Weight Loss Surgery Recovery

Weight loss Surgery Recovery: Can You Follow Directions?

If you are considering weight loss surgery, it is not enough to know what happens before and during the surgery. It is critical that you understand the mandatory changes you will have to go through after weight loss surgery. Your gastric bypass doctors or weight loss clinic counselor will provide you with a list of post op recovery procedures to ensure you have a successfully weight loss surgery. But it is up to you to follow the directions. If you cannot follow them, you may want to reconsider the surgery.

Do you understand the importance of these directions? Many people need to know the why behind instructions to impress on them the reason to follow the instructions. Being given a list is not enough to impress on some people how important it is to follow all post-surgery directions. Many will modify the instructions to eliminate some of the things they do not want to do and believe that the worst will not happen. The post op instructions are there for a reason, they have been compiled as the result of mistakes made by other weight loss surgery patients in the past. The instructions are in place because your gastric bypass doctors know that they will give you the best possible results if followed to the letter. Even the most observant person will probably forget to do something on the list occasionally, but if you keep to the instructions, you will have the best possible outcome.

Your greatest risk associated with not following all post op instructions, is the risk of infections and improper healing. If your weight loss surgery involves cutting the abdominal skin or redirecting your intestines or undergo liposuction or have excess skin removed from your body, staples or stitches to sew you back up will be involved. And these wounds are possible points of infection. Your post op instructions will have directions on how to care for your scars to prevent infections and minimize the scarring. Carefully follow your post op weight loss surgery instructions. Skin problems that are the result from improper care are painful, cause health complications, and can be prevented.

Following your post op directions given to you by your weight loss surgeon for the recovery process will be your best route to getting the overall results you were expecting. Weight loss surgery, like liposuction and gastric bypass surgery have certain guidelines that you must follow. During liposuction, surplus fat, approximately five to ten pounds, is removed from your trouble spots. To maintain that lean look after surgery, you must eat healthy, watch your calories, and start a routine exercise program. By not following your gastric bypass doctors instructions, you may put the pounds back on and have wasted your money and the whole weight loss surgery process.

Your weight loss surgery clinic or gastric bypass doctors will provide you with a complete set of instructions to follow after your weight loss surgery. Pre and post op procedures will be covered in your consultation appointments and again after weight loss surgery to ensure that you fully understand your role in making the most of your weight loss surgery.

If you have not had a weight loss consultation, you may have plenty of questions about the recovery process and what you will have to change in your behaviors. The changes for you will depend completely on the specific weight loss surgery procedure you undergo, however, there are some steps common to all weight loss surgery that should be followed.

Non prescription pain medications can be used for the light pain and discomfort from weight loss surgery. Be sure to inquire with your gastric bypass doctors or clinic as to which medications are recommended for the most pain relief. Ice packs will reduce the swelling that accompany weight loss surgery. Regular changes of your dressings are necessary to keep wounds clean and dry and to prevent infections. You will probably find there are food restrictions for the first few days or weeks following weight loss surgery. After surgery for body work or body lift, like liposuction, breast reduction or enlargements, heavy lifting and exercising may be on the restricted list for a few weeks to give your tissues a chance to knit and heal.

The importance of following post op surgery instructions provided by your weight loss surgeon hopefully has been impressed on you. If there are more questions or concerns about the recovery process, please ask your weight loss clinic or gastric bypass doctors before your weight loss procedure takes place. Making a list of points or questions is the best way to have all you concerns addressed at your weight loss surgery consultation appointment.