Like many things in life, taking time to prepare well for gastric sleeve surgery can increase your chances of success significantly. If you choose Endobariatric for your procedure, we’ll walk you through every stage of gastric sleeve—from pre-surgery guidance to maintaining success for the rest of your life. Though not a complete list, here are four of the best ways to prepare for your gastric sleeve.
Tip #1: Lose weight.
If you’re having weight loss surgery, why would you need to lose weight ahead of time? Because your body will handle the surgery better. It’s tempting to go overboard with thoughts of “I won’t be eating this anymore, so I better indulge now” and actually gain weight in the months leading up to surgery because. Patients figure they’re just going to lose it all afterward, right? The problem with that plan is that yo-yo dieting (gaining and losing rapidly) is bad for your body. In fact, we often prescribe pre-surgery diets for patients not to annoy them—or even to get them accustomed to a new way of eating—but actually to shrink the size of their liver before the procedure. Operating on an enlarged liver is never ideal. So please don’t gain weight before gastric sleeve!
Tip #2: Make travel plans.
The most important element of your travel plans is your passport. This seems like a “duh” kind of thing, but I’ve seen patients wait too long to apply for a passport or to renew an expired one. Yes, it’s possible to pay extra to get it rushed through, but there’s a cutoff point even for that service. (And who wants to pay more, anyway?!) It’s wise to allow two months if you have to order or renew your passport. The other aspect to start thinking about early on is whether you’ll want a travel companion—and who that might be. Know that travel to our hospital is very safe, and our staff basically holds our patients’ hands from the time they arrive to the time they depart. So you don’t need someone to accompany you. But many people do feel more comfortable with a second set of ears for post-op instructions or simply to keep them company during their hospital stay.
Tip #3: Stay as healthy as possible.
One of the things that could prevent your surgery from taking place as planned is an infection. A sever upper airway infection, for example, would delay the procedure because all that extra mucus can make it difficult for the anesthesiologist to intubate and then maintain a secure airway during surgery. Besides, who wants to deal with recovery while they’re already feeling ill? So in the weeks leading up to surgery, wash your hands like crazy, get enough sleep, and steer clear of people who are sick.
Tip #4: Stock up on liquids for your return home.
Our patients typically recover well and quickly, but you probably won’t want to run out to the grocery store the minute you get back from Mexico. So be sure to have plenty of clear liquids on hands—the only thing you can consume for the first seven days after surgery. We’ll be happy to provide lists of drinks that are good bets, but some of the most popular picks are Sugar-Free Tang, Crystal Light, and Diet Snapple. The key is to choose sugar-free, clear liquids without carbonation or caffeine. I don’t advise carbonated beverages at all, but especially right after surgery, because they can cause abdominal pain. And wait at least a couple of weeks post-op for caffeinated drinks, which can lead to dehydration.
The last thing to do before surgery: Get excited! You’re about to embark on an incredible journey to health and wellness.
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“Changing lives…one sleeve at a time”.
