FAQs

It is normal to have a decrease in the stool volume after surgery. This is mainly due to a reduction in food intake and mainly in fluids. Correspondingly, the amount of bowel movements will be diminished, causing less frequent bowel activity, and constipation. If you are suffering from constipation, you have to increase your fluid and fiber intake.

It’s important to maintain appropriate body levels of fluids because dehydration can make you feel very weak and sick.

During the early rapid weight loss period, the body will be in a period similar to starvation with decreased caloric, vitamins and protein intake. This will cause the inactivation of almost half of the hair follicles leading the hair to fall out. This will mainly occur in the first 3 months after surgery. This problem will no be permanent. After that period, the hair will grow back again, especially after weight and diet stabilization.

In case of both restrictive and malabsorptive procedures, the volume of the stomach will be reduced to 15 ml to 45 ml in banding and bypass procedure and 80 ml to 120 ml in sleeve and plication.

You will never feel hungry or deprived after surgery. In 5 to 6 weeks after surgery, you will be able to eat regular food again.

NO. Fats and sugar are not well-tolerated after surgery, and will cause severe symptoms such as pain, nausea, vomiting, cramps and diarrhea. This is called dumping syndrome.

After surgery, it will be difficult to get adequate quantity of some nutrients in your diet due to limited capacity of your stomach.

For this reason, you will have to take a multivitamin with calcium every day.

You remain in hospital as long as it takes to be self-sufficient. Usually this is possible 1 to 2 days after gastric plication or gastric banding, and 3 to 5 days after the sleeve and bypass surgeries.

In case of gastric banding and gastric plication, no drain is used usually except if any operative difficulties are encountered. In the other procedures and especially in redo surgeries, a small tube is used, to allow drainage of any accumulated blood or fluids in the abdomen. This is a safety measure we keep on using in our protocol. In case no complication occurs after surgery, the drain is removed on postoperative day 3.

The operation itself will take from 1½ to 2½ hours. But your family should be informed that the surgical procedure may not start immediately after you leave the room to the operation room.

That is why they should understand that you will be absent for 3 to 4 hours. Your family will be informed is the operation is lasting longer than usual.

Most of our patients are surprised of how little discomfort and postoperative pain they experience. Several analgesics for pain control are used alternatively especially in the first 24 hours after surgery in order to allow you to move quickly out of bed, become active, avoid any problem and speed up your recovery.

After your hospital discharge, if you feel comfortable enough to move, you can drive.

We will be seeing you 10 to 15 days after surgery in order to remove the sutures. Usually after this period, you will be feeling much better to allow you to resume physical activity and go back to work.

You can start walking immediately after surgery, and you will be able to start exercising such as aerobics approximately 6 weeks following surgery.

If you are often vomiting, you should look if you are eating your food too quickly and if the food is too dry. You should drink and eat separately. Do not eat and drink at the same time because liquids will fill you up and may cause some pain.

Weight-loss results vary from patient to patient. Obesity surgery is not a miracle. Approximately 50% of your excess weight will be lost during the first two months after surgery. After that you will lose weight progressively. The weight loss should be gradually otherwise; it can create a health risk and can lead to a number of problems.

You will be seen by our surgical team 10 to 15 days after surgery in order to check over the wound and remove the sutures. Suring the same visit you will be seen by the endocrinologist and the dietician to progress in your diet and check up if any vitamin supplements are needed. Check-ups are a normal and a very important part of our protocol. After this visit you will be seen 1 month after surgery where laboratory tests will be ordered. Then you will be followed-up on a regular basis after 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, then yearly.

As a rule, plastic surgery will not be considered for at least a year or two after the operation. But that is not always the case. Sometimes the skin will mold itself around the new body tissue, especially if you are having, and on a regular basis, suitable physical exercises. You should give the skin the time it needs to adjust before you decide to undergo any plastic surgery (ref. Plastic surgery)

Becoming pregnant can be easier once you lose weight. Your menstrual cycle may become more regular. But on the other hand, women of childbearing age are strongly advised to take birth control pills during the first 18 to 24 months after surgery. The physiology of your body will still be affected 1 to 2 years after surgery and this could be potentially harmful for you and your fetus, and we believe that it is important to avoid conception during the phase of rapid weight loss. Two years after surgery, the weight will be stabilized and you will be ready to conceive.

It is not advisable to maintain alcohol consumption after surgery. Alcohol has a high number of calories and also breaks down vitamins. An occasional glass of wine or other alcoholic beverage, though, is not considered harmful to weight loss once desired weight loss is obtained.