Post Operative Care for a Gastric Bypass

A gastric bypass is a type of bariatric surgery, also known as weight loss surgery. Not everybody is a candidate for a gastric bypass. The Mayo Clinic suggests that you may be eligible if your BMI is 40 or more, or if your BMI is between 35 and 40, but you also have other health concerns that are associated with weight, such as hypertension or diabetes. A gastric bypass is a serious decision. Discuss with your doctor the operation itself, as well as how it will change your life afterward.

Recovery

• The immediate recovery period after gastric bypass surgery will typically be three to five days. If you undergo a laparoscopic procedure, your surgeon will use a small instrument that only needs short abdominal incisions. This results in a shorter, easier recovery. The "open" gastric bypass with larger incisions will result in a longer recovery. During this immediate recovery time, you'll stay in the hospital where your doctor can monitor you for any health complications.

Diet

• During your hospital stay, you'll be unable to eat one to two days following the gastric bypass. This is to allow your stomach time to heal. Following this, you'll need to strictly follow a diet that your doctor provides for approximately 12 weeks. Initially, you'll only be able to ingest liquids. Then you can move on to pureed food before eating regular food. After the first 12 weeks, you'll need to become accustomed to radically different eating habits. With the size of your stomach drastically reduced, you'll only be able to eat small amounts of food at a time. You'll need to eat several times throughout the day. According to the Mayo Clinic, in the first six months especially, if you overeat or eat too quickly you may experience vomiting or abdominal pain.

  You'll need to continue to have follow-up appointments with your doctor to check your nutrition. These appointments will initially be spaced three to six months apart, then typically every one or two years. Patients who undergo a gastric bypass are susceptible to nutritional deficiencies. This is because your body will not absorb nutrients the way it naturally would.

Exercise

• Your doctor will also help you design an individualized exercise plan. The gastric bypass surgery is only part of your solution for obesity. You'll need to work your way up to higher intensity workouts gradually. Try to walk for at least thirty minutes every day. You should also do thirty minutes of strength training at least once per week. Exercise will help build your muscle tissue, as well as improve your overall health.