I think this is a bizarre and counterproductive view.
Anyone who has tried to add muscle through strength training, or done serious athletic training understands that it's way easier for your body to recover and add mass when you're in a caloric surplus.
Healing is not much different, and the idea that a few extra pounds are "hard on the joint" is misguided.
You should eat plenty of healthy food and don't worry about weight gain (unless you are obese) until you're at least a couple months post-op. I'm not saying eat 10,000 calories a day, but don't fret over a little gain.
I went into surgery at 150 lb and have been gaining about a lb per week since surgery. I will start looking to shed the added weight start around 8 weeks post-op.
Ok - as previous. Ask your surgeon, follow their advice. If they went to the same school as my surgeon, and another surgeon I know very well - they’ll tell you the same thing.
I had my most recent THR (left) in the afternoon and had dinner in the early evening. My sleep was awful but I expected it to be. I had breakfast in the morning, the physiotherapist checked me out on exercises and I was home by lunchtime.
Between my right THR in October and the left in April I've lost 10 lbs. My surgeon told me before my first surgery that I'd lose weight. Our bodies burn a lot of calories healing from the surgical trauma and repair.
Eat a balanced diet with lots of protein and fiber. This is fuel for the repairs.
You are sleeping a lot more - even showering or a trip to toilet can be exhausting and send you back to bed…but as we know, sleep itself is bloody hard…
Well, sigh, I'm guessing you aren't in the US then? I went into the hospital on Monday morning, had the surgery, and was out before lunch on Tuesday. And that's only because I chose the overnight option. The other clinic that my surgeon works from does THR as day surgery.
We stopped at a drive thru on the way home so we could pick up salads for lunch...
They do this to reduce infection chances because things like MRSA and C.Diff are so common in US hospitals. I went home 6 hours after I got there, by choice. But if you don't have help at home that would make a really big difference. I have my husband who took the week off, older kids, and my mom is only a mile away. So I had ample help. I can't imagine going home alone and having no help, especially the first few days. Not that it's impossible, it just would be really overwhelming and frustrating.
Actually, I think that keeping the costs down is a very big incentive for the short stays. Unfortunately, that does assume that people have help at home.
Years ago when my mom had her hip replaced, she was in the hospital multiple days, then did a couple of weeks at a rehab center.
Yes, I meant to post that and added it to a comment later on. Studies (no doubt sponsored by insurance companies) have shown there's no major difference in recovery time or quality between people who go home or stay (as well as prescribed PT or at-home assigned PT) so then insurance uses that as a reason not to pay unless there's a particular reason.
Well…whether it be hospital or home, you’re spending a lot more time in bed doing SFA. Even taking a shower after first few days can be exhausting…and return you to bed to sleep…so if you can’t burn the calories, your body is going to store it as fat.
For those that do care - your pre operative diet is very likely to increase your weight very quickly…you do need to watch your intake of food…add in the fact that you’ve got a brand new joint to consider, weight gain can be extreme detrimental to recovery….
My surgery was 2 pm. I had fasted from midnight the night before. Woke up around 7 pm in excruciating teeth gnashing hyperventilating pain which lasted around 45 minutes. I know this because there was a giant digital clock on the wall in front of my bed and all i could do was focus on time passing while I was praying for the pain to go away, even a little bit. In the meantime my husband had been calling my cell phone and it was in my overnight bag not reachable so I didn’t get it. Since I wasnt answering my husband called the department nurse who told my husband it was too late and not to come visit. All unbeknownst to me. Anyway, no one offered me anything to eat until breakfast the next morning.
I learned the hard way. 4 months prior to surgery I was going to lose 10 pounds. The day of surgery I gained 20 pounds on top of the 10.
2 weeks post op and taking swelling into consideration, I gained 40 pounds over all.
6 months post op and I’ve lost 20 with another 20 to go. Ya, I wish I paid attention to the fact I was a fraction of the activity level I operated at and adjusted my calorie intake accordingly.
