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The following identifies areas that will be important for patients to follow
after weight loss surgery.
Keep in mind that the information provided here is not intended as a
substitute for the opinion and advice of a qualified physician. Your best
source for information is an experienced bariatric surgeon. You can find a
bariatric surgeon in your area today by using the Find
a Surgeon feature.
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Post-Surgery Diet
The modifications made to your gastrointestinal tract will require permanent
changes in your eating habits that must be adhered to for successful weight
loss. Post-surgery dietary guidelines will vary by bariatric surgeon. You may
hear of other patients who are given different guidelines following their
weight loss surgery. It is important to remember that every bariatric surgeon
does not perform the exact same weight loss surgery procedure and that the
dietary guidelines will be different for each surgeon and each type of
procedure. What is most important is that you adhere strictly to your
surgeon's recommended guidelines. The following are some of the generally
accepted dietary guidelines an weight loss surgery patient may encounter:
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When you start eating solid food it is essential that you chew thoroughly. You
will not be able to eat steaks or other chunks of meat if they are not ground
or chewed thoroughly.
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Don't drink fluids while eating. They will make you feel full before you have
consumed enough food.
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Omit desserts and other items with sugar listed as one of the first three
ingredients.
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Omit carbonated drinks, high-calorie nutritional supplements, milk shakes,
high-fat foods and foods with high fiber content.
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Avoid alcohol.
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Limit snacking between meals.
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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 morbid obesity procedure. Patients who have
had a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure may be able to return to these
activities within a few weeks.
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Birth Control & 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.
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Long-Term Follow-Up
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. 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 initially be conducted every three to
six months or as needed, and then every one to two years.
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Weight Loss 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. Most surgeons have
support groups in place to assist you with short-term and long-term questions
and needs. 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.
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© Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. 2001-2008 DSL#07-0230
This site is published by Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., which is solely responsible for its contents. This site is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Only your physician can diagnose and appropriately treat your symptoms.
Valid only in the United States. |
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