lost 12lb sincr surgery YET I can no longer fit my skinny jeans?

[Roxjanine]

I tried to put on my favorite low rise jeans the other day and I could not get them over my hips. I could fit them fine before surgery, plus I lost 12 lbs. How is this possible? I gained 2 inches after surgery...so I am now 5ft 9in and 117lbs.

[KathK]

Rox

You are only 6 weeks post-op and although you are quite young, I would bet that you are still retaining some fluid from the surgery (maybe in your abdomen area). I had swelling in my adbomen for about 3-4 months after my surgery. I would give it some more time!

Best Wishes,
Kathy

[golfnut]

Like Kathy, I also had abdominal swelling which I think was from fluids. I had always had a flat stomach and after my surgery I would attempt to hold my stomach in and nothing would happen. I am pretty sure it was about 6 months before I felt like my stomach was flat again.

[Doreen1]

I agree with Kathy and Karen. At 12 weeks post op my old
size 6 jeans were literally falling off of me. At almost 16 weeks
post op I'm now wearing size 4 long jeans which I haven't worn
since high school. I, too, regained height postop and am 5'10" again,
I shrunk 4" last year.

[Roxjanine]

Thank you for responding!:-) The thing is, I am definitely not swollen. My stomach is flatter than ever and I lost 12 lb.I use to weigh 129 and I could fit my jeans perfect. Now I weigh 117, my waist is a lot smaller, im actually really thin...almost too thin. Is it possible my hips/ bones were moved or adjusted after surgery?

[Doreen1]

My left hip sticks way out now postop

[rohrer01]

Thank you for responding!:-) The thing is, I am definitely not swollen. My stomach is flatter than ever and I lost 12 lb.I use to weigh 129 and I could fit my jeans perfect. Now I weigh 117, my waist is a lot smaller, im actually really thin...almost too thin. Is it possible my hips/ bones were moved or adjusted after surgery?

Rox,
I haven't had the surgery, so I can't comment from experience. Even though your lumbar wasn't horribly involved, like some, you still have some instrumentation in the lumbar area. That takes up space. Your whole spine was twisted and now you have a new shape. You may just have to get a bigger size, even though you are smaller.

I have an example. I weighed 128# when I got pregnant with my first child. I weighed 112# after he was born. My skinny jeans never fit me again, even though I was much smaller. My proportions changed. I know that childbirth widens the hips forever, but I'm not certain how manipulating the spine like that changes things. Your spine was fitting into your pelvis a certain way when you were twisted up. Now that things are straighter, I can't see how things wouldn't rearrange to sit differently, even in the nonfused areas. There could also be some residual swelling in your lower spine that you just don't feel right now.

It's hard for us females, especially, I think, when we base our clothing size on our weight and we have a hard time understanding the mechanics behind a whole body change. That's my best take on things. I would either give it some more time, or just get a size bigger. Maybe your new proportions will just be different.

I hope I was at least somewhat helpful.
Rohrer01

[djkinkead]

My body really change proportions post surgery. I have a much more pronounced indent where I guess I would call it the small of my back is. Counter balancing that is, though, my stomach protudes more. It's kind of like everything got pushed forward.

I think it took a good four months of swelling to go down. I didn't think of it as swelling at the time, but now that it's gone, I understand it was. I'll blame it on the drugs.

The weird thing for me is that I still can't feel my skin along most of my back. Some sensations are coming on the upper back, but in the lower back, nada.

Healing is a weird thing.

[rohrer01]

I had a c-section 19-1/2 years ago and the scar is still numb. I think once they cut through the skin like that some numbness will be permanent. I can't speak for this surgery, but also my wrist incision is still numb over 3 years later, too.

[GOE]

I had that too

Hello Roxjanine -

Just wanted to say that I experienced that too so it is nothing to worry about. I lost 10lbs after the surgery and could not fit into my jeans for about 6 months post op. At first I did not even want to be in any heavy or tight clothing cos of the nerve pain in my leg, it was just too uncomfortable for me so I burst out the diff colors of leggings

At 3.5 months I tried my jeans and even though I was a good 10lbs lighter than preop in addition to the weight I had lost before surgery, I could not fit into my jeans and I was somewhat suprised by that too. I was finally able to fit in it this January i.e 7 months post when I was 10lbs heavier and back to my preop weight

I wouldn't worry too much about it. This surgery has sooo many weird effects on your body that you just can't make sense of it all. Just find alternative clothing that is comfortable for now or shop for bigger jeans

Take care and healing thoughts .

GOE