Life after
Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric surgery is not a quick fix.
It's an ongoing journey toward weight loss through lifestyle
changes. After surgery, the difference in your body makes it
physically easier to adjust your eating and lifestyle
habits. Fortunately, you will not have to go through the
process alone. A team of professionals will be there to
support your efforts. Positive changes in your body, your
weight, and your health will occur, but you will need to be
patient through the recovery process.
Diet After Bariatric Surgery
The changes made to your gastrointestinal tract will
require permanent changes in your
eating habits that
must be followed for successful weight loss in your new life
after bariatric surgery. Post surgery dietary guidelines
will vary by bariatric surgeon. You may hear about post
surgery guidelines different from the ones you receive. It
is important to remember that these guidelines will be
different depending on the surgeon and type of procedure.
What is most important is that you follow your surgeon's
guidelines.
Going Back to Work After
Bariatric Surgery
Your ability to resume pre-surgery levels of activity
will vary according to your physical condition, the nature
of the activity and the type of weight loss surgery you had.
Most patients return to work and are able to exercise within
one to three weeks after their laparoscopic gastric bypass.
Patients who have had an open procedure do so about six
weeks after surgery.
Birth Control and Pregnancy
It is strongly advised that women of childbearing age use
the most effective forms of birth control during the first
16 to 24 months after weight loss surgery. The added demands
pregnancy places on your body and the potential for fetal
damage make this a most important requirement.
Long-Term Follow-Up after
Bariatric Surgery
Although the short-term effects of weight loss surgery
are well understood, there are still questions to be
answered about the long-term effects on nutrition and body
systems. Nutritional deficiencies that occur over the course
of many years will need to be studied, and can depend on
your diet after bariatric surgery. Over time, you will need
periodic checks for anemia (low red blood cell count) and
Vitamin B12, folate and iron levels. Follow-up tests will be
conducted at least yearly and more often as indicated.
Life After Bariatric
Surgery; Support Groups
The widespread use of support groups has provided weight
loss surgery patients an excellent opportunity to discuss
their various personal and professional issues. Most learn,
for example, that weight loss surgery will not immediately
resolve existing emotional issues or heal the years of
damage that morbid obesity might have inflicted on their
emotional well-being. Our surgeons have support groups in
place to assist you with short-term and long-term questions
and needs, including the most effective exercise and diets
after bariatric surgery. Most bariatric surgeons who
frequently perform weight loss surgery will tell you that
ongoing post-surgical support helps produce the greatest
level of success for their patients in their life after
bariatric surgery.
