Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Under general anesthesia, the non-reversible, gastric sleeve surgery is performed in about two hours. You’ll have a hospital stay of no more than two days; however, recovery from it could last several weeks.
Before you’re released, your doctor will do a number of checks on you. One check will be to ensure there is no leakage problem. The doctor will also look to ensure the wound is healing correctly and help you get going right on the transitional diet.
Keep in mind that your new stomach is going to be extremely sensitive, especially in the beginning. Thus, you’re likely to be asked to do a liquid diet for two weeks before you introduce solid foods.
After leaving the hospital, you’ll be asked to return to the doctor in one week and then every couple of months to ensure everything is going right. While malabsorption is not as likely with the gastric sleeve surgery, a dietician will want to keep track of your diet to ensure you’re getting the bariatric vitamins your body needs such as the vitamin B12.
After the surgery, you’ll have to be reintroduced to solid foods. You’ll begin with a two week liquid diet and then a two week semi solid diet and then you can consume solid foods.
It’s not uncommon to have a sore, swollen abdomen for several days. Your doctor will give you pain medication for your pain. While you can go back to work in two weeks, it’s best to wait a month or so to be safe. Scarring can occur; but, can be covered using clothes.
When it comes to weight loss, most people lose between 50 and 80 percent of the additional bodyweight in the first six to 12 months after the surgery. According to studies, people who have undergone the gastric sleeve resection procedure had improvements in their blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol levels and sleep apnea within a two –year period.
Remember, this is a new procedure, so any long-term data on weight loss or health improvement is relatively limited. After the surgery, there must be certain changes made to one’s lifestyle such as:

• Getting regular amounts of exercise
• Learn behavior variations methods
• Learn and use certain dietary instructions that must be used for the rest of one’s life such as eating slowly, chewing food thoroughly, consuming small amounts of food, swallowing when food is smashed up and not drinking and eating simultaneously.