The following
identifies areas that will be important for patients
to follow after weight loss surgery. 
Diet
Going
back to work
Birth
control & pregnancy
Long-term
follow-Up
Support
groups
Diet
The modifications made
to your gastrointestinal system will require permanent
changes in your eating habits that must be adhered to
for successful weight loss. Post surgery dietary guidelines
may vary according to your specific surgery. You may
hear of other patients who are given different guidelines
following their weight loss surgery. It is important
to remember that every 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 Dr. Thomas’ recommended
guidelines. The following are some of the generally
accepted dietary guidelines a weight-loss surgery patient
may encounter with any of the weight loss surgeries
that we offer:
- 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.
- Don't drink fluids
while eating. It is best to wait at least one to
two hours after eating to maintain the desired feeling
of being full.
- Omit desserts and
other items with sugar listed as one of the first
three ingredients. These are empty calorie foods.
- Omit carbonated
drinks, high-calorie nutritional supplements, milkshakes,
high-fat foods and foods with high fiber content.
Read all labels – something may sound nutritious
but may have hidden sugar, carbohydrates and fats.
- Avoid alcohol.
- Avoid snacking
between meals.
Going
back to work
Your ability to resume
presurgery 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 presurgery levels of activity
within six weeks of their procedure. Patients who
have had a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure
may be able to return to these activities within a
few weeks.
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.
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. It is imperative
that you keep your appointments for follow-up.
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. Nacogdoches Medical Center
has a support group 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.
We strongly encourage all our patients to attend the
monthly support group meetings for a minimum of one
year after surgery.
