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Original poster

Gained 12 pounds in 4 days

28 replies

hellomeow · 11/05/2022 22:15

Been in hospital for an operation - general anathestic and on an IV drip for 4 days.

Have been working hard to lose lockdown weight but I returned home this evening and am 12 pounds heavier than when I went in. Granted I have barely moved and some of it might be water wait but is this normal?!

OP posts:
Original poster
hellomeow · 11/05/2022 22:16

Water WEIGHT!

OP posts:
ElephantLover · 11/05/2022 22:16

Sounds unusual. Maybe check again after 24/48 hours when your body has been 'normally' active..

CockSpadget · 11/05/2022 22:18

It's not possible to gain 4 pounds of fat in 4 days unless you've been caning the hospital food (which is highly unlikely). It will be water weight, prepare to be using the toilet a lot for the next few days. Hope you have a speedy recovery!

HalfShrunkMoreToGo · 11/05/2022 22:20

Not wanting to be indelicate...but....

I was in for 5 nights last year and the food was carbs and processed crap, no fibre, no fresh fruits or veg. As a result every woman on the ward was backed up and asking for laxatives.

I found when I got home and had a couple of doses of dulcoease that I lost 5lb overnight.

lljkk · 11/05/2022 22:20

4lbs = 4 * 3500 = 14,000 calories over 4 days. I doubt you ate like that.

I dunno why your body is so full of extra fluids, though.

bellac11 · 11/05/2022 22:21

Not unusual. I can easily put on a stone in a week. Its water, not fat

lljkk · 11/05/2022 22:21

ps: and that 14k would be in excess of the 6k or so you needed to maintain weight, so 20k calories total or 5000/day to gain 4 lbs simply due to eating.

You tell us if you ate like a horse for 4 days.

Original poster
hellomeow · 11/05/2022 22:22

I’ve barely eaten. Was not allowed to eat the first day I was there and then felt too sick and just nibbled.I look and feel horrendously bloated but still seems like a lot!

OP posts:
bellac11 · 11/05/2022 22:23

lljkk · 11/05/2022 22:20

4lbs = 4 * 3500 = 14,000 calories over 4 days. I doubt you ate like that.

I dunno why your body is so full of extra fluids, though.

Shes had an op, the body puts water and swelling in place to protect itself. Any time you exercise, have an injury, operation or anything like that your body will put water in place

Thats why when people are on diets and exercising and they dont lose weight as fast as they would like they say 'oh Im putting on muscle' But its not muscle, it takes months to put a small amount of muscle on, but it is water weight where they are exercising.

stayathomer · 11/05/2022 22:25

I was in for 5 nights last year and the food was carbs and processed crap, no fibre, no fresh fruits or veg. As a result every woman on the ward was backed up and asking for laxatives.
But this wouldn't cause that much weight gain- you only get 3 meals a day in there don't you?

DixieFlatline · 11/05/2022 22:29

What operation was it? Do you have any kidney issues?

Original poster
hellomeow · 11/05/2022 22:32

@DixieFlatline yes I do - it a stent for kidney stones

OP posts:
PatientlyWaiting21 · 11/05/2022 22:33

Water weight.

PixieLaLa · 11/05/2022 22:36

I was in for 5 nights last year and the food was carbs and processed crap, no fibre, no fresh fruits or veg. As a result every woman on the ward was backed up and asking for laxatives

Not at all. There is aways fruit/veg options available. The reason patients usually need laxatives is due to pain medication causing constipation combined with lack of exercise.

ineedsun · 11/05/2022 22:38

Are you on steroids? I put a similar amount on in a short space of time when I was put on steroids. Was all water, it was disgusting, so uncomfortable

HalfShrunkMoreToGo · 11/05/2022 22:38

stayathomer · 11/05/2022 22:25

I was in for 5 nights last year and the food was carbs and processed crap, no fibre, no fresh fruits or veg. As a result every woman on the ward was backed up and asking for laxatives.
But this wouldn't cause that much weight gain- you only get 3 meals a day in there don't you?

It was

Breakfast -white toast with butter and jam
Mid morning snack - biscuits
Lunch - white bread sandwich - cheese/corned beef or egg (none had butter/Mayo or anything to moisten it) and a pack of crisps.
Mid afternoon - tea and biscuits
Dinner - microwave meal - curry and rice, pasta and tomato sauce, cottage pie.. with pudding of jam roly poly, apple crumble, school pudding things.

Add in codeine, oramorph and a variety of other medications and no one pooed for the duration of the stay, so 5 days of that menu and none of it ever vacated.

WellTidy · 11/05/2022 22:39

I went into hospital in labour with Ds2 and ended up with an emergency c section. He was 9st 5lb. Came home from hospital two days later heavier than when I went in.

Dodgy places, hospitals.

NamechangeFML · 11/05/2022 22:43

Aye. Youve been pumped full of fluids ( presumably to flush out your kidneys then?)
youll pee it all out soon enough tey weighing yourself in 2 weeks odd. Ill bet your back to normal. And eat well! You need to recover, not worry about weight.

Original poster
hellomeow · 11/05/2022 22:43

Well let’s hope it is water weight. Took me ages to lose 8 pounds, let alone 12!

OP posts:
Ohwowhoho · 11/05/2022 23:00

It’s the IV fluids. I have saline therapy which involves me getting pumped full of fluids for about four hours for one day every three weeks for my condition and every time I gain around half a stone. It goes after about three days.

Sodullincomparison · 11/05/2022 23:02

I had steroids and IV during a very long labour and emergency c section. Everywhere was swollen.

Came home the same weight then lost 18 pounds over the next fourteen days just from water weight.

Treecloudtree · 11/05/2022 23:04

I had a cyst removal and the days after I came home I had put weight on - considering I wasn’t eating in hospital it was definitely fluids and swelling. About 5 days later I was 8lbs less than my pre-surgery weight.

Hope you are recovering well x

Fayekrista · 11/05/2022 23:07

It's all water weight, don't panic... give it 48-72 hrs & will be gone. Happens every time I've had an op.

Glitterblue · 11/05/2022 23:10

Did you get lots of fluids through a drip? I didn't weigh myself when I came home after having a hip replacement but I was peeing for Britain for a week! I had various fluids through a drip.

RagzRebooted · 11/05/2022 23:14

It will be fluid retention and inflammation. Your body has been through a lot! It will come off (be peed out!) over the next week or two. Drink plenty, it will help.