Comments on: Weight Loss After Heart Surgery

By: James

James — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:44:42 +0000

Began losing weight two weeks after heart surgery. Weight went steadily down from about 182 to my current 170 lbs,approximately two months after my heart valve replacement.
I urinate about 3-5 times nightly and my weight goes down with each urination.
No sign of diabetes and my physical rehab energy is strong, however my upper body looks like I’m a Buchanwald inmate.

By: Mohan

Mohan — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 07:54:32 +0000

Hi Adam,
Two years ago i.e on 13th aug 2009 I had a heart attack and was admitted to hospital. After ecg and angiogram they noticed a block and informed that surgery was immediately necessary.So the very next day I underwent angioplasty and was discharged from hospital after almost 25days.
After the surgery I have lost a lot of weight almost 22kgs. I was 84kgs prior to surgery and post operation I am now 62kgs – 63kgs. My problem is water retention in the stomach. I am very careful on diet and daily I walk for 45mins but slowly and also do yoga more of breathing excercise. How to control water retention and to gain a little weight. My doctor says my heart is damaged to the extent of 40%.I am on Lasix and ayurvdha treatment. Ofcourse I am much better now comparatively and can climb steps and steep roads etc. without grasping for breath. Kindly suggest ways to control water retention and to gain a little weight.

Regards,
Mohan

By: Donna Hill

Donna Hill — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 00:02:23 +0000

Sounds like we all have some kind of problems after heart surgery.
I was a healthy 65 year old female, could work rings around younger people and had energy galore. Weighed about 132lbs,5’7”, when I hit the hospital for a quadruple bypass. Became anemic and had to have a transfusion of blood. Left hospital on 3 rd day for home re-hab.
Had to stop the dieuretics as bladder was going into spasms and stopped the metropropel also, due to being diagnosed with Raynauds disease. Am gaining weight 2 to 3 lbs a day and now am up to 175 lbs. HELP..No answer from Drs and my right leg swells all the time.They took the vein from my left leg. So what is up with all this? Any input?

By: Dena Bloms

Dena Bloms — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 21:14:26 +0000

My dad had an aortic valve replacement and triple bypass 2 weeks ago. He is 54 and got the mechanical valve. They are having a tough time regulating his coumadin and he is having to go get his levels checked every 2 days. He has lost 25 pounds in the last 2 weeks and doesn’t want to eat at all. They also put him on a “NO Sodium” diet for the next 2 weeks (that has made for some interesting recipes). He is very pale and his eyes are sunken in. Is this normal? I am soooo worried about him and his weight loss. Does everyone experience this? He gets winded after just talking for a few minutes and needs to rest. When will he start to get his strength back?

By: Jackie

Jackie — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 05:16:51 +0000

My husband has had the mytro value replaced about four years ago, has had a pacemaker put in about a year ago. Things seems to be working the way the should with one problem. He has lost about 20 pounds and is down to 110 pounds and he is 5’7″ in height. We try everything from fating foods of all sorts. Taking Boost at least three times a day. Nothing seems to help him gain weight. His thyroid seems to be messed up. The T4 at times goes off the chart. I would just like to know what I can do to help him gain some weight. He is getting to too thin.

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 18:04:46 +0000

Thanks for the response and information. When I got out of the hospital I weighed about 206 or so. Weight fluctuated for a couple weeks between 206 and as high as 210. I think it must have been excess fluids because after a few weeks of nightly trips to the john – 2 – 3 times, the weight began to decrease as well as the nocturnal visits (I think the guy who invented those plastic bottles should get the Nobel Prize, BTW ).

I’m at about 197 now and seemingly stable. My appetite though, isn’t so great. I bought a 2 pound can of “Muscle Milk” – whey protein, with which I make a “fruit smoothie” most mornings. But lunch and supper? Not so hot. Unfortunately, my wife came down with a clot in her leg so I’ve been preparing meals (manly heroic stuff)that we both like but even still, the appetite isn’t so great.

I’m told that being an old goat has a lot to do with diminished appetite, and that the surgery often is a cause of food tasting different. So I’m marking that down as the cause of my recent “problem.”

I too, live in the boondocks – well, about 5 miles out of the nearest small town, 25 miles from the nearest relatively large town, in Central CA. So “health foods” – pre-packaged, aren’t available in large numbers. But, we are in the “Nation’s Food Basket” so there’s lots of fresh fruits and vegetables at various farmer’s markets.

Negative symptoms are waning except for a curious “rasping” or “gurgling” feeling in the chest when I lay down or recline. No pain and no uh, production of phlegm, just the “rattle.” The doc says other’s have mentioned the same thing. I see him in a couple days so we’ll investigate further. I’m guessing it has something to do with the rat poison (warfarin/coumadin) and metoprolol I’m taking.
Otherwise, no problems other than weakness. I played 9 holes of golf last week – oops! Tired after 5 holes.

