can general anesthesia cause weight gain? I have has several major surgeries and experianced water retention after the surgery. took diuretics and lost the water weight, then it came back, an do matter what I did, I could not get rid of it. so I gained 50 Lbs total after that surgery. I recently had a lot of Kidney stones removed last year, one kidney one month, then the other kidney the next month. after the second surgery,my right arm swelled up severely. the hospital staff thought I had a blood clot in my arm, I was shipped to radiology to have scans for clots, none were found. after 4-6 hours later it went away. then when home, with in the 1st 30 days, my right side started swelling, when I got home, I found that I had gained 20 Lbs. my right leg, foot ankle and belly has swelled gradually with water. right side only. and it is measurable. recent scan for clots in my legg are underway. I was told my an Anesthesiologist that they control water in the blood during surgery and can leave to much fluid in the blood during this process. this now has been going on for over a year now with no resolution. the diuretics that the VA prescribed had no effect on the fluids. I am now using Herbals and they seem to be working slowly. I also had a bad reaction to Leviquine antibiotics in 2012 the caused my heart to stop. I was put into a coma and recovered after 7 weeks in the hospital. I gained aproximatly 80 lbs from that incodent. several surgeries druing that period as well.