How to Prepare Before Bariatric Surgery

HOW TO PREPARE BEFORE BARIATRIC SURGERY

A Bariatric Surgery is the perfect solution for those patients who’ve tried every method to lose weight without any success. A Bariatric Surgery will help you with your eating habits, chronic diseases and, most importantly, achieve a healthy lifestyle.

There are many essential steps you must take to prepare for weight loss (bariatric) surgery, and your commitment to lifestyle change begins before surgery itself. Here are some tips you should follow to prepare before bariatric surgery.

PRE-OP LIQUID DIET

Before you go to surgery, it’s very important that you reduce the amount of fat around the liver and spleen, a preoperative liquid diet must be followed as indicated by your Surgeon or Patient Coordinator before bariatric surgery. If this diet is not followed, then surgery may be delayed or cancelled intra-operatively (during the procedure).

AVOID USING MEDICINES

Do not take any aspirin, Advil, Nuprin, Aleve, blood thinners or any other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, also do not take any herbal medications, multivitamins or any other type of supplements for 12 days prior to surgery. For headache or minor pains you may use Tylenol. You may restart these medications the next day after surgery.

The 1-2 week pre-op diet will include the following elements:

• Protein shakes or meal replacement shakes will be the diet’s primary component.
• Only sugar-free beverages are allowed (sugar substitutes are okay).
• No caffeinated or carbonated beverages are permitted.
• Soup broth with no solid pieces of food may be consumed.
• V8 and vegetable juice are acceptable.
• Extremely thin cream of wheat or cream of rice may also be eaten.
• One or two daily servings of lean meat and/or vegetables might be okay, but only if they are approved by your surgeon or registered dietician.
• Take a laxative (any laxative that you usually use), last dosage 3 days prior to surgery.
• Start Omeprazol or Nexium (20 mg – 40 mg) for two weeks pior to surgery, 1 tablet a day.

Also, If you take any additional medication, please ask your Patient Coordinator or surgeon, in order to let you know if you need to suspend or not.

Remember that making lifestyle changes is a process that takes time – take small steps, set realistic goals and stay positive.

If you want more information on how to reach your ideal goal visit our website or contact us so one of our Patient Coordinator can help you achieve the best version of yourself.