Frequently Asked Questions

Will my Medications change after Weight Loss Surgery?

Maybe. Some medication doses may decrease as the obesity-related health conditions improve.

For example, diabetic patients often require less insulin or other diabetes medications after surgery because glucose control can improve quickly. Patients who take high blood pressure and cholesterol medication can see their doses lowered if these disease states improve.

In the early period right after surgery, larger tablets or capsules are not recommended so that pills do not beco<span class=”text_exposed_show”>me stuck. Because of this, we recommend that you take medications different forms, such as crushed, liquid, chewable, sublingual or injectable.

Also some medication may be absorbed differently after surgery, depending on the type of procedure.

Sleeve gastrectomy tends to have little to no change in the absorption of medications. Gastric bypass and duodenal switch can have more significant changes in how medications are absorbed.

Multivitamin, calcium with vitamin D, and in some cases, additional iron and/or vitamin B12 supplement. Sometimes additional fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K)are added to the regimen depending on the operation’s degree of vitamin malabsorption. A chewable form is recommended, at least initially after surgery.

Duodenal switch surgery has excellent results, with the average patient losing 70 to 80% of his excess weight in the two years that follow the procedure. However, patients who choose this type of surgery are at much higher risk for nutritional deficiencies than with other types of weight loss surgery.

Most patients stay two days after laparoscopic gastric bypass. Sometimes, doctors can recommend an extra day in case they see something the needs to be monitored.

The normal stomach has enough room to hold about 48 ounces or 3 lbs. of food. It can even stretch to hold more, on unnecessary occasions. A sleeved stomach can hold at a maximum, 10 to 15 ounces of food.

Depends on the type of work you do.  There is also a big difference between return to normal activity and full recovery. As a guideline, gastric sleeve surgery patients have about a 2-3 week recovery period, (although some can take as long as 6 weeks) before they can return to work.

Patients with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 39.

Patients with a BMI between 30 and 39.9 with a serious obesity-related health problem like diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, joint problems, and many others.

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