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The modifications made to your gastrointestinal tract will
require permanent changes in your eating habits that
must be adhered to for successful weight loss. It is
important that you adhere strictly to our recommended
guidelines. The following are some of the generally accepted
dietary guidelines a weight loss surgery patient may
encounter:
- 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. 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, milk shakes, high-fat foods
and foods with high fiber content.
- Avoid alcohol.
- Limit snacking between meals.
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 procedure. Patients
who have had a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure
may be able to return to these activities within a few
weeks.
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.
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 six
months for five years. To help patients achieve their
goals and deal with the changes surgery and weight loss
can bring, the bariatric surgery program at Monmouth
Medical Center provides a five-year follow-up
plan that includes support
groups, dieticians and other forms of continuing
education.
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. At Monmouth Medical Center
we have a support group in place to assist you with short-term
and long-term questions and needs (calendar of support
groups meetings). Ongoing post-surgical support helps
produce the greatest level of success for their patients.
The changes in your diet and lifestyle after surgery will
last a lifetime. And you'll have a greater chance of
long-term success if you surround yourself with people
who understand and support your goals.
Help your friends and family members understand
why you've chosen a surgical solution. Many people are
under the impression that weight loss surgery is an experimental
treatment rather than one with more than 40 years of history.
Direct them to this web site or others. It's important
that they understand that morbid obesity is a disease and
that diets don't work for you.
People who are morbidly obese often report
that their spouses, or others close to them, seem to discourage
weight loss. These people see your weight as part of your
identity. Understand that this is a fear of change. Discuss
your reasons for having surgery. They need to know that
your health is at stake and you will be counting on them
to help you during and after surgery.
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