AFTER SURGERY

Post-Op Program

The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine. ~ Mike Murdock

Congratulations! You had surgery!

Sometimes right after surgery, all that good information that we totally understood before surgery has completely disappeared from our brains. That’s normal. Have a breath. It’s just playing hide and seek with you!

Your doctor, nurses and the team have each given you specific instructions on how to care for yourself after surgery. If you ever have any questions or concerns, be sure to call the office. Listed below is a basic outline of how diet and exercise are brought back into your daily routine. Please keep in mind that this is an overview unique to our program. Be sure to review the instructions that your surgeon has provided that are specifically for you.

  •  Keep moving. You will want to walk at least every 2 hours while you are awake. if you have returned to work and are mostly sitting at a desk, get up and walk around for 5 minutes every hour. If you are taking a long drive, stop for walking breaks every hour.
  •  Eating.  You are starting out either on a full liquid diet or have advanced to soft proteins depending on the surgery you had and your specific circumstances. Take small sips or bites and chew. Yes, chew even the liquids! Your goal is 2 to 3 meals each day consisting of primarily protein. A protein drink is considered a meal in those first few weeks after surgery. Refer to you patient owners manual for details and feel free to call or email the dietician with any questions. Also be sure to schedule your post surgery appointment with the dietician. This is a part of your surgery program and will serve to help you advance your diet.
  •  Hydration.  When you’re not eating, remember to drink that water! work your way up to 64 ounces every day by taking small sips as often as possible.
  •  Breathing exercises.  You were given an Incentive Spirometer in the hospital and shown how to use it before surgery. We encourage you to continue using this every day until you see your doctor in the office for your post-op visit.
  •  Follow up. This varies depending on the type of surgery you had and any other individual issues.

Gastric Bypass and Sleeve Gastrectomy

After the initial post-op visit, we need to see you at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery and annually thereafter for 7 or more years. You will need to have lab tests done 10 days before each appointment so that we may review them with you when you come.

I have never looked back.

I went into surgery and the next thing I knew I was waking up and it was over! Hallelujah!! I began walking the halls of the hospital at 11:00 p.m. that night – just twelve hours after the surgery – and have never looked back. I had no complications and followed each and every rule I was supposed to – exercise, no grazing, vitamins, water, and protein first!!!