Hi again. ^^ Sort of forgot this place....anyway, a little help?

[rachey353]

Okay so I just had my surgery Thursday the 10th. Everything went totally fine, we don't know the exact correction yet but I've grown at least an inch and a half. I've been ridiculously inactive because doing anything more strenuous than walking is not recommended. -pouts- But I'm still eating healthy foods and stuff because even before this mess I was a smidgen overweight, being 120 pounds at 4"11.463 (or something similar =/). Now I'm 130 pounds post-op! ;_; Luckily thanks to my growth this leaves me somewhere around exactly where I started, but it's only uphill from here and I'm a bit worried. Is the extra weight because of the rod, or am I just magically able to gain weight in less than a week? I mean, I checked my weight only 3 or 4 days post-op, and I was 120 the mere minutes before the operation. My parents said the rod wouldn't weigh that much, but it has to weigh something, or it wouldn't be straightening my spine....right?

[txmarinemom]

Hardware weight ...

Rachel, if you have stainless steel hardware, it probably weighs ± 1 lb. Titanium or Vitallium is maybe 6-8 oz.

If you just had surgery on the 10th, you're probably still swollen to some extent. Hon, a week post-op is NOT the time to worry about your weight (especially in light of a 1-1/2" increase in height - and 10 lbs.). You'll get back to fighting weight soon.

One thing I can't stress enough ... don't underestimate the value of walking! As someone who is used to diving after balls - and sliding both head first and feet first into bases - I did (pre-op).

I found (post-op) it helps you heal a LOT more quickly. If it's not strenuous enough in your mind to *stroll*, simply pick up the pace. Walking CAN be like jogging - without the unnecessary impact.

I'm 5 months post-op and finally able to reap all the benefits of my walking and deep breathing: I'm now doing short sprints. Just hang in there and listen to your surgeon ... you'll be back to normal before you know it (even BETTER than the "old normal"!).

Best regards,
Pam

[Susie*Bee]

Rachey-- welcome to the "other side"!!! I'm impressed that you're up to posting already! That's great that your surgery went well and you are feeling pretty good. As Pam said, just concentrate on walking-- it's so important for your recovery. Also (as she said) don't focus on the weight thing at all-- except to continue to eat healthy foods and maybe limit "comfort" foods a tiny bit. Right now your body needs the right foods for all that repairing work its doing! Chances are probably pretty good that it's from the swelling, as Pam suggested. But it's also possible to gain, as I know I did. I weighed myself just before leaving for the hospital and just after getting home-- and I gained 8 lbs. Yes, probably 1 (maybe2?) lbs. could be hardware... but I never got rid of the rest. You are young and it should come off ok AFTER you give your body plenty of time for healing-- and probably with just being more active again and there will be no need for a real diet. I would suggest that if/when you decide to diet, that you check with your surgeon about it. You sure wouldn't want to compromise your fusion by cutting down on needed nutrients. You've worked too hard for this!

Rest up, walk, and be pleased with the progress you're making! You've been through a big ordeal and are so much stronger (and straighter!) for it. Thanks for letting us know how it's going.

[rachey353]

Oh, the swelling.....that hadn't even crossed my mind! Thanks. Luckily my dad is going on an all-healthy diet and since he's in charge of what I eat mostly, he's letting me be on it too. I'll start walking much more often too. =D

But I may end up right back in the hospital today.....=( I have anemia (due to surgery...I think) and it may be causing me to almost faint. I've almost fainted twice since coming home and I have a same-day appointment today with a pediatrician. When we called the nurse spazzed and demanded we go to the ER asap, but we'd be low-priority there and stuck for endless hours, so we opted for an appointment. I really hope that I can stay home and just continue my high-iron diet, but if tons of people post and I don't reply you'll (hopefully xD) know the reason.

[Wishing]

Hi. My you have bounced back quickly. I hope they get your anemia under control soon. I had surgery June 16th and 23rd. I gained about 12 lb. in water weight which I have since lost. You receive a lot of fluids during surgery and post-op. If indeed you weight gain is water retention, you should lose it easily. Good luck to you.

[Jennybear]

I had surgery on May 21st and I weighed 97 post op and I weigh 95 now.I have been eating alot lately(More than I ever did) I almost fainted twice as well after I got home and my surgeon told me to go on iron pills for a little while.

You'll be able to get that weight off again once you can play sports, and run again, but if I were you i'd focus on getting better, I'm sure you already know that though

Good luck with recovering

[rachey353]

Well I ended up having to stay overnight while they gave me fluids through an IV tube. My hemoglobin level was down to 9, which is bad. Add on to that my time of the month and you have a recipe for disaster. Now I'm home and taking two 325 mg tablets of iron each day, plus eating lots of food with iron and fiber.

The weird thing is, I think the extra fluid helped me heal more. My pain is virtually gone, and I've regained more mobility. Now both my arms can go behind my head! It's weird....but cool. -shrugs-

Thank you all for your tips and advice! I've already lost 6 pounds, so it was probably just the swelling or fluid like you said. Of course, those 6 pounds are probably back due to the new fluid. -sigh- Eventually I'll get fit, but scoliosis is making that hard. Luckily my school's PE program will help a lot, even if I end up banned from running.

[txmarinemom]

Rachel, read this , and share with your Dad for some help on boosting hemoglobin ...


Regards,
Pam

[rachey353]

Pam--

Wow....that's so huge.

I'm glad to hear that cooked spinach is good, there is only one way I can tolerate it but now I have an excuse to make my parents get some. Yay spinach and artichoke dip!

As for the black strip molasses.....idk if I should be taking that along with the tablets and my high-iron diet. If there's little to no improvement in my hemoglobin level after a while I'll ask my doctor about it though. I had my first almost-almost-almost-fainting spell today (xP) but it's expected since I'm still anemic.

I noticed in that post/article that exceeding 100 mg of iron isn't recommended...but if I need it like the doctor said that's okay right?

Anyway, I'll definately be telling my dad about it, although I'm not sure what debbei was talking about with the watermelons....your article/post never said that for what I can see. -shrugs- Thank you anyway!

Much love,
Rachel