What Happens After Bariatric Surgery?

Minimally invasive procedures are performed under general anesthesia. You can expect to be in the hospital for at least one night. Ultimately, the duration of your hospital stay will depend on the type of procedure you have and your overall health. You should be up and walking a few hours after waking up from the procedure (this is important to decrease post-surgery risks and improve recovery). We will send you home with detailed post-operative instructions and schedule your follow-up appointment before you leave the hospital. Most patients are able to return to work within two weeks.

You will start your new diet regimen immediately. You will follow a liquid diet for a period of weeks before gradually adding in pureed and then more solid foods. Your diet regimen, to include protein shakes and multivitamins, will start while you are still in the hospital. You will also begin a light exercise program almost immediately.

Your successful weight loss is important to us, so our participation in your life is a long-term commitment. We will continue to monitor your progress with regular appointments so that we can help keep you on track and make necessary tweaks to your diet and/or exercise regimens.

Post-Bariatric Surgery Diet and Exercise Regimen

Your new eating regimen will begin while you are still in the hospital after your surgery. You will start with a liquid diet and protein supplements for the first few weeks and gradually introduce more solid food. A liquid diet with protein supplementation helps you receive appropriate amounts of nutrition while allowing your stomach to heal after the surgery. Once your stomach heals, you can begin introducing pureed foods followed by soft foods and ultimately small quantities of regular foods.

We will give you a nutrition guide for the specific procedure you undergo describing in detail what you can consume, in what quantities and in what timeframes. The guide will also provide information on how to read food labels, choose protein supplements and make healthy food choices.

Your post-surgery regimen will include a liquid protein supplement for the rest of your life. Protein is an essential building block of muscle in your body and a natural way to minimize hunger. People who consume significant amounts of protein feel fuller faster and longer than those who consume large amounts of simple carbohydrates. Because you will be eating less food, it is important to maintain sufficient protein consumption, and consuming liquid protein drinks is the easiest way to accomplish that.

In addition to nutrition guidelines, we want you to understand how important moderate exercise is for weight loss and your overall health. Most patients start with walking and light stretching and gradually add in some light weight training and other aerobic exercise over time. As you lose weight, exercising will becomes easier and your health—especially your heart health—will continues to improve.

It is important to remember that this is not a diet or an exercise plan; it has to become your way of life for the rest of your life. Continuing to make healthy food choices and sticking with your exercise programs will ensure you lose all the weight you need to lose and that you don't regain it by overindulging. (Yes, it is possible to regain weight after the surgery and re-stretch your stomach to hold more food.) Adhering to nutritional guidelines for the rest of your life will help you keep the weight off and maintain the health improvements your weight loss achieves.

Body Contouring Surgery

Significant, rapid weight loss often leaves the patient with excess skin around the waist, legs, buttocks, breasts and even arms. Body contouring surgery is an option for those patients who want to improve their comfort, function and appearance. UM Charles Regional Medical Center can refer you to board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeons who specialize in body contouring and skin removal surgery to help you look your best after losing a lot of weight. Because the body contouring surgery is related to bariatric surgery, it is generally covered by insurance when it causes medical complications.

Support Group

Your weight loss journey is very important to us. We know how hard it is to be vigilant about maintaining the very difficult diet and exercise regimens required to successfully lose weight and keep it off, especially after bariatric surgery. After surgery and once you start losing weight, you will feel better about yourself and want to re-engage with friends and family. Such socialization often revolves around food, so you will have to maintain vigilance while in the presence of many food options, some of which can make you ill after your weight loss.

To help you stay on track, we offer a regular support group in which you can meet, talk and share with other bariatric surgery patients who know exactly what you are going through and feeling. The support group provides a forum to share your experiences—both good and challenging—with your diet plan, managing newly re-defined social and romantic engagements, recognizing and processing the intense emotions that may crop up around food and stress, and much more. This group of people can become your resource for tips and tools as well as your support as you navigate your new lifestyle.

Contact Us

For more information about the support group or to schedule an appointment, please call 301-609-5006.