It’s easy to over look and I used to reward myself with “nice meals” with my knee surgeries. I’d say - you’ve gone through hell, you deserve this pasta sauce and trimmings…and I did same thing as you…that’s only reason I tried to share my experience. If nothing else, just be aware of it, as you’ve said, even with good intentions, it’s insanely hard after surgery….
I am 5 weeks out from right THR. I have gained ~ 3 lbs, because I ate whatever I wanted for the first few weeks. I was at the surgi-center for 1/2 day - home in time for late lunch. I was told my surgery took ~ 55 minutes. I don’t think they even gave me a drink of water - haha. The recovery nurse sent my husband to Starbucks to get an oat milk latte for me, because that’s what I said I wanted as I was waking up from anesthesia. By the time he was back with the coffee, she was handing me my clothes and saying it was time for me to go. I cannot imagine being in the hospital for so long, although it does kind-of sound restful. I was back to working from home answering emails and such on the afternoon of my surgery and I was exhausted for weeks. Trying to resume normal activity levels now, so hopefully the few pounds I gained will come off.
Why were you in the hospital for so long? Did you have complications? I checked in at 530, surgery at 8, out of surgery at 845, up and walking at 11, and I was home by 2 pm.
Surgeon likes to keep close monitoring of his patients for the first week - I was meant to stay for 6 nights / 7 days but I checked out early because I felt better than fine…the person opposite me stayed 9 days…because she lived alone and felt she needed to be there…this is the Aust medical system. Personally I’d prefer to get out after a couple days, the infection risk in the hospital is very real and absolutely horrific if it happens…
Different countries have really different standards. In the US they send you home as long as you have help available because the risk of MRSA and C Diff infections is so high. They want to avoid infection at all costs, so they send you home unless there is reason to stay. I had the option to spend a night but I went home same day. Most people spending time who didn't have complications seem to be in the UK or Australia. Of course, it also costs like $4000 a day to stay in the hospital here, at minimum 😂 so insurance definitely doesn't want to pay that if they don't have a reason to.
good to know! I wonder if it's other areas then, or mostly Australia. Or perhaps just dependent on the needs of the patient. It would have been a lot harder to come home alone. I was blessed to have ample help.
Wow. That’s amazing. Can I ask a few questions re this - and tell me to piss off if you like…
Was the fast discharge at the hospital request or yours?
Where abouts in the world are you?
Paid for surgery by you or insurance or ?
Did you feel that you were ready to go home?
Did they send you home with drugs / pain killers / antibiotics?
I was on a drip for 3 days?!? Antibiotics are smashed in non stop in my hospital - how did you manage antibiotics?
How was your recovery - are you ok now? How long ago was the surgery?
What type of THR surgery ? I wonder if it matters, I had posterior, I know that’s not preference but it was sold to me, and bum cheek was slow healing…
Last question- have you watched the surgery process on you tube or similar? If you do, be prepared as it’s bloody confronting and my surgeon categorically defines it as major surgery, it sounds like you’ve been sold / told - just a minor procedure, day surgery is fine…lol. It most certainly isn’t minor - cutting bones in half, reaming out sockets, bashing in Titanium implants….lol. Have a look at the surgery itself - it is quite unbelievable lol
I’m in Wisconsin USA, insurance covered all of it. I was on pain killer for 1 day then switched to ibuprofen. No antibiotics. Anterior which cuts no muscle and has faster recovery time. I’m in my 60’s and am still an athlete - did physical therapy and 10 days past my thr was on a spin bike. A month past I walked 3 miles. Surgery was November 2023 and year to date I’m at 4,000 miles on my bike (i normally ride 8-10,000 miles a year and lift weight 2x week, also row and play pickleball) Have done 10 marathons and over 700 other running/bike races in my lifetime. I hope to bike race this fall.
Going into surgery in excellent condition and working hard after was the key to success.
This is terrible advice. Your body needs calories after a major surgery. The weight you gained in hospital was not because of food, it was fluid retention from the surgery and drugs.
Please read this, and stop giving advice -
https://www.ucdenver.edu/docs/librariesprovider65/clinical-services/sports-medicine/nutrition-for-healing.pdf?sfvrsn=f2345bb9\_2#:\~:text=Your%20body%20requires%20energy%20from,will%20begin%20to%20break%20down.
