ANA Discussion Forum
General Category => AN Issues => Topic started by: linny on August 27, 2009, 07:55:06 pm
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Please tell me has anyone gained weight since AN surgery. ??? I'm probably reaching, for something other than food I eat. ::)
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Linny -
I have gained weight since my surgery - a lot in fact :P
However, I don't attribute that to my AN or my AN surgery. I attribute it to a stressful life as a single-parent (as in 24/7 custody) who is overworked and overtired. I also attribute it to the fact that I love food and I stopped seriously exercising approximately 3 years ago - just about the time I was going through a horrific, very costly, divorce.
Post op when I was recovering and had lots of nausea and metallic mouth I lost a significant amount of weight. But once the nausea and metallic mouth went away, I started eating again ::)
I recognize that I am an emotional eater, and as you say, I am reaching for something other than food.
Jan
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Linny .....
I, as well, have gained unwanted weight since my surgery. Like Jan I do not think it has anything to do with the AN surgery, per se. However, I do think it has to do with the fact I am not on the go as much, nor exercising as much because of my balance issues. Even though I think I am reducing my calorie intake, I know I must not be ..... hence the weight gain. Also, for the first time in my life I have begun using ice cream as my "comfort" food, with dastardly results! :-[
Tomorrow I will resume going to the gym!! ::) ::)
Clarice
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I gained about 20lbs within the frist 2 yrs after surgery. And I DEFINETELY DO attribute it to the AN. Prior to surgery I was an avid alpine skier, mountain biker, hiker and overall very active person. I went to zero activity due to the balance issues I was left with. I eventually got back to long walks and some light hiking in attempt to "push myself" to try and overcome the balance. Everytime I thought I was getting back to some form of regualr exercise, I'd take a fall and hurt myself, almost like the AN is a conspiracy to keep me from exercising and keep me fat, also to keep me coming back to the ortho doc for hurt knees etc. Also, the barometric pressure changes with storms in the winter kill me and basically put me out of commission with pressure headaches and severe vertigo. I find during these times I crave carbs, bad carbs, sweets, comfort foods etc. I looked up the symptoms of SADS and it is very similar. I finally got fed up with trying to get the extra weight off via exercise so joined a weight loss challenge for 12 weeks, kind of a weight watcher kind of thing with herbalife. I managed to get 15lbs off, wanted to go for 15 more, then I got the diagnosis of tumor #2, so the heck with it, I'm eating (&drinking) what I want LOL. I've put 4 lbs back on in the 6 wks I've known about the new tumor, but seriously I'm going back to it to try and get some more off before I go in for surgey #2. Having all this happen at 45-50 yrs old has not helped. It's so much harder to get the wieght off as we age. booo hoooo
patti ut
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thanks everyone, I'M sure mine is from eating (comfort eater also ) and I used to go to gym etc etc. But no longer doing that one either (so sad) . but I guess in a round about way it is the surgery . I really got to try and get a handle on this. sorry Patti you have to go though another AN. :( Good luck to you all. :) thank you for responding.
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Linny, good question. Yes, I also did gain weight immediately after my AN surgery. I'm otherwise fairly fit/healthy and exercise quite a bit, but I gained about 10 pounds(of which 7 are still with me a year later) in about a month after surgery. Granted, my exercise routine was really cut back during that time, but I attribute my weight gain mostly to the 2 week steroid treatment that they put me on post surgery. I'm not sure if everyone is put on the steroid regimen post surgery, but it really had an impact on increasing my appetite and maybe altered my metabolism some. I prefer however to believe my weight gain was all muscle(that's my story and I'm sticking to it!).
Patrick
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Sounds like a good story Patrick, SOOOOOOOOO how come my "muscle" weight gain jiggles???? LOL
patti ut
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I put on weight prior to surgery because of a good man...lol....After surgery I put on more. I've now shed 12 lbs in the last 3 months and I'l be happy when 10 more go...After surgery when on steroids, whenever I saw food I wanted food, hungry or not. I now exercise with the AE Active and eat alot of low cal foods...and I have Chia seeds....a super food
Jo
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Linny,
Good question. Right after surgery I lost weight. The first week when I wasn't eating much. Then I went home and had the attitude "I had a brain tumor and can eat what I want." Not good. Then I took up running. I ran or did some other exercise every day for an entire year and am still sticking with it most days. Unfortunatlely, I'm too good at eating to make up for the calories I might lose due to exercise and still need to lose about 20 pounds. I do have pretty fit fat though. :-)
Jean
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I indulged myself prior to surgery, using the excuse that if I didn't make it through to Postieland, I would regret not having enjoyed the last few months of my life. I also hoped that the metallic taste and other post-op symptoms would suppress my appetite. Well, I'm managing just fine with the metallic taste; very little puts me off my food. My lack of exercise is not due to balance issues but rather osteo- and inflammatory arthritis. Hip replacement was postponed when something a little more urgent got in the way. Fifteen pounds . . . ugh.
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I lost 50 pounds when I had surgery BUT I needed to lose it - I was a BIG girl!! ;) I was able to keep it off until after my 2nd child. I think a lot of it had to do with my facial issues and only being able to eat with one side and my appetite/stomach shrunk. After a year, I had the 7/12, and so once again, I had to eat SMALL things! I was VERY active (PE teacher BEFORE surgery - guess my intake had FAR surpassed my output for many years so I was still BIG!). I really didn't "work out" any for years - but since I had had a stroke, just relearning all the things I had to (walking, writing, using other hand) probably burned a lot more calories than I thought since it was such an effort. ANYWAY, I started working out again 2 years ago and have not looked back. Even though I have balance issues, I just take them into account & go with it. They have just changed out the machines that I like the most (an ARC trainer) for newer models and most have arm movement - I have to find the FEW machines with the unmovable arms so I can hold on! Also, I started YOGA last year when I hurt my knee and I LOVE IT! I just position myself against the wall so I can use it for support if need be and also just do what I can. That is the beauty of YOGA, everyone is really doing some different combo to meet their individual needs!
