Post Weight Loss Surgery at Home - Obesity Surgery Guide

Once you return home you will have to rest and take things carefully for a while.  Have someone close at hand to help you with your everyday tasks and try not to do anything which may put a strain on your operation wound.

Before you left hospital (or the clinic) you may have received the following advice:

• If you notice anything unusual such as infection, bleeding or a sudden increase in pain then contact your surgeon immediately.
• Try and move around as often as you can.  This does not mean strenuous exercise; just walking around the house several times can help.
• Depending on what type of procedure you have had you may have to return to hospital for the removal of surgical drains and/or stitches.
• Make sure you stick to the carefully planned diet and exercise plan that forms part of your aftercare.  This also includes taking a daily vitamin/mineral supplement if you have had gastric bypass or some other malabsorptive procedure. 
• Take painkillers if needed.  Make sure that you take your medication as per the instructions.
• You should be able to drive two weeks following surgery and return to your normal daily routine within a couple of months.  However, this varies from patient to patient.  Everyone is different when in regard to recovery times.
• You will have to learn to eat food slowly and to chew it properly.  If you are fast eater then you will have to radically slow down when eating.  Also, take more time between each mouthful.
• Try to avoid drinking liquids at the same time as you eat.  They will cause you to feel full before you have finished your meal.  They can also cause vomiting. 
• Avoid high fat foods or sweet, sugary items as these can cause ‘dumping syndrome'. 
• Your diet should include plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, meat, dairy products (low fat) and protein rich foods.
• Try and adopt a ‘little and often' eating regime.  Avoid snacking if you can and plan your meals beforehand. 
• Keep alcohol consumption to a minimum.  Alcohol can be metabolised by your system much quicker after surgery which can mean rapid intoxication.  It can also cause stomach ulcers.

This is not designed to overwhelm you: these guidelines are important and are designed to aid with your recovery.  We appreciate that it is a lot to take in but when you see the progress that you will make and the positive results from all of this then you will agree that it is worth it.

You will get times when things are not going that well or that you feel that you are not losing as much weight as you hoped for.  This is where the follow up sessions come in handy as they are designed to help you with this.  Plus, it can also help talking to other

 ‘post-surgery' patients at a local support group.