What to Expect After Surgery
After weight loss surgery, patients must carefully follow the recommendations outlined in LMHS' “Bariatric Surgery Guide” for the rest of their lives to maximize weight loss success. Patients will need to take protein supplements to ensure optimal post-operative nutrition, as well as multivitamins and mineral and protein supplements. Post-operative diets vary depending on the surgical procedure the patient has selected.
After surgery, your stomach pouch holds about one ounce, or two tablespoons. At first your stomach capacity will be somewhat limited, so be patient. You may find that two to three tablespoons of food fill you up. This is expected. You may also find that you are able to eat more of one type of food than another. That is OK, too. Over time, your food pouch will stretch. Within six months after surgery, your pouch may stretch to hold eight ounces, or one cup. Long term, the size of your pouch is likely to be eight to 12 ounces, or one to one and one-half cups. This will limit the amount of food that you can eat at one time.
Many weight loss surgery patients often comment about “wasting food.” After surgery, your eyes and head still work the same as they did before surgery. However, your newer stomach pouch will cause you to be satisfied with much less food. It is critical that you listen to your body’s signals of fullness and not to your eyes that still see food on your plate. You may also be surprised at how the surgery changes your wants and desires for certain foods, some of which may have been your favorites.
It is common to see some variation from one weight loss surgery program to another related to nutrition. Just as there are many food options, there are many options and preferences for patients following surgery. However, most programs agree that 70 to 75 percent of your calories, or the primary source of your nutrition, should be protein, i.e. eggs, fish, meat, etc. Just 10 to 20 percent of your diet should be comprised of carbohydrates, i.e. bread, potatoes, etc. Only five to 15 percent of your diet should be fats, i.e. butter, cheese, etc.
For the first six months after surgery, you should consume 600 to 800 calories and 75 grams of protein each day. Protein drinks can help you fulfill these requirements. Look for those low in calories and sugar. You should also avoid foods that contain sugar because they will slow down your weight loss and could make you sick! Sugar could cause “dumping syndrome” in gastric bypass patients. Dumping syndrome occurs when sugars go directly from your stomach pouch into the small intestine, causing heart palpitations, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Symptoms may vary among patients. Dumping lasts for about 30 minutes to one hour.
To maintain a healthy weight and prevent weight gain, you must develop and sustain healthy eating habits. You will need to be aware of the volume of food that you can tolerate at one time and make healthy food choices to ensure maximum nutrition, as well as incorporate regular exercise into your lifestyle.
A remarkable effect of bariatric surgery is the progressive change in attitude many patients experience toward eating. At long last, patients begin to eat to live and no longer live to eat.
The post-operative diet for patients who have undergone LAP-BAND® or Realize Band adjustable gastric banding surgery is separated into Stages I, II and III.
Stage I
Stage I is a liquid diet that lasts for one to two weeks after surgery. A clear liquid diet is usually started the day after surgery. The patient will advance to other liquids once he or she can tolerate clear liquids. This diet will provide necessary hydration and essential nutritional requirements during the initial post-operative period.
Stage II
Stage II is a diet of pureed food that occurs during the third and fourth weeks after surgery. This diet consists of soft, pureed foods in small portions with thorough chewing.
Stage III
Patients typically move to Stage III of the diet, which includes semi-solid and soft foods that can be easily digested, four weeks after surgery. The surgeon will instruct patients when to advance to this stage of the diet.
Following Stage III of the diet, gastric banding patients will move on to a modified regular diet. This diet requires significant changes to patients’ eating patterns. This type of diet progression is designed to allow your body to heal. Initially, the diet will help meet your protein and liquid requirements. Later, it will assist you in meeting your nutritional needs. It is imperative that you follow the diet’s progression and adhere to this regimen to maximize healing and minimize the risk of unnecessary complications.
The post-operative diet for patients who have undergone gastric bypass surgery or a sleeve gastrectomy is separated into Stages I, II, III and IV.
Stage I
Stage I of the diet is typically stated the day after your surgery and consists of a sugar-free clear liquid diet. It essentially provides hydration during the initial post-operative period.
Stage II
During the second week after surgery, you will enter Stage II, which is a sugar-free full liquid diet that provides you with all of your essential requirements during that time.
Stage III
During the third and fourth weeks following your surgery, you will enter Stage III, which consists of sugar-free soft and pureed foods that are easily digested.
Stage IV
Patients typically enter Stage IV four weeks after surgery. This stage of the diet includes low-fat, low-sugar and high-protein solid foods.
