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weight loss after surgery

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  • weight loss after surgery

    Hi all, I have posted before but getting close (May 16). I have been hearing mixed views on this. Some people say to expect a 20 pound weight gain from fluids and others say they have lost weight. Can you tell me what to expect from your own experiences?

  • #2
    I gained 5-6 lbs in the hospital and lost 7-8 when I got home, so I'm just about where I started.

    Dr Lenke's nurse said most people leave the hospital 10 lbs heavier and by the time they come for their post-op are 10 lbs less than where they started. Of course, all that normalizes when you get off the meds and can exercise again.
    age 48
    80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
    Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
    Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
    Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
    Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.

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    • #3
      You will most likely gain a few lbs in the hospital, and then over the first 2-3 month recovery period you will most likely lose weight...I lost a LOT, and I also ate a lot. I am not sure what causes this. I was out walking almost every day it didn't rain!!. I lost about 15lbs, but it was not all 'good' weight loss, i.e., I lost some lean muscle mass. I went into surgery at 158 lbs in April 2011. My lowest weight that I remember was in June 2011, I was down to about 140lbs. Now I am a healthy 172lbs! i am working out like crazy, so I am gaining a lot of muscle weight.

      That was my experience. Good luck!

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      • #4
        At 3 months after surgery, I now weigh approximately 15 pounds less than I did prior to surgery. My appetite is such that I tend to get fuller a lot faster than I used to. I rarely if ever actually feel hungry these days.

        I've been doing home-based exercises since the 3rd day after I was discharged. The number of exercises, type of exercises and number of repetitions increased from that point in early February to early March when the home-based physical therapy concluded. Since then, I've increased the number of repetitions to where I do 30 of everything. I now spend about 10 to 15 minutes doing my 4 different "sink" exercises downstairs in the kitchen, and 30 to 45 minutes doing my 13 different "laying in bed" exercises upstairs in my bedroom.

        And now up to 3 days a week, I also do outpatient physical therapy where I go to them. That adds another 30 to 45 minutes of exercises on those days; I was told to continue doing my home-based exercises so I have done that. Last week alone I lost about 3 pounds.

        I'm assuming that as the physical therapy ends and particularly as I get back to work full-time whenever that happens, I'll probably end up gaining weight at that point.
        -- Mary D. Taffet
        Lumbar curve 27 degrees in 07/2007 > 34 degrees in 03/2009 > 38 degrees in 02/2011 > 42 degrees in 09/2011
        Laminectomy L2-L5, Fusion T9-S1 (sacrum) with pelvic fixation 01/23/2012 w/ Dr. Richard Tallarico, Upstate Orthopedics, Syracuse, NY

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        • #5
          My teenage son lost ten pounds after his two surgeries/one month traction and he gained four inches in height, so he looked really skinny. He's put on quite a bit of weight but our scale isn't working so we'll find out on Thursday. I think he's gotten a bit taller too. Most people can expect to lose about ten pounds with this surgery it seems.
          Son 14 y/o diagnosed January 20th. 2011 with 110* Curve
          Halo Traction & 1st. surgery on March 22nd. 2011
          Spinal Fusion on April 19th. 2011

          Dr. Krajbich @ Shriners Childrens Hospital, Portland Oregon



          http://tinyurl.com/Elias-Before
          http://tinyurl.com/Elias-After

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Confusedmom View Post
            I gained 5-6 lbs in the hospital and lost 7-8 when I got home, so I'm just about where I started.

            Dr Lenke's nurse said most people leave the hospital 10 lbs heavier and by the time they come for their post-op are 10 lbs less than where they started. Of course, all that normalizes when you get off the meds and can exercise again.
            That was me exactly! Took a few months but I gained back the weight I lost : (
            50 years old!!!!!
            Wore Milwaulkee Brace 1976-77
            Original curve 36 degrees ( measured in the 70s)
            Advanced to 61 degrees 01/2011
            Surgery 07/11/2011
            Fused T1-L2 (curve now in the 20s!)

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            • #7
              I was 62 kilos when I went into hospital and 62 kilos when I came out, nearly 2 inches taller, so I looked thinner. Being less scrunched up in the trunk area, certainly makes you look thinner. I'm still 62 kilos 3 years later.
              Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
              Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
              T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
              Osteotomies and Laminectomies
              Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free

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              • #8
                I lost 13 pounds after the surgery and re-gained 4" of height. Dr. Lenke's nurse said I have 3 pounds of hardware.

                Warmly,
                Doreen
                44 years old at time of surgery, Atlanta GA

                Pre-Surgery Thorasic: 70 degrees, Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 68 degrees, lost 4 inches of height in 2011
                Post-Surgery curves ~10 degrees, regained 4 inches of height

                Posterior T3-sacrum & TLIF surgeries on Nov 28, 2011 with Dr. Lenke, St. Louis
                2 rods, 33 screws, 2 cages, 2 connectors, living a new life I never dreamed of!

                http://thebionicachronicles.blogspot.com/

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Doreen1 View Post
                  I lost 13 pounds after the surgery and re-gained 4" of height. Dr. Lenke's nurse said I have 3 pounds of hardware.

                  Warmly,
                  Doreen
                  thanks so much everyone for such encouragement. I was a little concerned cause I am probably about 10 pounds overweight and thought ugh if I gain 20 more I am in trouble. I look forward to being able to walk again pain-free!

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