Before and After

How do the lives of people change who have gastric bypass, before and after surgery?

Before surgery there are have no dietary restrictions. Thus, if you are considering weight loss surgery you must be prepared to replace many unhealthy habits with healthful ones.

Weight loss surgery is usually highly successful, but is not an easy quick-fix for weight loss. It may take several weeks to recover from the surgical procedure itself. Then, a strict diet must be followed for six to eight weeks post-operatively. Then patients must make drastic changes in their diet and nutrition. Thus, the mindset of individuals having gastric bypass, before and after, needs to be vastly different.

One of the hardest things for gastric bypass before and after surgery is the new dietary restrictions, especially if you made poor food choices prior to surgery. Your diet for the first eight to 12 weeks post surgery will consist largely of small volumes of liquid, pureed and soft foods. After this time, you may begin to eat more normal foods but in much smaller portions that you are likely accustomed to eating. Because meals must be small you are consuming fewer calories so your food must be packed with nutrition. Taking vitamin and mineral supplements can be used to augment your diet. Fatty and fried as well as excessively sweet foods will need to be eliminated from your diet as they can cause discomfort, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Avoiding alcohol for the first year post-surgery is important, as is eliminating carbonated beverages. You will need to introduce foods slowly into your diet to eliminate any ones you cannot tolerate.

Initiating an exercise program after gastric bypass surgery contributes greatly to overall weight loss and maintenance of muscle mass during a restrictive diet. Typically obese people are restricted from a rigorous exercise program either physically or emotionally, so beginning one will represent a significant change.

Life after surgery and making the changes necessary to experience weight loss is highly rewarding. Living a healthier life, for many, is worth all the effort.