Weight Gain after surgery?

Hi Everyone..I am scheduled for the RNY tomorrow and my "friend" just told me I will leave the hospital about 20 lbs heavier than when I went in. Is this true? I lost 20 lbs being on the liquid diet and crunchy salad diet, and the doctor didn't say anything about this..I am also a little hesitant to listen to her because she seems to always have issues, the worst case scenario and maybe even a bit of passive aggressiveness, ok, maybe a bit of sabotage..What's the real deal?

It's not unheard of to leave the hospital heavier due to water retention, but it's not a given. I didn't leave the hospital any heavier. It may happen, but it's temporary.

If it does happen, it doesn't mean the surgery failed or anything like that. If the thought won't leave your head, ask the nurses first thing tomorrow when you get to the hospital.

Good luck tomorrow!!

While you are having surgery, you are pumped full of liquids so you don't get dehydrated. You body may or may not hold on to the fluids because of the stress it's under during surgery.

It's not uncommon to leave the hospital weighing more than you did before you went in. But, it doesn't happen to everyone.

It didn't happen to me.

And worst case scenario... you leave weighing more, but it's not 'real' weight, it's water weight, and it will come off quickly.

Do read up on the 3 week stall though, because this is also very common. You can search for TONS of stories on it using the search bar at the top of the page.

It's fairly common from what I've read just because you're swollen from the surgery and retaining water, but it's only temporary...once the swelling goes down it will flush out. Not a big deal.

Sure, but not 20 pounds. That's about 3 gallons of fluids. I gained about 10, but Im a lot bigger than average. And, it's only temporary water weight. Stay off the scale for a couple of weeks if it will freak you out.

I left the hospital about 10 lbs heavier after surgery and that's been the case after other laparoscopic surgeries I've had. I was back to my pre-surgery weight within a week. I found drinking lots of water and walking helped.

Most people leave the hospital weighing more due to liquid retention from surgery. I made a promise not to weigh myself for 2 weeks post-op because of this. I made it one week. Heh.

some do and some don't.

I didn't gain any. In fact, while walking in the night, after my afternoon surgery, I had lost two more pounds from my pre op weight.