HI, I've recently had brain surgery to remove a tumor. I am on the mend and been recovering for the past 6 weeks, But whilst things are improving generally, I am struggling with my weight, which is 10 kg lower than it should be - _ I was about 68-70 kg prior to surgery and am now 59 kg. My blood sugar is also high - between 10 -12 in the morning. Before surgery my HBa1c was 49, so the surgery has thrown everything out of kilter. I am trying to stick to avoiding carbs, but it's tricky when you're also trying to add weight. Any suggestions on how to add weight quickly without raising blood sugar? Thanks, Dominic
domfor, firstly you’ve been through a lot with your op. It will take some time to get over that.
Surgery can put our bodies into a bit of a stress situation and raise blood sugars for a while. You may also have been on steroids for a while to help with swelling, and steroids are renowned for raising blood sugars. Hopefully, much of all of that will settle in time.
On the weight loss, when I had surgery a few years ago (nothing like yours), I too lost weight, from an already slight frame. The advice from the specialist nurse looking after me was not to panic, and in the first instance concentrate on not losing any more. She also warned me it could take a few months to regain the 2-3 kg I had lost, because our bodies will focus on repair from the surgery, rather then rebuilding muscle and fat stores. Her words of “Be patient” (Patience is not one of my personal virtues - ahem) rang in my ears for the few months my regain took, but it did happen. I just upped my protein intake, and added a bit more fat than usual.
good luck with it all, and hopefully you are moving forward towards better health.