Afraid of weight gain

O.K. I haven't gotten very many replies to my first post. I can understand that. I sounded hysterical. I'm getting more and more scared everyday. I think the weight gain thing has me more afraid than anything. I keep reading about how everyone has gained 20-30 pounds since surgery. I have been really sick this year with all of this, so I have lost 20 lbs. I DO NOT want to put it back on. I am 5' 4" and at this time weigh about 175lbs. I'm too short to gain that weight back. Will Somebody who has successfully lost weight since their surgery, please tell me what to do?

Hi,

You're like me, I'm 5'4 and am struggling to keep my weight at 166. I'm scared too about gaining after surgery because since all the lupron and provera I've been on I've gained 30lbs already.

My best advise, that I always repeat to myself now and for my worries about post op.

Eat healthy, excersize and drink lots of water and be happy with yourself and who you are, as long as you eat right and in moderation, (its ok to go for that sunday drive for ice cream now and then,) unfortunately the hormones might make us gain more but knowing that we are doing everything we can is all we can ask. Hey maybe we'll be one of the lucky ones who lose weight after the surgery!!!!!!

I go for walks and jog on my treadmill which definelty boosts my self esteem even when the scale doesn't go down, I feel beautiful and better about myself.

Another hint, avoid the scale and use a tape measurer, since I've been excersizing the weight has not gone down but I did lose an inch on my stomach, waist and thighs!!!

I hope this helps a little, I understand what you are going through with this weight issue and wish you luck,

Take care of yourself,

Hi Ladyfisher!

Weight gain is about "calories in versus calories out." It does not hinge on whether or not you have a uterus. I have lost nearly 25 pounds since I had my surgery 13 months ago. I did this by reducing caloric intake (e.g., modified my diet to consist mainly of healthy, low-fat, low-calorie foods in smaller portions) and increasing my daily exercise (walking three miles per day instead of two). If you ask any nutritionist or doctor, they will tell you that decreasing caloric intake and increasing caloric expenditure is the way to lose weght. This isn't a "magic" formula, it is simply science.

Best of luck to you on your journey to better health!

Bizet Woman is right. It's calories in, calories expended. I haven't gained any weight because of my surgery (five months ago). Rather, my weight gain (four pounds only) is the result of my poor eating choices. I need to lose about 40 pounds and am working toward that goal.

Good luck to you!

SusieQ

Dear Ladyfisher Sisiter,
Being a singing diva, my weight has always floated around the 200 mark at 5'3".
I'm currently 3 weeks post-op and the scales pleasured me with a 10lb loss! You feel so lousy in the hospital that you honestly just drink liqiuds which helps. The faster you can walk around the better. After being home for 2 weeks, my appetite returned and choc.chip cookies were whispering my name from the pantry when I walked by.
Eat only for strength. Usually half of what you were consuming prior to surgery. Cut out the wine, beer etc. as most DR advise anyway.
Take the opportunity with your weight loss to re-asses your priorities (like I have now that the fruits of my womb are missing, I had an incrediable amount of fibroids), stay positive, walk everyday and change your snack habits into healthy choices and you won't gain. My problem was and still is, boredom. So I have little projects each day to complete so I'm not tempted to overeat.
I hope this helps.
diva 1

I have to agree with Bizet woman and Susie Q. It's what you eat, not the surgery itself. I had my TAH/BSO in December 2003. After I came home from the hospital and got to actually eat some yummy food I went a little crazy. I didn't worry about it too much, just told myself that eating all the good food would help me get my strength back. Not so. I quickly gained 10 pounds. Now I'm eating right and walking every day and have taken off 5 of that 10 so far. I know I'll get the other 5 off if I just stick with it. My advice is stay away from the comfort food, exercise and drink plenty of water and you'll be fine. Hope this helps.

sonni
TAH/BSO cervical cancer 1b

Thank you so much for these wonderful words of encouragement. Except for you ladies, all I have read and heard has said that weight gain is guaranteed. I am so scared that I will gain weight and not be able to lose it. I am trying to think positive. My doctor asked me if I was trying to lose the 20 pounds that I lost. I told him no I wasn't, but I am sure trying not to gain it back. It is so hard at my age to lose weight. I am down from a size 16 to a 12. I intend to at least stay this weight. If anyone else has anything positive to say or great suggestions to keep the weight off I would love to hear form you. Thanks Hyster Sisters!

Unfortunately it's not always as simple as calories in vs calories expended. Hormones can also play a role. That can be HRT or the hormones your ovaries produce. Also hypothyroidism, which seems to be fairly common with disorders of the reproductive system.

I don't want to worry you further, but if you do a search of this site (click <search> located at the top of the page) and type in weight gain, you will get a list of threads that mention weight gain. And there are a lot on PostOp and Hysteritaville who are bemoaning the fact that they have gained weight.

I personally lost about 10# immediately post op. This was due in part to a complete lack of appetite for a couple of weeks. Once the appetite returned so did 5 of those pounds, and the other 5 have crept back on since.

I am 27 months post op, and I weigh exactly the same today as I did the day of surgery. Which isn't all that great, cause I need to lose about 50#, and I needed to before. I do have more energy now, and I'm more active than I was for quite a while before surgery.

Ladyfisher,

I have to agree with Marylou about the hormones. Its not always a calorie thing, if it was I would have dropped the 30lbs I've gained since I've been on all these hormone things. Even the doctors agree with me that its the hormones and to do what I keep doing with my excersize and proper nutrition and thats all they can ask for. Don't worry too much about the weight right now focus on feeling better soon,

Take care,

I'm 51, post-menopausal prior to TAH, hypothyroid. I lost 30 pounds after finding out I was hypothyroid (on Synthroid and Weight Watchers for life!) I'm not on HRT, either.

I have maintained my Weight Watchers goal weight for 3 years now .... including my hysterectomy & recuperation.

My thyroid and cholesterol went wacky after the surgery, so am on a lower dose of Synthroid and finally agreed to go on Lipitor. My cholesterol level is now WAY down (where they want hear patients to be!)

A hysterectomy is not a guaranteed weight gain.
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TAH/BSO, fruit basket of fibroids gone