Weight gain and ASD closure

Symptoms and Treatments Surgery - Septal Defects
#1

I've been recently trying to lose excess weight through diet and exercise, and those stubborn pounds won't budge. A friend asked me when I noticed the weight gain, and I sat and thought for a moment. I realized it was right around the time I had my surgery. Obviously, there are other contributing factors (marriage, kids, general aging ;D), but I was wondering if anyone has noticed this same issue?

From what my doctor told me, the "direction" of blood flow through my ASD was re-oxygenating already oxygenated blood -- was this some sort of funky natural performance enhancer I was experiencing? I know there are some studies into using pressure chambers to force oxygen into muscles for more performance. Was that happening with me? And did that help me perform better and keep weight off?

Per details, I had my ASD closed in May of 2005. I was completely asymptomatic prior to the discovery. It was only found when, becoming aware there were layoffs in my company's future, I decided to visit a doctor for a general checkup. I accidentally picked a gerontologist who ordered the full workup on me. Her only impetus for ordering the ECG? My mother had a heart murmur while she was pregnant with me. Dr. Steven Burstein installed my Amplatzer device, and I have had ZERO issues with it, other than the mysterious weight gain.

Also, I was extremely active in high school/college, performing with a color guard team (two to three-hour practices daily) in high school and swimming/treadmill jogging/hiking in college. After graduation, I continued to be active as work allowed, going to the gym daily and doing yoga three times a week. My activity has declined recently (within the past two years), however the weight gain started soon after the surgery, and my current weight has stayed constant since 2007.

Any thoughts? I'm so glad to have found this site -- no one I knew had even heard of this condition, and from what I understood, this was primarily a childhood thing.

#2

hope it does not happen 2 me I'm fat aready

#3

I had my closure in March. I've actually lost about 6 pounds since then. However, I've cut all bread and most bad carbs out of my diet. I cheat now and then but mostly I stick with it. I also started back on a very moderate exercise. I would be lying if I said I did more than three days a week of weight training.

#4

I had my closure in Sept 2013 and have lost 15 lbs so far. I just started by walking 5 mins each day and then built up to 30 minutes 4 times a week.

I also started eating more vegetables, brown rice, and more fruit.

Remember we're not going to lose our weight overnight or in a week or a month, because it didn't get there overnight or in a week or even a month. It just seems like it did. But you will loose it slowly.

Weight gain after cath closure
#5

when I had my ASD, my heart rate is higher than the average, because of unusual palpitations, so my metabolism is higher (higher heart rate more calories burned), my doctor mentioned this to me so that I'm not surprised of weight gain. He said its not significant but I need to continue a healthy active lifestyle. Its still a case to case basis, but this is my two cents, not necessarily in your case though. I just put it out there.