Post Surgery Guidelines
After surgery, each patient will receive guidelines from his or her bariatric surgeon. Below are general patient guidelines following weight-loss surgery.
Long-Term Follow-Up
Bariatric surgery is a life-long commitment. For the initial year after your surgery, your surgeon will arrange periodic tests, as needed, for anemia (low red blood cell count) and Vitamin B12, folate and iron levels. It is extremely important that you see a bariatric surgeon annually for the rest of your life. If you are new to the area or your surgeon moves away, use the Holy Cross Find-A-Doctor tool to locate a new provider. Kaiser patients will complete a full post-op bariatric surgery blood panel to assess for vitamin and mineral deficiencies at 6 months and annually. More frequent blood work may be ordered based on individual need.
Exercise
Immediately after bariatric surgery, you should be able to walk moderate amounts. In the first six weeks after laparoscopic surgery, do not lift more than 10 pounds. After that initial recovery period, you can begin more strenuous exercise after being cleared by your surgeon. This can range from normal exercise programs at the local gym to programs modified to meet your individual needs.
Holy Cross Health offers a variety of fitness and movement classes at locations throughout Montgomery County. View schedule of classes and register or call 301-754-8800.
Going Back to Work
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. Many patients return to full pre-surgery levels of activity within six weeks of their surgery.
Bariatric Surgery and Pregnancy
It is strongly advised that women of childbearing age avoid pregnancy for at least 12-18 months following weight-loss surgery. Patients should discuss pregnancy with their surgeon before trying to become pregnant. The healing and weight-loss process and the added demands pregnancy places on your body make this a most important recommendation to promote the health of mom and baby.
Post-Surgery General Dietary Guidelines
The following are some of the generally accepted dietary guidelines:
- Chew your food at least 20 to 30 times before swallowing
- Don't drink fluids while eating. Consume fluids between your small meals. They will make you feel full before you have consumed enough food
- Omit desserts and other items with sugar listed as one of the first three ingredients
- Omit carbonated drinks, high-calorie nutritional supplements, milkshakes, fruit smoothies, high-fat foods and foods with high-fiber content. Discuss appropriate beverages with your bariatric surgery team
- Avoid alcohol
- Limit snacking between meals
- Do not chew gum
- Do not drink through a straw
Support from a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist and Psychologist
You will be required to follow-up with your nutritionist and/or bariatric surgery psychologist to support your efforts to comply with post-operative dietary guidelines.
Your nutrition and surgical team will help educate you on what foods and fluids to eat and drink following the surgery. A bariatric surgery psychologist will support both you and your family for the changes that accompany weight loss, and assist you in following the post-operative guidelines.
Protein Sources
After transitioning from the full liquid diet, you will start on a soft or pureed diet as specified by your surgical and nutrition team. You will be eating very small amounts of food. In order to prevent malnutrition, your body needs an adequate amount of protein to remain strong and healthy. Protein is the building block that the body uses to generate new tissue, preserve muscle and repair wounds. It also helps the immune system fight infections.
Good protein choices are lean meats like skinless chicken or turkey, trimmed round steak, lean pork chops and fish. Low-fat or fat-free cheeses, cottage cheese, skim milk, fat-free plain yogurt, whole eggs or egg whites, and beans are also good protein food choices. Aim for 60 grams of protein a day and gradually increase to 80 to 100 grams a day.
Protein Supplement List
Using a protein supplement will be helpful post-surgery to meet your minimum protein requirements. Eat your protein foods first. Drink your protein supplements between meals.
It is important to use your protein supplement drinks to get enough protein in a day. Some proteins are not always tolerated right away. Keep track of this and reintroduce at another time. Check with your bariatric surgery team for a list of approved protein drinks and ideas for the pre-operative and post-operative diets.
Nutrition Counseling
Holy Cross Health's registered dietician offers outpatient nutrition counseling at Holy Cross Hospital. Kaiser patients will work with a Kaiser registered dietitian/nutritionist once a bariatric nutrition referral has been placed by your surgeon.