioned way, exercise. I was gaunt, not good but clothes fit better ;-)
    -p

    I know what you mean
    about the weight loss. I was 106 when I was diagnosed and now I weigh 89. It does not look good and I wish I would gain some weight. I am only 5 foot but still, that is too much. I am trying to gain weight but I guess my body is using it all for the repair. I do have a dingy friend that said she was jealous....I started to question her IQ at that point. There is nothing to be jealous about at 89 pounds and having cancer. I know she meant well but it was a silly comment.
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #10
    Weight
    I won't say what I weighed before and after surgery (LOL) but suffice that I lost 11 pounds the first couple of weeks after surgery, and hove lost 11 or 12 more since. My eating habits have drastically changed. Now that I can start to introduce more exercise, I want to lose another 20 pounds. But my onc says to wait until chemo is over before I get serious about it.

    This is all normal. Your body has to react to the major invasions, and we sure have been invaded!

    Many hugs, Vicki
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #11
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • qwe
    qwe Member Posts: 124
    #12
    Hi Kim
    That is great 13
    Hi Kim
    That is great 13 pounds well we talk on the phone and I already knew but
    had to post it to. I lost 10 pounds.Have a great day.

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