How Is Life after Sleeve Surgery
One of the most important concerns of those who want to perform the gastric sleeve operation is the life after it. Many people do not know what their conditions are after this operation. One recommendation for recovery from surgery is to take about two weeks off work. If your job requires lifting or moving heavy objects, you will need more time to rest. In this article, we are going to describe life after the sleeve surgery and the points that you need to follow.
Life after Sleeve Surgery – Recovery
You have to walk 3 hours after the operation and transfer to the ward. You are usually discharged after one night of hospitalization. The reality of gastric sleeve surgery is that its lasting results depend on the patient’s effort. Even if the size of the stomach has shrunk, the patient should be careful to continue eating the right foods even after recovery.
Diet after gastric sleeve operation
Life after sleeve surgery requires following a strict diet planned by the doctor. This diet is tailored to the individual’s nutritional needs. In general, you should eat 4-6 times a day in very small portions. For most patients, this diet is something like this:
- Day 1: Fluid diet, some doctors allow patients to drink water a few hours after surgery
- Days 2 to 14: A diet full of liquids includes protein shakes, yogurt, watery soup, milk and, juice
- Weeks 3 to 5: Soft diet meaning that the patient can only eat soft foods and liquids. Patients can start eating regularly 5 weeks after the operation.
All patients need to take B complex and multi-vitamins after this surgery. Most doctors advise patients to avoid fruits and vegetables with seeds or hard plants until it is safe to eat them. Every time you try new food, pay attention to how your body reacts to it so that you can decide whether to use it in the future or not. Do not use a straw when drinking, as it allows more air to enter the stomach.
Therapeutic and Health Effects after Sleeve Operation
The improvement in your physical health can be just as dramatic as your rapid weight loss after sleeve surgery. Diseases such as diabetes, blood pressure, and fatty liver, which are related to obesity, can be cured or treated altogether with this surgery. Of course, despite all these positive results, you need to have long-term habits to maintain your weight and health. This requires the support of friends, family, and your surgeon because you will not be successful on your own. In this way, you will be away from negative effects in your life after sleeve surgery.
Exercise after Surgery
To lose weight and reach the desired shape, as well as to improve diseases after sleeve surgery, exercise is necessary. Walking or daily exercise is very important. As a result, you should include these activities in your daily schedule after weight loss surgery. You need to know that regular exercise and walking prevent blood clots and blood clot symptoms.
Post-Operative Visits
In general, to ensure the correct course of treatment, it is necessary to carry out visits according to the schedule after sleeve surgery. These visits include the first week, the third month, the sixth month, the ninth month, the twelfth month, every six months from the second year, and annually from the third year.
Life after Sleeve Surgery; Taking Vitamins and Supplements
Doctors recommend taking mineral and multivitamin supplements after gastric sleeve surgery. These vitamins include iron, potassium, vitamins B6, B12, and vitamin D. After the sleeve operation, the patient’s stomach faces many problems because stomach acid decreases and this affects the absorption of B12 and iron. On the other hand, vitamin B1 deficiency may lead to neurological disorders. Also, vitamin D deficiency is the most common disease after sleeve surgery. For this reason, the use of supplements containing vitamin D is highly recommended. Taking these vitamins can change your life after sleeve surgery.
Postoperative Medications
Your medication after sleeve surgery depends on your surgeon. The doctor will talk to you about the type and amount of drugs to be taken after discharge from the hospital. It is better to strictly avoid taking arbitrary medicines.
A very important point is that if the doctor has prescribed antibiotics, be sure to use them according to the instructions. Therefore, you should not take more of this medicine or stop taking it. Also, if you have been prescribed painkillers, take them as directed. Make sure that you are not allowed to use several painkillers at the same time. Similarly, do not take medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen unless your doctor tells you to.
Postoperative Relationships
You should know that your relationships may change a lot after losing weight. Evidence shows that patients experience more favorable sex after the sleeve operation. This is primarily due to a change in how they feel about their body, not an actual physiological change. The increase in sexual desire is related to the changes that patients feel about their bodies. Increasing self-confidence is also effective in this matter.
Care of the Surgical Incision Spot
After gastric sleeve surgery in antalya, it is necessary to take care of the surgical spot. Wash and dry the area around the incision site daily with lukewarm water and soap. Do not use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol to disinfect. Change the bandage every day.
Self-Care After Sleeve Surgery
The only person who can help you the most with your body’s health is yourself. Therefore, try to follow the self-care tips prescribed for you. You may experience conflicting emotions. For example, you may feel extremely happy because of reaching your desired weight. Or following a diet for a long time may make you feel fearful and anxious. It is also possible that you feel afraid of the complications that may plague you.
In Which Case Should You Contact A Doctor?
You should call your doctor immediately if you experience any emergency, such as when you have trouble breathing or if your stitches come loose. Other items include:
- If you lose consciousness
- If your pain does not improve after taking painkillers
- When you have trouble passing gas
- Muscle pain in the leg, back of the knee, thigh, or groin
- When you have symptoms of a blood clot, such as redness and swelling in the leg or groin
- When you have signs of infection, such as increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness
- Draining pus from the incision
- Fever
- The appearance of red streaks in the cut area
Hair Loss After Gastric Sleeve Surgery
One of the complications of life after gastric sleeve surgery is hair loss. But this problem is not permanent and your hair will grow back. According to research, the physiological stress caused by major surgery and rapid weight loss afterward causes the body to direct nutrients to vital organs such as the heart and brain and away from functions such as hair growth. This causes hair loss which usually occurs in 3-5 months after the operation. Then, as the body adapts to the changes made, hair loss also decreases and then stops. As long as there are no nutrient deficiencies and you are consuming enough protein, hair should return to normal.
Tips to Minimize Hair Loss After Surgery
Here are some tips that will help you reduce your hair loss after sleeve surgery and speed up the hair restoration process. For example, you can add lean proteins such as lean red meat, baked or grilled fish, chicken, cottage cheese, flax seeds, chia seeds, low-fat cheese, beans, quinoa, and soy to your meal. Other useful points are as follows:
- Consume at least 60 to 80 grams of protein daily
- Every meal and snack should contain protein
- Use liquid or powder protein supplements
- Take vitamin and mineral supplements as recommended by your doctor
- Eat healthy and nutrient-rich foods
Life after Gastric Sleeve Surgery at a Glance
To achieve the desired result, you need to carefully follow some tips during your life after sleeve surgery. For example, you should chew all of your food thoroughly before swallowing. Or you should liquids half an hour after eating. Other cases are as follows:
- Don’t drink anything while eating, as this may overfill your new stomach
- Avoid high-calorie drinks and heavy snacks
- Exercise four days a week for at least one hour
- Limit unhealthy snacks to two to three times a week
- Use enough protein
- Avoid high-calorie and sugary drinks
Final Points on Life after Sleeve Surgery
You have been patient for sleeve surgery and you are just one small step away from success. So you should be patient in performing the actions after the sleeve operation. Take care after the sleeve operation seriously and care about your health more than anyone else. Enjoy your life after sleeve surgery.
