Avoid the Common Illnesses That Follow Bariatric Surgery
As bariatric surgery alters the anatomy of the digestive system, it can cause your body to react differently to food and illness. Taking care of yourself after surgery and following doctors recommendations will help you stay healthy. Read on to learn avoid the common illnesses that follow bariatric surgery.
Instructions
1. Stay active, especially immediately following surgery. It is important for you move everyday and avoid remaining in sedentary position for a long time to prevent blot clots (deep vein thrombosis) in your legs that could lead to pulmonary embolus, a potentially fatal complication.
2. Take a multivitamin every day in addition to any other supplements recommended by your doctor or nutritionist. Vitamin deficiency is a common problem after gastric bypass because patients eat much less food and consequently get fewer vitamins from eating. It is important to follow all recommendations for vitamin and mineral replacement after bariatric surgery to avoid malnutrition.
3. Prevent dumping syndrome, also known as rapid gastric emptying, by eating slowly. One of the most common illnesses after bariatric surgery, symptoms of include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, feeling faint, sweating and abdominal pain. While eating slower cannot completely prevent all symptoms of dumping syndrome, it can help lessen the frequency and severity of the occurrences.
4. Prevent osteoporosis by taking a calcium supplement. You won't be able to get enough calcium each day by eating and drinking alone. This is particularly important for women.
5. Take an iron supplement to prevent anemia. Symptoms of anemia include fatigue, faintness, weakness, headache and cold extremities. Replacing the iron your body misses virtually eliminates the risk of anemia.
6. Don't overeat or you could have persistent vomiting. Your doctor will tell you exactly how much you should be eating and when. Stop eating when you feel the sensation of fullness indicated by pressure or pain in your abdomen.
7. Take an acid-blocker to prevent ulcers. Ulcers are one of the common illnesses that follow bariatric surgery, but you can avoid them by taking an acid-blocker for the first couple months following the operation.
8. Seek counseling. Psychological illnesses that contributed to overeating will not be cured by bariatric surgery. Getting therapy for the issues that led you to overeat in the first place will help make sure they don't follow you into your post surgery life.
Tags: bariatric surgery, common illnesses, dumping syndrome, illnesses that, after bariatric, after bariatric surgery