K ;D
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I lost a fair bit of weight just after surgery because I wasn't eating much, but then I put it back on and a bit more - partly because I wasn't as active due to the immediate post op balance issues and I seemed to pick up a doughnut fetish somewhere along the line. Having said that, I had a thing for doughnuts before the surgery too. Mmm. Anyway, it's starting to shift now I'm at work and more active. So that's good.
Kay: I'm going to a yoga retreat in January in Thailand... I wish you could come!!! It's going to be super special - 10 days in the jungle next to a lake... I'm taking a paddleboard!
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Linny
I initally lost weight immediatly post op but once I was off the steroids and since I was not as active as I had been pre op I probably gained 15 lbs in 6 months....food was my comfort tool as well. Now that I am back to my regular exercise rountine-walking and yoga (a yoga retreat in Thailand=dreamy!) I have lost all but 2 or 3 lbs that I had gained.
Erin
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Oh My GOODNESS JB! I would LOVE to come with you - that would be so awesome but alas, I guess I will have to take care of the 3 curly girlies instead...
K ;D
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Next time eh?!! I wish I had three curly girlies - they would be curly girlies too if they took after me! Wanna swap??
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I put on about 8 lbs. between my diagnosis and surgery. After surgery I could not drop a pound for a while even with working out every day. Now I am 7 months post op and lost 6 of the 8 lbs I put on. I should be back to my normal weight in a month or so.
Neal
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Interesting topic! Now that explains my 15lb weight gain!
Or could it be all the treats I eat? I keep telling myself I deserve dessert - I had brain surgery!
yikes!
Michelle :o
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nope i lost 17 pounds in the hospital over those 2 weeks and i have gained that back but no more..... irritates my wife to death lol
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Late - but I thought I'd jump in, anyway.
Until I reached 'middle age', I'd enjoyed a high metabolism rate and was relatively thin, although I always had a good appetite. I began adding pounds in my early 50's - until I was a good 30 pounds overweight by the time of my diagnosis (at age 63). Prior to my AN diagnosis and subsequent surgery, I'd lost the extra weight I'd put on over the past 20 years or so. This fairly rapid weight loss was a result of the loss of my sense of taste (and the resulting loss of appetite) that I'd experienced in the months leading up to my diagnosis . Food tasted like cardboard and so, I just wasn't hungry. Eventually, my stomach actually shrunk (I lost my 'pot'). I later learned that my loss of the sense of taste was due to the AN impacting my 7th cranial nerve (that can affect taste). Post-op, my sense of taste returned and although my appetite returned with it, I managed to avoid a big weight gain (without conscientiously dieting). When I asked my PCP about my (post-op) weight level, he opined that the traumatic brain surgery I'd just been through had possibly 'triggered' my metabolism back to it's original (high) level. He also mentioned that I'd become used to eating less, which helped keep excess weight off, once my sense of taste returned, along with my appetite. This may or may not be 'scientific' but it made sense to me.
Why some AN patients gain weight post-op and others don't is a bit of a mystery to me, except that it may be connected with being housebound for a time (and bored) as well as simple genetics and physiology. I maintain that skipping desserts and snacks, eating smaller portions and getting some exercise, even just walking, can help keep one's weight down - but I'm no expert. Just ask my wife (who looks good but has been trying to lose some weight for years). You can guess how she feels about my being able to maintain a stable, healthy weight without a strict diet. Suffice it to say that we don't discuss weight in my house, anymore.
Jim
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I just scheduled my surgery and have all sorts of worries. Is everyone put on steroids after? For how long?
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It depends on the doctor who's in charge of your care, but generally speaking everyone gets put on steroids at least while they're in the hospital. Some get prescriptions to continue using them for a while after they are discharged.
I'd say that you don't want to be on them long term, but for the short term they help keep swelling in the head down after a pretty traumatic surgery (as far as the body is concerned) and promote healing..
I wouldn't worry about being on them for the short run..
Regards,
Brian
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Buzzy ~
Post-op steroid use is nothing to be really worried about. As Brian stated, steroids are usually prescribed to control swelling, which can be problematic with post-operative AN patients. I had a 'taper-off' 5-day steroid prescription when I was discharged from the hospital. After that, no more steroids were needed. I never suffered with insomnia or weight gain. As Brian opined, if you only take the steroids in relatively small amounts for a short time, their side effects shouldn't be an issue, as they weren't in my experience. Again, ask your doctor what his post-op protocol is for AN surgery patients. They're all different.
Jim
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Buzzy -
some are put on steroids, some aren't - depends on how your facial nerve looks post op.
I had a quick dose of steroids the day of my surgery - since I woke up with slight paralysis. In my case, this one small dose did the trick.
Everyone is different when it comes to surgery and recovery.
Jan
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I blame everything that happens on my "Brain Tumor" LOL. Weight gain, not feeling like doing something inparticular, getting rid of soliciters, taking a nap...etc. LOL ;D
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I blame everything that happens on my "Brain Tumor" LOL. Weight gain, not feeling like doing something inparticular, getting rid of soliciters, taking a nap...etc. LOL ;D
WORKS FOR ME...........
patti ut