When you and Dr. Dyslin have decided that gastric sleeve surgery is the right step in your weight-loss journey, you may wonder: Now what?
Preparation for this surgery is critical to its overall success. The surgery involves removal of the outer 85-90% of your stomach. So when you eat, you’ll feel fuller sooner — thus you take in fewer calories and curb the urge to binge.
The part of your stomach removed is responsible for the production of a hormone that causes your appetite to rage, too, further contributing to diminished hunger.
Since gastric sleeve surgery is a major step, you want to do everything you can to guarantee its success. Prepare for the surgery with these nine steps.
1. Change your diet
Approximately two weeks prior to the procedure, Dr. Dyslin will switch you to a special pre-op diet. You may follow a liquid diet or another eating plan appropriate for your age and health. This helps reduce the size of your liver and make the surgery safer.
2. Prepare a support group
Alert close friends and family that you’re having the surgery so they can support you during your recovery. You’ll need physical support in the days following surgery and ongoing mental support as you lose weight and adjust to your new stomach.
3. Go grocery shopping
Don’t just go for your regular trip to the grocery store, however. Make a list that includes the ingredients necessary for the post-surgical meals specified by Dr. Dyslin.
4. Stop smoking
The effects of smoking interfere with your recovery post-surgery and increase your risk of complications. Aim to quit smoking at least a month prior to your procedure.
5. Have a flexible wardrobe
Pack loose clothing to come home in, such as pants with an elastic waistband. You’ll likely have soreness in your abdomen and won’t be interested in wearing an outfit that binds. Think ahead to your rapid weight loss to follow surgery, too. Have a few items of clothing on hand that you can transition into as you drop pounds.
6. Prepare your house for when you come home
Do the laundry, sweep up, and make sure shopping for the family is done so that when you get home from surgery, you can rest and recover. You want to avoid overexerting yourself in the days immediately following gastric sleeve surgery.
7. Get your medications
If you take any prescription medications, refill them before surgery so you don’t run out during recovery. Also, pick up stool softeners and over-the-counter medications, such as pain relievers, so you’re stocked when you get home.
8. Tie up insurance and financing
Gastric sleeve surgery is covered by health insurance only in certain circumstances — such as having a body mass index above a certain level or dealing with health issues related to obesity — and by specific insurance plans. If yours is one of them, make sure you follow through on all the paperwork prior to surgery so you don’t end up with bills you didn’t expect.
9. Invest in protein
Protein becomes a serious staple in your diet post-surgery. Take time prior to gastric sleeve surgery to determine what types of protein powder you prefer and stock up on protein-rich foods, such as lean meats and egg whites. Dr. Dyslin has suggestions, too.
If you live in the Alliance, Fort Worth, Arlington, or Mansfield areas or anywhere in North Texas and you’re ready to take charge of your health by reducing your weight with gastric sleeve surgery, talk to the staff at David Dyslin, MD, FACS, so you know exactly what to expect during and after the procedure. The team’s compassionate manner and thorough prep will get you through this major step so you come out lighter and feeling better in the coming months.