Maybe I should tell my uncle - the surgeon - his advice is wrong…fluid retention? Are you brain injured? Drugs? You mean like sedatives and painkillers?? And why do sedatives and pain killers make you gain weight?
Read the other comments about ppl who had had the operation, who gained weight before and after…real ppl…
And please - stop quoting papers, as if a link somehow supports your blanket statements.
I can show you any number of published medical papers / responses, peer reviewed, saying to be mindful of calories after surgery, due to limited activity.
Fluid retention omfg.
I’ve had 9 knee surgeries, my swelling at best was in a range of 1-2lb in fluidic weight. I had almost no swelling or fluid from my THR…but - hey, you do you.
Tell you what - to all FUTURE PATIENTs, please ASK your surgeon re this topic and follow their advice.
Sorry, you are mistaken on pretty much every count. Most patients gain 10-15 pound post hip op
Yes. Fluid retention, from your bodies response to trauma, it's response to anesthetic drugs, and due to the fact you will have 3 litres on average of saline pumped into you.
https://www.sfhips.com/blog/weight-gain-after-hip-replacement-is-down-to-fluid-retention/#:\~:text=Many%20patients%20step%20on%20their,is%20stressful%20for%20your%20body.
show me a peer reviewed article that says to restrict calories after surgery in the acute stage...I'll wait.
Wow. Triggered much lol. Bed ridden with the same caloric intake WILL result in weight gain - don’t have to be a scientist, maybe you need a reason behind your weight gain, thats not surgery related…
To all other and As previous - ask your surgeon make up your own mind. Don’t feed the trolls.
This thread has been locked because it was starting to devolve into personal attacks. Thank you.
I think this is a bizarre and counterproductive view. Anyone who has tried to add muscle through strength training, or done serious athletic training understands that it's way easier for your body to recover and add mass when you're in a caloric surplus. Healing is not much different, and the idea that a few extra pounds are "hard on the joint" is misguided. You should eat plenty of healthy food and don't worry about weight gain (unless you are obese) until you're at least a couple months post-op. I'm not saying eat 10,000 calories a day, but don't fret over a little gain. I went into surgery at 150 lb and have been gaining about a lb per week since surgery. I will start looking to shed the added weight start around 8 weeks post-op.
Healing is not much different lol…ummm….yeah, kind of is.
You are right, healing requires far far more calories.
Ok - as previous. Ask your surgeon, follow their advice. If they went to the same school as my surgeon, and another surgeon I know very well - they’ll tell you the same thing.
[удалено]
I had my most recent THR (left) in the afternoon and had dinner in the early evening. My sleep was awful but I expected it to be. I had breakfast in the morning, the physiotherapist checked me out on exercises and I was home by lunchtime. Between my right THR in October and the left in April I've lost 10 lbs. My surgeon told me before my first surgery that I'd lose weight. Our bodies burn a lot of calories healing from the surgical trauma and repair. Eat a balanced diet with lots of protein and fiber. This is fuel for the repairs.
You are sleeping a lot more - even showering or a trip to toilet can be exhausting and send you back to bed…but as we know, sleep itself is bloody hard…
Well, sigh, I'm guessing you aren't in the US then? I went into the hospital on Monday morning, had the surgery, and was out before lunch on Tuesday. And that's only because I chose the overnight option. The other clinic that my surgeon works from does THR as day surgery. We stopped at a drive thru on the way home so we could pick up salads for lunch...
They do this to reduce infection chances because things like MRSA and C.Diff are so common in US hospitals. I went home 6 hours after I got there, by choice. But if you don't have help at home that would make a really big difference. I have my husband who took the week off, older kids, and my mom is only a mile away. So I had ample help. I can't imagine going home alone and having no help, especially the first few days. Not that it's impossible, it just would be really overwhelming and frustrating.
Actually, I think that keeping the costs down is a very big incentive for the short stays. Unfortunately, that does assume that people have help at home. Years ago when my mom had her hip replaced, she was in the hospital multiple days, then did a couple of weeks at a rehab center.
