If you are ready for a weight loss surgery like a gastric bypass surgery, instructions will be given to you by your medical team on how to prepare for your surgery.
You may have considered with your medical team, a comprehensive treatment program to tackle your weight problem. Your multi-disciplinary medical team will consist of an obesity specialist/ doctor, a psychologist and a dietitian.
The treatment plan may consist of surgery as well as a healthy diet, nutritional supplements and a regimen for physical exercise. You will be on the right path with a plan for exercise and diet routine. You must also be prepared financially for surgery by ascertaining cost of gastric bypass surgery in India.
Here are a few tips to prepare for gastric by-pass surgery:
- Before surgery, you must take nutritional supplements. This is because after surgery, you will not be able to completely absorb crucial nutrients from the food you consume. Thus you will have risks of health problems like osteoporosis and anemia. For this, you must take daily dose of minerals and vitamins.
- You must fully understand the risks and implications of the surgery. You will discuss all aspects of surgery with your medical team. You must be committed for a treatment plan of a lifetime. The team will support you, but you must do your part- exercise regularly, eat healthy and regularly attend follow-up check-ups.
- You can do well by being in touch with a local support group. It will be made of people who have undergone similar procedure and can empathize with your condition.
- Get support of your spouse and children. Recovering from surgery will have to be a team effort. If you are a teen or a child, you will get the help of your parents throughout the treatment plan.
- The medical team will advise you to arrange for a friend or relative to drive you home after surgery. He or she might also stay with you for a few days and help you with routine tasks.
- The medical team will examine your medical history, thoroughly before surgery. Let them know about all your previous medications, history of surgical treatments and any allergies. This includes details of current medication.
- Smokers will be advised to quit for 2 weeks before and after surgery. Smoking will interfere with your respiration and your healing process. If you drink, stop 2 days before surgery.
- You will be subject to a few pre-operative tests like blood pressure, blood sample and urine sample tests.
- You will be given some instructions for before and after surgery. This includes what you can drink and eat, what medication you can consume and what the surgery entails.
DAY BEFORE SURGERY:
- Complete all grocery shopping and stock up on soups and fruit juices.
- Stock upon all medication as too much will be better than too less.
- Keep ready any instructions from medical team in a folder for ready access.
- Stop eating and drinking after midnight.
- Pack useful items- comfortable clothing, toiletries, soft pillow, medication, slip on shoes etc.
- Remove make-up and keep away any jewelry
- Bring along insurance documents. Arrange for finances as per gastric band surgery cost
- Have a shower.
These are some tips on how to prepare for gastric bypass surgery.