Patients who undergo weight loss surgery at Dr. Dat T. Nguyen’s Pleasanton practice near San Ramon in the East Bay are aware that bariatric surgery is not a quick fix for obesity. On the contrary, weight loss surgery is simply one of the first steps in a life-long journey to a happier and healthier lifestyle. While the physical recovery from any surgical procedure is often an immediate concern for patients, people who undergo weight loss surgery need to be made aware of the lifestyle changes they must make in order to have a successful outcome.
Patients can expect rapid weight loss in the first year after weight loss surgery, then weight loss slows slightly as patients approach their ideal weight. Often, patients who undergo gastric bypass or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass lose more weight immediately after surgery than do LAP-BAND® System patients. However, because no part of the stomach is cut or removed during LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System surgery, patients can often return to daily activities sooner after this procedure, and weight loss after five years is comparable for all three procedures Dr. Nguyen performs.
Recovery from weight loss surgery for our San Ramon-area patients depends on the type of surgery as well as factors unique to each patient. Some patients heal more quickly than others, and some feel more motivated to begin exercising and thus become active as soon as possible. Because Dr. Nguyen performs all weight loss surgery procedures laparoscopically at his Pleasanton practice, all of his patients will enjoy a more comfortable and shorter recovery than if they had undergone open procedures.
Dr. Nguyen and other leading weight loss surgeons encourage their patients to seek counseling and emotional support both before and after weight loss surgery. Many patients have trouble adjusting to the dramatic lifestyle changes they must make for bariatric surgery to have a successful outcome, and one-on-one counseling is often very effective in this endeavor. Furthermore, many of Dr. Nguyen’s patients have benefited greatly from joining support groups for people who will undergo or who have undergone weight loss surgery. Patients often comment that they feel more comfortable discussing the obstacles they face adjusting to life after weight loss surgery with other patients who have shared similar experiences. If you would like to learn more about weight loss surgery support groups in East Bay, we invite you to contact our office. A member of our staff will be glad to help you begin this important step toward recovery and success.
Immediately after weight loss surgery, patients will be placed on a liquid diet. Gradually, patients can work up to more solid foods. It is important for patients to eat slowly and chew food very thoroughly after weight loss surgery, as this helps with digestion. Because patients who have undergone weight loss surgery feel full much sooner than they are accustomed to, they need to focus on eating healthy foods first, and often need to supplement their diets with vitamins and minerals.
After weight loss surgery, patients will need to make dramatic changes to the way they eat and think of food. Often, people who struggle with obesity use food and eating as a coping mechanism to deal with stress and other emotions, so many patients need to find alternate ways of handling their emotions after weight loss surgery. While patients will feel physical satiety after eating smaller meals, they may need to make emotional adjustments in order to feel truly satisfied mentally. While the assistance of a psychologist can be helpful in this respect, Dr. Nguyen recommends that patients also work with a dietician or nutritionist to develop healthy eating habits they can stick to.
Please click for printable PDF of Post R-N-Y Gastric Bypass Dietary Guidelines
Many patients find adjusting their social eating habits to be especially difficult after weight loss surgery. Eating in restaurants, for example, can be challenging because of the large portions and unhealthy menu options. Dr. Nguyen and your weight loss surgery support team can give you valuable advice on how to maintain a healthy diet without compromising your personal life. For example, if you are going to be dining at a restaurant, you may want to order a healthy appetizer instead of a meal, as the portion size will be much closer to the amount of food you can intake in one sitting. Another good trick our patients have used is to order a healthy entrée, but ask the server to wrap half of it up before bringing the meal. This way, you won’t be tempted to overeat.
After weight loss surgery, patients are not prohibited from consuming alcohol. However, it is important to keep in mind that alcohol is full of empty calories and has little to no nutritional value, so the consumption of alcohol is not beneficial to patients’ goals of weight loss. Furthermore, patients who consume alcoholic beverages after bariatric surgery will often notice the effects of the alcohol much more quickly. For these reasons, Dr. Nguyen suggests that patients only consume alcohol in extreme moderation after weight loss surgery.
Many patients who undergo weight loss surgery have been physically inactive for quite some time. When patients are obese, it is often difficult to sustain much physical activity because of the pain caused by added stress on their joints and bones. Additionally, patients who suffer from obesity often also suffer from co-morbidities such as respiratory complications, gout, and cardiovascular issues that make exercise all but impossible. After weight loss surgery, it is important for patients to gradually increase their exercise until they establish a regular, healthy exercise routine that will help them lose weight and keep it off. For many patients, the assistance of a personal trainer is a tremendous asset. A personal trainer can help patients learn how much exercise they are capable of, and work with them to establish a workout routine that is safe but effective for them. If you have undergone weight loss surgery and would like information on finding your own personal trainer, please contact our office. A member of our staff will be happy to recommend a qualified trainer to help you reach your goals.
It is common for patients who undergo dramatic weight loss to be left with excess drooping skin. While skin may adjust to conform to a patient’s new shape, skin that is stretched too far for an extended period of time will most likely lose elasticity and can hang loosely over a patient’s smaller frame. Dr. Nguyen can refer his patients to excellent local cosmetic surgeons who can employ the latest in body contouring techniques to give patients a new, slimmer shape. Though it may be difficult for patients to defer their dreams of a trimmer body, they must consider that improved physical health is the primary reason for undergoing weight loss surgery. For this reason, it is recommended that patients wait a minimum of one year before investigating body contouring after weight loss surgery, as their weight will fluctuate during this period and their body will need time to adjust to the effects of the operation.
Weight loss surgery, as performed at our Pleasanton practice, should not be looked at as an immediate solution to obesity. Rather, patients who undergo weight loss surgery with Dr. Dat T. Nguyen must make dramatic changes to their eating and exercise habits in order to achieve the outcome they desire. Dr. Nguyen and his team offer all types of support to help weight loss surgery patients from East Bay, including Pleasanton and San Ramon, succeed in their endeavor to live a healthier, happier life. We invite you to contact the office of Dr. Dat Nguyen for more information on recovery after weight loss surgery.
For more information on life after weight loss surgery, contact our Pleasanton practice, serving East Bay communities including San Ramon.
Dat T. Nguyen, M.D., Inc.
5565 W. Las Positas Blvd. Ste. 360, Pleasanton, California 94588
Phone: (925) 460-3205
Fax: (925) 460-3795
Dr. Dat Tien Nguyen is a very personable and experienced colorectal and cancer surgeon....
Click here to read more