Post-Operative Care

Most laparoscopic patients are discharged from the hospital 2-3 days after surgery. A Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) pump is used for pain control while in the hospital. Perioperative antibiotics, heparin injections to prevent blood clots and walking as soon as possible after surgery are essential. An x-ray study of your pouch (an upper GI) is performed the day after surgery to ensure that no leaks exist.

Follow-Up

Patients are scheduled for a post operative visit with the doctor a few days after surgery, one month after surgery, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after surgery, then annually for life.

Your New Diet

After surgery, you will slowly progress from no concentrated sweets (NCS) clear liquids to a regular textured NCS/low fat diet. You will always need to take protein and vitamin supplements to maintain a healthy nutritional status. Nutrition counseling is available on an individual basis as well as during group meetings.

Exercise

Exercise is critical not only to maximize weight loss but also to improve your cardiovascular health. We recommend that you begin an aerobic exercise routine, such as brisk walking or swimming, even before surgery.

Plastic Surgery

You lose fat but not skin. After weight loss is complete (about one year), many patients elect to have the excess skin hanging below the waist removed with an operation called a panniculectomy.
Other plastic surgery options include: removal of excess skin on the arms, neck, thighs, as well as breast and buttock lifts.