Gaining on 800 cal?

Now that I've got your attention...  :-)

I normally eat 1500-1600 cal/day, and burn between 400-700, so healthy, normal, eat well, exercise, good stuff.

Wednesday I had my tonsils out.  I have been eating as much as the pain and nausea from the meds has been allowing me to, which has been around 800 cal/day.  I'm eating toast (recommended in the UK, evil docs won't let you have ice cream anymore), jello, instant mashed potatoes, soup, some pasta, etc. 

The morning of my surgery I was at 150.2.  Today I was 153.4!  What's the deal?  I'm not one for quick fixes, and wasn't looking to lose tons of weight post-op like some people do, but gaining?  On 800 cal?  Why???

I'm still managing to drink about 1.5-2L water/day.  However, I just was reading info on the meds they gave me (no weight gain as a side effect) and the tablets I'm supposed to take 12 of a day have 400 mg of sodium in each one!  That's almost 5000 mg. of sodium just from that, before eating anything! 

Anyone have any advice, or anything to say to make me less freaked out that I'm going to gain 10 lb in the next two weeks as I recover??

The good news is, if it's all sodium, it'll all be water weight. And I doubt you'll gain 10lbs. My guess is you probably don't even absorb all of that sodium, but I don't really have any idea.

Secondly, your body needs rest and food, so don't worry about gaining or losing right now. If it's all water weight, it'll be gone as quick as it came when you're better :) Just keep on chugging that water!

You're probably very bloated from the meds, and from the IV fluids you were on while you were under for the surgery. Going under anaesthesia also has drastic effects on the body. I wouldn't worry too much; you aren't going to gain ten pounds, but you probably won't lose much either.

What they said.  You'll be a bit swollen from the surgery, and swollen = retaining water.  It'll go away as you heal.  Feel better soon!

Thanks guys!  I guess I just needed to hear I wasn't part of a freak sub-set of tonsillectomy recipients that gain lots of weight post-op! 

I'm sure it is water weight from the swelling. You're body is retaining the water trying to heal itself.

My guess is that when it's all said and done, you'll be down a few pounds. I'm sure you are resting a lot, and eating very little, so you can expect to have muscle loss, and some fat loss too.

I wonder how much tonsils weigh?

I agree with the posters above. Your body is retaining water and high levels of sodium, and not necessarily fat. My friend who recently underwent a breast REDUCTION gained 10 lbs. of excess fluid after her surgery! Don't worry about the levels, and your weight gain is minimal anyway...