Fasting after surgery, good or bad?

#1

Anyone found any studies showing good or bad items after surgeries? Recently had total knee replacement and wondering if fasting will help or possibly hurt. Been ifing and keto last 4 months currently.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #2

Welcome to the forums!

I’d suggest not fasting for a few weeks, since you want protein and fat to promote the healing.

#3

Fuel your recovery. Can’t build without materials!

(Bob M) #4

I fasted quite a bit after shoulder surgery. It took a while to get back into it, though, as sleeping with your shoulder fixed via your arm to your body is tough. Terrible sleep, a bit of pain.

In fact, I gained weight after surgery, and that’s why I decided to get DEXA scans done. I couldn’t figure out why I gained weight even though I had restarted fasting.

Looking back, I think it was cortisol’s effect. The weight gain was temporary, and concentrated close to after surgery.

Anyway, I was able to gain about 4 pounds fat free mass and lose 6 pounds fat mass according to DEXA scans while fasting quite a bit, for the year after my shoulder surgery.

Of course, I gained a lot of strength, as you basically can’t do any exercise for 6+ weeks, and after that, only really wimpy stuff for another 1+ months, then finally getting into training again, maybe 6+ months later. It takes a year to recover. But once I started working out, it was relatively easy to (re)gain some of the strength I lost.

I’m way stronger now than then, though.

#5

Bad. Eat to heal, nourish, repair and thrive.

(Central Florida Bob ) #6

Yet another voice to say not to fast.

I just had a fingertip taken off in a shop accident. They were able to reattach it, but even with that small of an injury I could tell something different was going on. I gained about four pounds which quickly went away after a couple of weeks of healing and then back to fasting.

#8

yea that is so one doesn’t throw up and die under the gas as they put ya to sleep :slight_smile: :slight_smile: that isn’t fasting, that is life medical requirement truly to keep one alive thru that knocked out surgery :slight_smile: :sunny:

#10

I spent 30 years doing surgery. Fasting is required for the anaesthetic. Post orthopaedic surgical recovery requires dietary building blocks, correct collagen, amino acids, proteins, and vitamins. Plus excellent pain management. Other types of surgery may have specific dietary requirements like dental or gut surgery.

(Jane) #11

I was thrilled when offered the option of an epidural and really strong drugs to knock me out when I had total knee replacement surgery. So much easier to cone out of!

(Jane) #12

Personal I did not fast post-surgery. Felt I needed to feed my body good protein to rebuild. I went easy on the fats since very sedentary for a few weeks.