Is it usual to gain about 20 lbs after having surgery due to having many IVs?

Question

I was in the hospital 5 days and between the antibiotics, vitamins & minerals and glucose, I came home 22 lbs heavier than when I went in. I freaked when I stepped on the scale at home, I barely ate anything while I was in the hospital.

Answer 1

How much do you normally weigh?  

22 pounds of fluid is difficult to conceal.

It is possible that you retained the fluid from the IV infusions.  

This should be evident as edema especially in the lower legs.  

Press on the skin over your ankle bones for about 15 seconds - then release and see if there is an indentation.  That would mean fluid retained in the subcutaneous tissues.  If you retained 22 pounds of fluid, there should be significant lower leg swelling that will indent with pressure.

Of course your physician should be made aware of this next week.  He or she may want to check you and perhaps prescribe a diuretic medication to get rid of excess fluid.

Answer 2

After my last surgery I was given Darvacet (spelling?) as a pain killer, i gained 15 pounds in 3 days. It was fluid, i was allergic to it. Call your doctor.

Answer 3

Well that depends all on what medications you actually had in you-if one drug had a side effect of weight gain then I'm assuming that's alright. Why don't you give your doctor a call? Just ask him if being 22lbs heavier is normal under those circumstances.