After Bariatric Surgery
Your weight loss surgery is behind you and that’s great! However, the next phase of the Bariatric surgery process is equally as important. Your after-care is required so the doctor can monitor your progress and help you maintain your health while losing a substantial amount of weight. This is a pivotal time when Bariatric patients must follow a strict diet and work toward a healthier lifestyle.
Keeping close contact with your after-care doctor ensures that your surgery will be successful. Each time you visit the doctor’s office and discuss the details surrounding your decision to have weight loss surgery, or stand on the scale where your pre-op weight was recorded, you are reminded of your goals and how far you have already come. Speaking with your favorite nurse or another patient in the waiting room are all forms of support that will help you on your weight loss journey.
The After-Care Phase of Weight Loss Surgery
Typically, the after-care phase includes a dieting outline that must be followed after Bariatric surgery. This is the absolute most important part of post-surgery monitoring and your doctor must be there to provide support and help you make the right choices. These diet choices can speed up the weight loss process, whereas incorrect choices will further impede the weight loss you so desire.
Other ways your doctor can help is by assisting you with the right exercise routine, one that begins easy and slow. Gradually, under your doctor’s after-care, you will be able to participate in more physically demanding exercise and activities. Vitamins and supplements are also a way of life for the Bariatric patient. These will help you maintain a nutritious diet and keep you energized rather than run down or tired. Regular examinations by your doctor can prevent any vitamin or mineral deficits from occurring that might affect your health adversely.
Why Cant’ I Manage My Own Progress?
Bariatric patients who are in the after-care phase may think the hardest part is over. Many are surprised to learn that, after Bariatric surgery,more difficult phases will follow. After Bariatric surgery, the work is not over but rather, just beginning. Successful Bariatric patients will still require numerous follow-up appointments and progress reports, which might seem unnecessary at the time.
Patients should never try to conduct their own after-care treatment, as research has shown that those who are actively engaged with their doctor will achieve the greatest results. The statistics show that Bariatric patients who continued with their after-care plan were able to lose as much as 35% more weight than those who did not. In addition, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery reports that those after-care patients were far m0re successful in keeping the weight off for good.