Bariatric weight loss surgery is not a quick fix. It is a continuing journey to weight loss through lifestyle alterations. Following the surgery, difference in your body makes it physically easier to adjust with your eating and lifestyle habits.
Life after the bariatric surgery brings a drastic change in your life. Weight loss surgery is not a cure for obesity, but it is a process to help you lose weight for living a longer, healthier and more fulfilling life. Success of the surgery mainly depends on your ability to follow the guidelines for exercise, diet as well as lifestyle changes.
Medications after the surgery
After the surgery, you can’t take whole pills. You need to make adjustments to your medicine regime at the time of your operation, so that you can safely continue taking the comparable daily dosage. To prevent ulcers, your doctor will recommend a daily acid reducer like cimetidine or ranitidine. Avoid consuming non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, Celebrex, aspirin, Motrin, Naprosyn, and Advil. These medications can cause ulcer formation. After undergoing the surgery, it is more difficult to diagnose and treat ulcers.
Your doctor will recommend a daily dosage of multivitamin and minerals supplement containing a minimum of 400 mcg of folic acid.
Returning to work
Ability to returning to your daily activities will depend on your physical condition and the type of surgery you had. Most of the people who experienced bariatric surgery will return to their work within one to three weeks after the surgery. Patients who had open surgery will return to work after six weeks.
Pregnancy and birth control
Pregnancy places added demands on your body and the possibility for fetal damage make this a most considerable necessity. Women who want to use birth control should consider the most effective forms for first 16-24 months after the surgery.
Follow-ups after bariatric surgery
We all know the short-term effects of bariatric surgery very well, but there are still questions to be answered about the long-term effects on your body system and nutrition. Nutritional deficiencies that occur over the course of many years need to be studies and mostly depend on your diet after the surgery. You need to take regular visit to your doctor for anemia, vitamin B12, folate and iron levels.
Support groups
Support groups can provide patients a chance to discuss their personal and professional problems. Keep contact with a weight-loss or bariatric support group. The key is to maintain a well-balanced diet and moderately strenuous activity.