Your Recovery

A gastric bypass (also called Roux-en-Y gastric featherbed) is surgery to make the stomach smaller and change the connexion between the stomach and the intestines. It is done to help people lose weight. The surgery limits the amount of nutrient the tum tin can hold. This helps yous consume less and feel full sooner.

The cuts (incisions) the physician made in your belly volition probably be sore for several days to several weeks, depending on whether you had a laparoscopic or open surgery. If yous accept stitches, the doctor will take these out at your follow-upwardly visit.

You probably volition lose weight very chop-chop in the first few months after surgery. Every bit time goes on, your weight loss will tedious downwards. You can expect most of your weight loss to happen in the first 12 months afterward your surgery. Yous will have regular doctor'southward appointments during this time to cheque how you are doing.

Information technology is important to think of this surgery as a tool to help yous lose weight. It is non an instant fix. You will still need to eat a healthy diet and get regular exercise. This will assist you reach your weight goal and avoid regaining the weight you lose.

It is common to have many unlike emotions later this surgery. You lot may feel happy or excited as you lot begin to lose weight. Merely yous may also feel overwhelmed or frustrated by the changes that you lot have to make in your nutrition, activity, and lifestyle. Talk with your doctor if you accept concerns or questions.

This care canvass gives you a general thought well-nigh how long information technology volition accept for you to recover. Simply each person recovers at a different stride. Follow the steps below to get meliorate every bit quickly every bit possible.

How can you treat yourself at domicile?

Activity

  • Rest when yous experience tired. Getting enough slumber will assist you lot recover.
  • Try to walk each day. Start by walking a fiddling more than you did the day before. Chip by fleck, increase the corporeality you walk. Walking boosts blood flow and helps prevent pneumonia and constipation.
  • Avoid strenuous activities, such as bicycle riding, jogging, weight lifting, or aerobic do, until your doctor says it is okay.
  • Until your physician says it is okay, avoid lifting anything that would make yous strain. This may include a child, heavy grocery bags and milk containers, a heavy briefcase or haversack, cat litter or dog food numberless, or a vacuum cleaner.
  • Agree a pillow over your incisions when you cough or have deep breaths. This will back up your belly and subtract your pain.
  • Do animate exercises at home as instructed by your physician. This will help prevent pneumonia.
  • Ask your doctor when you can drive again.
  • Yous volition probably need to take 2 to 4 weeks off from work. Information technology depends on the type of work y'all do and how yous feel. You volition probably return to normal activities within iii to 5 weeks.
  • Y'all may shower, if your doctor okays it. Pat the incisions dry. Exercise non take a bathroom for the first ii weeks, or until your doctor tells you it is okay.
  • Ask your doctor when it is okay for you to take sex.

Diet

  • Your doctor will requite yous specific instructions about what to swallow after the surgery. For the outset 2 to 6 weeks, yous will need to follow a liquid or soft nutrition. Bit past bit, you lot will exist able to add solid foods back into your diet.
  • Your doctor may recommend that you work with a dietitian to plan healthy meals that give you plenty poly peptide, vitamins, and minerals while you are losing weight. Even with a good for you diet, you probably will need to accept vitamin and mineral supplements for the rest of your life.
  • At beginning you lot may feel full later just a few sips of water or other liquid. Information technology is of import to endeavour to sip water throughout the twenty-four hours to avoid becoming dehydrated.
  • Y'all may discover that your bowel movements are not regular correct afterwards your surgery. This is common. Try to avoid constipation and straining with bowel movements. Your doctor may suggest cobweb, a stool softener, or a mild laxative.
  • Sometimes the tummy empties food into the small intestine too rapidly. This is chosen dumping syndrome. It tin can cause diarrhea and make y'all experience faint, shaky, and nauseated. It also tin make information technology difficult for your trunk to become enough nutrition.
    • Avoid high-sugar foods—such equally desserts, soda popular, and fruit juices— which are almost likely to cause dumping syndrome.
    • Do not drink liquids within a one-half 60 minutes before eating and upward to an hour after eating. Liquids motion food even more chop-chop into the small intestine. Quick emptying of the stomach increases the run a risk of diarrhea.
    • Eat slowly. Try to chew each bite near 20 times. Let 20 to 30 minutes for each meal.
    • Consume v or 6 small meals or snacks a day. This may continue you from feeling too full after eating and may reduce problems with diarrhea and dumping syndrome.
  • Check with your doctor before drinking booze. Your trunk may absorb alcohol more quickly after surgery.

Medicines

  • Your doc volition tell you if and when you can restart your medicines. Y'all will besides be given instructions about taking any new medicines.
  • If you lot take aspirin or some other blood thinner, ask your physician if and when to start taking it once again. Make sure that you understand exactly what your physician wants y'all to do.
  • Be safe with medicines. Take hurting medicines exactly as directed.
    • If the medico gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take information technology equally prescribed.
    • If you are non taking a prescription pain medicine, enquire your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine.
    • Do not take two or more pain medicines at the same time unless the dr. told you lot to. Many pain medicines contain acetaminophen (Tylenol). As well much acetaminophen tin can be harmful.
  • If you think your pain medicine is making you lot ill to your stomach:
    • Accept your medicine after meals (unless your md has told you lot not to).
    • Enquire your medico for a different hurting medicine.
  • If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed. Practice non end taking them just considering you lot experience better. You lot demand to take the full class of antibiotics.

Incision care

  • If you have strips of tape on the incision(s), leave the tape on for a week or until information technology falls off.
  • Wash the area daily with warm, soapy water, and pat it dry. Don't employ hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, which can deadening healing. You may cover the surface area with a gauze bandage if it weeps or rubs against article of clothing. Modify the bandage every day.
  • Keep the area clean and dry.

Follow-up care is a fundamental part of your treatment and condom. Be sure to make and become to all appointments, and telephone call your doctor if you are having problems. It'southward also a expert idea to know your test results and proceed a list of the medicines you lot accept.

When should you lot call for assist?

Call 911 someday you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:

  • You passed out (lost consciousness).
  • You lot are brusque of jiff.

Call your doc now or seek immediate medical care if:

  • You lot accept hurting that does not go amend afterwards you have pain medicine.
  • Y'all cannot pass stool or gas.
  • You are sick to your tum and cannot drink fluids.
  • Yous have loose stitches, or your incision comes open.
  • Yous have signs of a claret clot, such as:
    • Pain in your dogie, back of the knee, thigh, or groin.
    • Redness and swelling in your leg or groin.
  • You have signs of infection, such as:
    • Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness.
    • Ruby-red streaks leading from the incision.
    • Pus draining from the incision.
    • A fever.

Watch closely for changes in your health, and exist sure to contact your doctor if yous have any problems.

Where can you acquire more?

Get to https://www.healthwise.cyberspace/patientEd

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