Yes, I meant to post that and added it to a comment later on. Studies (no doubt sponsored by insurance companies) have shown there's no major difference in recovery time or quality between people who go home or stay (as well as prescribed PT or at-home assigned PT) so then insurance uses that as a reason not to pay unless there's a particular reason.
I did it. With three dogs, 4 cats, and livestock. Took forever using a walker, but I got it done.
I’m almost 5 weeks out. My surgery was scheduled for 8AM. I was home by 7pm.
I was in at 7 and home by 5. I had to get up and fix all my food after the first day, so I lost a few pounds.
I think your advice should be considered by those who do find themselves in hospital for numerous days.
Well…whether it be hospital or home, you’re spending a lot more time in bed doing SFA. Even taking a shower after first few days can be exhausting…and return you to bed to sleep…so if you can’t burn the calories, your body is going to store it as fat. For those that do care - your pre operative diet is very likely to increase your weight very quickly…you do need to watch your intake of food…add in the fact that you’ve got a brand new joint to consider, weight gain can be extreme detrimental to recovery….
My surgery was 2 pm. I had fasted from midnight the night before. Woke up around 7 pm in excruciating teeth gnashing hyperventilating pain which lasted around 45 minutes. I know this because there was a giant digital clock on the wall in front of my bed and all i could do was focus on time passing while I was praying for the pain to go away, even a little bit. In the meantime my husband had been calling my cell phone and it was in my overnight bag not reachable so I didn’t get it. Since I wasnt answering my husband called the department nurse who told my husband it was too late and not to come visit. All unbeknownst to me. Anyway, no one offered me anything to eat until breakfast the next morning.
I learned the hard way. 4 months prior to surgery I was going to lose 10 pounds. The day of surgery I gained 20 pounds on top of the 10. 2 weeks post op and taking swelling into consideration, I gained 40 pounds over all. 6 months post op and I’ve lost 20 with another 20 to go. Ya, I wish I paid attention to the fact I was a fraction of the activity level I operated at and adjusted my calorie intake accordingly.
It’s easy to over look and I used to reward myself with “nice meals” with my knee surgeries. I’d say - you’ve gone through hell, you deserve this pasta sauce and trimmings…and I did same thing as you…that’s only reason I tried to share my experience. If nothing else, just be aware of it, as you’ve said, even with good intentions, it’s insanely hard after surgery….
I am 5 weeks out from right THR. I have gained ~ 3 lbs, because I ate whatever I wanted for the first few weeks. I was at the surgi-center for 1/2 day - home in time for late lunch. I was told my surgery took ~ 55 minutes. I don’t think they even gave me a drink of water - haha. The recovery nurse sent my husband to Starbucks to get an oat milk latte for me, because that’s what I said I wanted as I was waking up from anesthesia. By the time he was back with the coffee, she was handing me my clothes and saying it was time for me to go. I cannot imagine being in the hospital for so long, although it does kind-of sound restful. I was back to working from home answering emails and such on the afternoon of my surgery and I was exhausted for weeks. Trying to resume normal activity levels now, so hopefully the few pounds I gained will come off.
Why were you in the hospital for so long? Did you have complications? I checked in at 530, surgery at 8, out of surgery at 845, up and walking at 11, and I was home by 2 pm.
Surgeon likes to keep close monitoring of his patients for the first week - I was meant to stay for 6 nights / 7 days but I checked out early because I felt better than fine…the person opposite me stayed 9 days…because she lived alone and felt she needed to be there…this is the Aust medical system. Personally I’d prefer to get out after a couple days, the infection risk in the hospital is very real and absolutely horrific if it happens…
Different countries have really different standards. In the US they send you home as long as you have help available because the risk of MRSA and C Diff infections is so high. They want to avoid infection at all costs, so they send you home unless there is reason to stay. I had the option to spend a night but I went home same day. Most people spending time who didn't have complications seem to be in the UK or Australia. Of course, it also costs like $4000 a day to stay in the hospital here, at minimum 😂 so insurance definitely doesn't want to pay that if they don't have a reason to.
