Lifestyle to Adapt After Bariatric Surgery

Obesity is a disease that is difficult to treat and is associated with various other medical issues. Bariatric surgery offers weight loss. Patients are expected to adapt to a new lifestyle that involves exercise, healthy eating, alcohol, nutritional supplementation and smoking, and regular follow-ups with doctor.

It is important to drink more water and keep yourself hydrated after the surgery. Patients are advised to consume at least 2 liters of water or more each day to prevent kidney-related problems, constipation, nausea and fatigue. In addition to liquids, patients also need to focus on proper protein intake. Usually, patients are advised to consume 60 to 100 grams of protein per day, depending on patient body weight and surgical procedure. They must choose high protein foods first to prevent weakness and muscle loss and avoid foods rich in starch and sugar.

Obese people usually have various mineral and vitamin deficiencies. After surgery, patients will need to be on bariatric-specific mineral and vitamin supplements including calcium, vitamin D, multivitamins and iron, for life, dose depending on their blood reports. Patients who do not take vitamins every day for life can suffer severe complications.

All patients are advised and encouraged to do suggested exercises to maintain their weight loss in the long term. Recovery can be faster if patients start walking frequently, within just a few hours after surgery that can help patients recover faster. On average, all of the patients should perform 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day. Patients planning to go for bariatric surgery need to quit smoking for the rest of their life.

Patients should stop using all nicotine-containing products before undergoing surgery to prevent lung cancer and to improve the body’s ability to heal from surgery, as continues use of nicotine consumption puts patients at risk for blood clots, heart attack and pneumonia immediately after surgery. Use of Alcohol after bariatric surgery can have serious consequences as it gets absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream after surgery, and patients can have higher levels of alcohol in their system for a longer period.

Regular follow-up after surgery is very necessary as obesity is a chronic disease and patients may regain weight if the patient is not being careful and regularly monitored and counseled. In the first year after surgery patients should do regular follow-up quarterly, and annually thereafter for life.