I don’t recall if I mentioned I had bypass surgery January 18, 1995. That resulted in virtually no side effects. But, I’m about 16 years older now.

Thanks for the response. This is a great site for sharing experiences. Sorry for going on for so long.

By: Louise H.

Louise H. — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:41:22 +0000

Hello Tom,
My husband had a heart attack and 6 by-passes almost 3 months ago. He was on similar medication as you and had nausea until a couple of weeks ago. He would not eat, said nothing sounded good to him either. He survived mostly on banana milk shakes and “Boost” even though he had lost 30 pounds and the doctors were saying at the time that he could eat anything to gain his weight back. Now that time has passed and I prepare healthy foods for him (baked, grilled, low sodium, low fat, etc.). He has only gained 5 pounds. He can eat as much of the healthy things he wants. His appetite has improved considerably. I think he is afraid to eat the wrong things because he never wants to go through another heart operation again. We live in a more rural area and it is more difficult to find the salt-free, low sodium, low fat foods he needs. I go to a larger city to shop. We walk 30 minutes daily and he is going to cardiac rehab three days a week, this has made a great deal of difference for him.
Sounds like you may be on your way to complete recovery. The “Boost” or “Ensure” can give you the vitamins you need until your tummy decides it is time to enjoy food again. Good luck and may God Bless you.

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 18:41:10 +0000

Had aortic valve replacement and a bypass 8 weeks ago. I’m 6’2″ tall, 76 yrs old. When I got out of the hospital I weighed about 208. I’m at 196 today. Took lasix for 7 days to reduce fluid retention, but that was 4 weeks ago. Appetite is not great – depends on what food my wife’s preparing. I used to like pizza. We got one. I could barely get 2 small slices down. I’m also getting some odd “gurgling” or rasping when I lay down or recline. That seems to be easing up. Scheduled for a follow-up sonogram tomorrow and a chest xray probably in a couple days. Other than feeling kind of tired I’m pretty much o.k. I can walk about 1 1/4 mile with no problem. I had bypass surgery in January ’95 and don’t recall having any of the above mentioned symptoms. But then, I was 16 years younger.

So there you have my experience with aortic valve surgery. We’re still seeing the cardiologist and surgeon but now only a month apart. Oh, forgot. I’m taking warfarin, 5 mg, once per day for 90 days, and a BP tab 50 mg, twice per day, for 90 days. Have vicodin as required, and a 81 gram aspirin.

I wonder if anyone else has these experiences and how affected by them?

Thanks

By: Mohan

Mohan — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 11:30:18 +0000

i had a heart attack on 13/09/2009 and underwent angioplasty with two stents on 14/09/2009. Earlier my weight was 84kgs (before operation) and now it is down to 65kgs. This weight is being monitored continuosly and i am sticking to a lot of diet plan like having oats for breakfast, walking daily for 40mins non-stop, eating only non-oily food etc. Dr. has diagnosed 40% damage in the heart at the time of attack, but still the heart is working ok. Now my only problem is of fluid retention in the belly. Any amount of diet or taking tablets like lasix etc is not of much help. can you please guide me on this?

Regards,
Mohan

By: Lou Hudson

Lou Hudson — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:24:44 +0000

My husband is 65 has never smoked or drank alcohol, kept his weigh low and was fairly active, appeared in very good health but almost 7 weeks ago he had a heart attack then angioplasty a few hours later, 6 bypasses the next day. Before he came out of recovery they had to take him back into surgery and open him up a second time because of excess bleeding. According to echo cardiographs and doctor’s exams, from all of the trauma to his heart he seems to have recovered–except for nausea. It is present all day and night.We have tried Reglan, Zofran, everything the doctors recommend but he remains nauseous and can barely get a few bites down. He is 6’6″; prior to the heart attack he weighed 242. Now he is down to 213.Each day he gets a little less active because he has no strength.The surgeon told him for right now he could eat anything he wanted to build himself back up but nothing appeals to him.A month ago he passed out hitting his head on our kitchen island. I could not get him to come to so I called 911. He was taken back to the hospital. Tests did not reveal anything wrong so they sent him back home.A week and a half ago the surgeon put him back into the hospital and started IV. More tests were run. The only thing that showed up was H. Pylori in his stomach. Now he is on major antibiotics twice a day for 11 more days plus acidophiles. Still more nauseous. I am afraid to leave him for anytime to run to the store, etc. He does not want anyone to come visit because he is too sick to talk with them. Any ideas to stop the nausea?