A gastric sleeve surgery can be a major life changing event in your weight loss journey. After having your stomach size surgically altered, it can come with a lot of short-term recovery steps, as well as long term lifestyle changes to help in its success. While life is not really easy after this procedure, one can still adapt to the changes in lifestyle and eating habits. With the right guidance and tips on how to make your overall procedure successful, you can be on your way to a healthy weight loss.
At the Weight Loss Surgery Center of LA, we have a group of professionals and experienced teams who work closely on helping you through this process, even before you have your surgery. Here is our guide on what to expect after surgery and how your recovery will be aided best.
Short Term Recovery
The hours and days after your surgery are crucial to ensure that your post-op recovery is going well. There are times when patients will be admitted in the hospital for a day or two so that their health team can closely monitor them for any side effects or improper surgical healing. This is also done to keep an eye on any infections that may occur. Although a very low risk, it is still a preventive measure taken with most surgical procedures.
The pain will subside eventually, but to avoid discomfort, follow the prescription of pain medication and antibiotics that your doctor provides.
Once you are on your way home, you will be given a recovery guide by your doctor. It is important for you to follow this, no matter how much research you’ve conducted beforehand. This is because your surgeon’s team knows your body and how your surgery went.
Some of the common steps on these guides are to limit strenuous activity and to keep yourself thoroughly hydrated. Always consult your doctor before opting for any kind of physical labor. In general, most patients can resume normal activity in about four to six weeks.
For the first couple of weeks, you will also be restricted to a liquid and soft food diet. You can work with your dietician and family members to help make this as interesting as possible so that you’re not feeling restless. However, it is important to stick to this texture of foods to avoid straining the recovering incisions on your digestive tract. Just make sure that you are eating a good amount of lean protein.
Long Term Recovery
A lot of your diet habits will also carry over into long term recovery. This is especially true once you are cleared for physical activity and start following an exercise regime. From protein supplements, you are encouraged to eat high-protein foods such as pulses, lentils, chicken, eggs, fish, and more. At the same time, you will have to start cutting down on carbohydrates and processed sugars. Make sure to work closely with your dietician and trainer so they can help you with this in tandem with your fitness plan.
Another important thing is to work with a mental health professional. Many times, stress, anxiety, and large changes can lead to discouragement and stress-eating. Having a safe space to discuss these feelings is important so that they don’t manifest into bad physical choices. Instead, process them healthily with a therapist so that you can continue working on your hard-earned goal.
This also means having a strong support system around you with your friends, family, and colleagues. You have to realistically prepare them for the changes in your life – and be honest with yourself, too. It might affect you if your colleagues are constantly indulging in unhealthy eating during the week. Or, for example, if you attend social events and everyone around you is drinking excessively and snacking on sugary finger foods.
It is okay to feel temptation but you have to understand how to conquer it – either by choosing what kind of events you attend, or by involving the people around you in your journey. While isolation is not the key, honest communication is. Ultimately, this journey might seem never ending but you will reach your destination.
Posted on behalf of Dr. David G. Davtyan MD, FACS, FICS
