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Way to go! You made it through the surgery and your hospital stay—so now what?
Following are a few topics with things you may wonder about
regarding your new life.
Going Home
Life After Surgery
Medical Follow-up
At home, you will need to take short walks for exercise. You may take short showers, but no baths until Dr. Valentine feels your incisions are healed adequately. A small amount of oozing from your incisions is to be expected, as well as minor bruising of the skin. When you are discharged from the hospital, you will be instructed to take your routine medications outlined by Dr. Valentine.
You will be instructed to make a follow-up appointment with Dr. Valentine for 7-10 days following your surgery. Driving or operating mechanical equipment is not allowed until authorized by Dr. Valentine.
Returning to work will depend on many factors. The average time off work is approximately three weeks. Dr. Valentine will not release you to return to work until you are physically able.
The first year after gastric bypass is referred to as the free period because you will lose weight more rapidly and with less effort than at any other time. This is a perfect time to establish lifestyle changes and create healthy eating habits. Your weight loss reaches a peak 12-18 months following surgery. Long term dietary intolerances are very infrequent. Most patients resume eating a variety of foods. After two years, it is not unusual to regain 10 to 15 pounds and then stabilize. By this time your new stomach has stretched enough so that most patients are able to eat child size portions and have few if any food intolerances. Continued weight loss is still possible after this period but may require reevaluating food choices and increased exercise.
Lap band patients reach their weight loss goals usually aroung 2-3 years after surgery with adequate follow-up and band adjustments. Again with this surgery, exercise and healthy eating habits must be formed. Remember, any type of weight loss surgery is a tool that will help reinforce the life style changes you will need to make and continue for the rest of your life.
A few of the lifestyle
changes you will be making include:
Eating three well balanced meals daily
with no snacking and eating a smaller portion at a slower rate.
Not being
able to drink fluids 1⁄2 hour before, during or 1⁄2
hour after your meal.
Taking vitamin supplements for the rest of your life.
Exercising
is highly encouraged—whatever
physical activity you enjoy should become part of your routine after
surgery. Best of all
it will be
easier to do once you lose some excess weight!
Your well being and continued long term success is very important to us, therefore we will schedule you to be seen in our office for regular follow-up appointments with Dr. Valentine. Blood work will be drawn at three and six months and then yearly after that. Blood work can be drawn in our office prior to your appointment for your convenience. It is important that you also continue treatment with your primary physician regarding medical issues. Your primary physician and Dr. Valentine will work together monitoring and regulating your medication dosage; however, it is likely you will see significant positive changes in your medical status as you lose weight.
If you are a female in childbearing years it is very important you do not become pregnant during the first 18 months following weight loss surgery. Because non-fertility can be a problem associated with obesity, it is important to use appropriate birth control measures as you lose weight. The birth control patch is not recommended for women over 200 pounds. The absorption of oral contraceptives may not be effective due to rapid weight loss. It is very important to discuss other birth control options with your primary physician or OB/GYN.