How to Recover From Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery

A Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is by far the most common bariatric surgery. After having this surgery, patients will find that they eat less food and that their bodies absorb fewer calories from the food they do eat. Patients spend two to five days in the hospital and resume limited regular activities in two to four weeks. To fully recover from Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, patients must commit to changes in their diets and their exercise routines. Read on to learn how to recover from Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Anticipate taking three to six months to recover physically and emotionally from Roux-en-Y surgery.
2. Expect to lose 50 to 100 percent of your anticipated weight within 18 to 24 months after surgery.
3. Be prepared for bouts of depression well after your surgery. Post bariatric surgery depression stems from two sources: changes in your body chemistry and diet as well as the elimination of food as an emotional crutch.
4. Begin walking under supervision as soon as the day following surgery. Walk several times a day gradually increasing the time and distance. Do not resume strenuous exercise for six to eight weeks.
5. Understand that decreased energy and muscle weakness may be part of the initial recovery process. You will be eating markedly less food and absorbing only a portion of that food. Your body will need time to acclimate itself to these changes.
6. Fast from all food other than water for the first week. Fasting allows your body to heal. A water fast also helps your doctor to discover leaking sutures.
7. Supplement your diet with vitamins, particularly iron and calcium. This is especially important in pre-menopausal women.
8. Realize that dumping syndrome is an unpleasant, common and generally temporary side effect of bariatric surgery. Dumping syndrome is a reaction to a diet high in carbohydrates characterized by weakness, post meal sweats, abdominal discomfort and diarrhea.
9. Note any signs of hernia, which are common after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. Report pain, tenderness, swelling or the presence of an abdominal mass to your doctor immediately.
10. Monitor your incision wounds for signs of infection. Discharge from wounds is normal. Notify your doctor if the discharge changes color or becomes foul smelling.
11. Watch for blood in your stools or black stools. Contact your doctor immediately if either occurs. If you are unable to reach your doctor, visit the emergency room.

Tips & Warnings

• People who undergo Roux-en-Y gastric bypasses often feel that the heavy lifting of losing weight has been done for them. Many times gastric bypass surgery does lead to dramatic weight loss, but that weight loss does not come without work and it is possible to regain the weight even after surgery.