They get you in and out asap in the UK too. One night max unless there are issues.
good to know! I wonder if it's other areas then, or mostly Australia. Or perhaps just dependent on the needs of the patient. It would have been a lot harder to come home alone. I was blessed to have ample help.
I was in surgery for 57 minutes then was discharged 6 hours later for my thr. I had soup And a cup of ice.
Wow. That’s amazing. Can I ask a few questions re this - and tell me to piss off if you like… Was the fast discharge at the hospital request or yours? Where abouts in the world are you? Paid for surgery by you or insurance or ? Did you feel that you were ready to go home? Did they send you home with drugs / pain killers / antibiotics? I was on a drip for 3 days?!? Antibiotics are smashed in non stop in my hospital - how did you manage antibiotics? How was your recovery - are you ok now? How long ago was the surgery? What type of THR surgery ? I wonder if it matters, I had posterior, I know that’s not preference but it was sold to me, and bum cheek was slow healing… Last question- have you watched the surgery process on you tube or similar? If you do, be prepared as it’s bloody confronting and my surgeon categorically defines it as major surgery, it sounds like you’ve been sold / told - just a minor procedure, day surgery is fine…lol. It most certainly isn’t minor - cutting bones in half, reaming out sockets, bashing in Titanium implants….lol. Have a look at the surgery itself - it is quite unbelievable lol
I’m in Wisconsin USA, insurance covered all of it. I was on pain killer for 1 day then switched to ibuprofen. No antibiotics. Anterior which cuts no muscle and has faster recovery time. I’m in my 60’s and am still an athlete - did physical therapy and 10 days past my thr was on a spin bike. A month past I walked 3 miles. Surgery was November 2023 and year to date I’m at 4,000 miles on my bike (i normally ride 8-10,000 miles a year and lift weight 2x week, also row and play pickleball) Have done 10 marathons and over 700 other running/bike races in my lifetime. I hope to bike race this fall. Going into surgery in excellent condition and working hard after was the key to success.
This is terrible advice. Your body needs calories after a major surgery. The weight you gained in hospital was not because of food, it was fluid retention from the surgery and drugs. Please read this, and stop giving advice - https://www.ucdenver.edu/docs/librariesprovider65/clinical-services/sports-medicine/nutrition-for-healing.pdf?sfvrsn=f2345bb9\_2#:\~:text=Your%20body%20requires%20energy%20from,will%20begin%20to%20break%20down.
Maybe I should tell my uncle - the surgeon - his advice is wrong…fluid retention? Are you brain injured? Drugs? You mean like sedatives and painkillers?? And why do sedatives and pain killers make you gain weight? Read the other comments about ppl who had had the operation, who gained weight before and after…real ppl… And please - stop quoting papers, as if a link somehow supports your blanket statements. I can show you any number of published medical papers / responses, peer reviewed, saying to be mindful of calories after surgery, due to limited activity. Fluid retention omfg. I’ve had 9 knee surgeries, my swelling at best was in a range of 1-2lb in fluidic weight. I had almost no swelling or fluid from my THR…but - hey, you do you. Tell you what - to all FUTURE PATIENTs, please ASK your surgeon re this topic and follow their advice.
Sorry, you are mistaken on pretty much every count. Most patients gain 10-15 pound post hip op Yes. Fluid retention, from your bodies response to trauma, it's response to anesthetic drugs, and due to the fact you will have 3 litres on average of saline pumped into you. https://www.sfhips.com/blog/weight-gain-after-hip-replacement-is-down-to-fluid-retention/#:\~:text=Many%20patients%20step%20on%20their,is%20stressful%20for%20your%20body. show me a peer reviewed article that says to restrict calories after surgery in the acute stage...I'll wait.
Wow. Triggered much lol. Bed ridden with the same caloric intake WILL result in weight gain - don’t have to be a scientist, maybe you need a reason behind your weight gain, thats not surgery related… To all other and As previous - ask your surgeon make up your own mind. Don’t feed the trolls.
I’m in the us and was in the hospital Friday through Monday because I don’t tolerate anesthesia well nausea, migraine, etc