Pre-surgery | Post Surgery

POST-SURGERY

1. What can I eat?
From the first five days to a week after gastric bypass or LAP-BAND® surgery, only clear liquids and protein drinks are allowed. After the first visit your diet will be modified at the discretion of your surgeon.

2. Can I advance my diet before seeing the doctor?
No. Usually our gastric bypass and LAP-BAND® surgeons will see the patient within five to seven days after the surgery and at that time, if everything is going well and the doctor's examination is satisfactory, the patient will then progress to a Level 4 diet.

3. What can I take for gas?
A variety of simethicone-related products are available for gas such as Gas-X, Mylicon-80, etc. Gas and gas pains are most often related to swallowed air that is taken in by mouth accumulating in the colon or the bowel forming gas bubbles. At times this needs to be relieved with an enema, hot tub baths, or other means. Should the gas pain not respond to such measures, the patient should see a physician or contact your gastric bypass or LAP-BAND® surgeon.

4. Why am I burping so much?
Again, burping represents the expulsion of gas that is swallowed by the mouth. In the early period after the gastric bypass or LAP-BAND® surgery, the anastomosis of the small upper stomach to the intestine is quite small and will remain so.

5. When can I swim?
Ordinarily, the incisions heal quite satisfactorily within a period of seven days and swimming can be allowed thereafter. It is advisable that for the first several days to a week after the patient gets back in the pool that water aerobics be undertaken in the shallow end of the pool rather than swimming in the deep end, due to the possibility of cramps.

(To read more Post-surgery Frequently asked questions click HERE)