Gastric Bypass Recovery

Recovering from Gastric Bypass Surgery

After gastric bypass surgery the hospital stay is for 3 to 5 nights, recovery in the hospital does not mean just staying in bed, early ambulation is encourage after surgery to prevent  blood clots from developing in their legs. Patients will normally have a catheter (to collect urine), that will normally stay in place for 24 hours after surgery and can cause some patients some discomfort. A drain is placed also in the abdominal cavity, this will be removed before discharge. Pain killers are used on a schedule. 48 hours after the procedure an Xray test is performed as a routine to rule out any complications, after this, the patient starts a 4-week meal plan that begins with the consumption of clear liquids, then pureed food and eventually small portions of solid foods.

Due to the reroute of the gastro intestinal tract, the patient’s absorption of nutrients is compromised so the correct consumption and supplementation of protein,  vitamins and minerals must be monitored closely in order to treat any malabsorption condition. The newly formed smaller stomach also means the patient will have smaller portion sizes for the rest of their life.

After gastric bypass surgery the patient’s stomach can only hold about an ounce of food at first. Therefore the patient will need to eat several small meals throughout the day to avoid vomiting or serious abdominal pain.

At Angeles Health we have a skilled weight loss team that is comprised of physicians with various specialties as well as nutritionists and case managers. All of these health care professionals are well equipped to care for you during and after your hospital stay with us. After gastric bypass surgery we ensure we stay in close contact with our patients to monitor nutrition, lifestyle choices and overall health and give advice. Our follow-up program is included in your medical travel package.