Gastric Bypass

Bariatric surgery is an advanced surgical procedure designed to promote weight loss and reduce the complications associated with morbid obesity. This procedure will transect (cut) your stomach, dividing the stomach into two parts. The surgically created small stomach pouch will receive the food you eat. The remaining segment of your stomach continues to produce stomach acid and digestive juices, but does not receive any food. The surgeon creates a new connection from your stomach pouch to your small intestine, and bypasses a segment that is equivalent to about one-third of your small bowel.

The surgery is performed through six, small, half-inch incisions (laparoscopic surgery). Laparoscopic surgical instruments, including a small camera, are placed through tubes inside these incisions, called ports. In rare occasions, an “open” gastric bypass or laparatomy may be necessary.

Gastric Band patients go home the same day as their surgery. Most patients stay one or two nights in the hospital after surgery just for some extra care.

You can resume normal activity within 3 to 4 weeks after your surgery. Any pain related to the surgery should go away after 7-10 days or so.

Right away! You will take gentle, short walks even while you are in the hospital. The key is to start slow. Listen to your body and your surgeon. If you lift weights or do sports, stay “low impact” for the first month (avoid competition, think participation). Build slowly over several weeks. If you swim, your wounds need to be healed over before you get back in the water.

It can. Be sure to follow any instructions from your surgeon about managing your diabetes around the time of surgery. Almost everyone with Type 2 Diabetes sees big improvement or even complete remission after surgery. Some studies have even reported improvement of Type 1 Diabetes after bariatric procedures.

The gastric bypass is a very powerful tool to help you reach your weight loss goals, but it is not a magical cure. Most patients lose 65-90% of their unhealthy body weight over about a year*. The gastric bypass also does an excellent job of resolving obesity-related health problems for many patients such as: diabetes, high blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnea, high cholesterol, and acid reflux*.

When patients do not commit to utilizing all of the other tools that we recommend (such as eating a healthy diet and committing to regular exercise), weight loss may be slower and weight regain is also a possibility.

Yes. In the post operative period, especially while using any pain medication, we recommend that you do not drive. Depending on how well you are recovering from your surgery, lifting, pulling, or pushing may or may not be restricted. Certainly for the first two weeks most patients are not comfortable enough to do any heavy lifting. After that, if all is going well, you can lift as tolerated.