weight gain? what causes this?

hi there ladies. i have read alot here about mysterious weight gain. my tvh was a bit unusual as i had complications, and was placed back in the hospital 2 weeks to the day of my hyst. i had major abdominal surgery to correct the problems. i am still very cautious w/ what i eat as i am only tentatively regular. i was told to get a good multivitamin, and drink juices w/ lots of fiber, and vitamins, as well as water, gatorade, teas, and broth soups, with toast occassionally. i have very little desire for food. i've been out of the hospital (5 days after second surgery) for 5 days. i was also told to stay away from foods that are hard to digest. i am still fairly nauseous when i wake up in the morn. i can keep very small portions palateable later in the day, but not much. i have lost 15 pounds. any tricks to rid myself of nausea? thanks to all of you.

I'm not sure about whether you can use the 15 lb weight loss like I could. I think your concern is more of a nutritional one. I get seasick so I empathize with your nausea. I suppose it could do with taking medication on an empty or near empty stomach.(?) Other than passing your concerns by your doc, I don't know what else to tell you.

My guess is that the swelly belly that is talked about is just water retention. I suppose it could also be post surgical swelling. I took Midol when I was feeling bloated instead of just plain Tylenol and it seemed to help. I'm back to the same size I was prior to surgery at just over 4 wks post-op.

Hi Heather
I'm so sorry for all you have been through. It's tough when you need to go in for a second surgery. You have a lot going on right now. Your body is adjusting to the trauma it has just been through and it takes time for your digestive system to get back to normal.
It sounds like you are managing your eating well and taking it slowly and carefully, as you should. I would also suspect medication as at least one of the reasons you are so nauseous. Have you talked to your dr about how you feel? If not be sure to ask if this could be from pain meds.
As for the weight gain, it is a little different with all of us, but usually the weight gain that is associated with a hyst is from the onset of menopause and the change in hormone balance in our bodies. There are a couple good articles in the Hormone jungle article list, one is on Weight and HRT and the other is on Weight and Menopause. There is good information here for anyone who is dealing with these issues.
It looks as if you have kept your ovaries which should keep from putting you in the position of needing to deal with these issues for a while. I hope so for your sake.
I hope you will start to feel better soon and get back to your old self. You have had a major set back so please be patient with the process. We're here for you, let us know if we can help.
's,Rita

Hi - I totally relate to your situation - I am new as of today to this site - it was actually recommended by the OB/GYN just before my surgery in September 2005. I had until today not bothered - believing I can do this by myself. Boy was I wrong !!
It took me by surprise that my appetite was basically non existent after the surgery, but had convinced myself that it was due to the major trauma. 10 days after the surgery, I am back in the ER with severe abdominal swelling and pain. My bowel had in fact backed up - although I was having regular bowel movements. There was a "kink" in my large intestine, which had caused the back up - major pain and some massaging later it saved me from yet another surgery.
I suggest you have a doctor check your bowel, intestine or digestive system to ensure all is replaced properly after the surgery.