People who drastically need to lose weight for their health can have an operation called bariatric sugery. Bariatric surgery decreases the size of the stomach. The four types of bariatric surgery are vertical banded gastroplasty, laparoscopic gastric banding, roux-en-Y gastric bypass and biliopancreatic diversion. Surgery alone is not enough to cause automatic weight loss. The person will have some very important life changes in their diet as well.
Nutritionist
Following bariatric surgery, the surgeon gives the patient guidelines concerning new diet restrictions that they must now follow closely. Advice from medical professionals can differ depending on the type of surgery performed. Consulting a nutritionist to help develop a permanent meal plan is a good idea.
Medicine Changes
Besides a diet, a person receiving bariatric surgery will also face new medical restrictions. For instance, whole pills will now need to be converted into a powder form, making them easier to digest. Also, the patient must find alternative forms of medicine for pills that take 24 hours to release their ingredients. Bariatric surgery hinders such medicine's absorption into the body.
Preventing Ulcers
Using a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug after having bariatric surgery may cause an ulcer where the surgical staples were placed. Surgical changes to the stomach now increase the area's acidic buildup. These same changes also make finding and treating ulcers more challenging. A person who has had bariatric surgery should avoid using such over the counter drugs as Motrin, aspirin, Advil and Celebrex.
Meals
For those who have undertaken the life-changing step of bariatric surgery, eating habits must undergo big changes. Meals must be consumed slowly, and bites of foods chewed completely. A bariatric patient needs let a minimum of three minutes pass before taking the next bite. Also, sipping at a drink now must wait until after a meal is finished or vomiting may occur.
Snacks and Desserts
Bariatric surgery limits a person's ability to snack between meals. Constant overeating can stretch the stomach and cause the surgical staples to pop. The changed stomach is only capable of holding a small amount of food at a time, thus making it vital to make those small portions nutritious ones.
Careful Drinking
People who have bariatric surgery can develop stomach pains if they drink beverages too fast or take gulps instead of sips. Also, air that enters into the stomach, by way of drinking with a straw or having a carbonated beverage, can cause stomach pains.
Pregnancy
A woman's body undergoes a tremendous amount of stress during the nine months of pregnancy. Because of this stress, surgeons who perform bariatric surgeries always appeal to their female patients who are in their childbearing years to use good birth control at least for the next two years following their surgery.
