Before Surgery

What should I be considering before going ahead with surgery?

  • Sometimes, particularly if your starting BMI is greater than 50, your surgeon will recommend a period of weight reduction prior to surgery. This is aimed at reducing your operative risk and making the surgery technically easier to perform. By coming to surgery with the best possible preparation you are most likely to gain the most benefit later. Time and effort spent at this stage is often time and effort well spent!
  • Stop smoking at least 1 month before surgery - smoking in addition to obesity increases the risk of surgery and to continue to smoke indicates that you have not prioritised health gain over weight loss.
  • Begin the process and focus your mind on reducing and then cutting out any snacking on chocolate, crisps, sweets, ice cream and other high carbohydrate foods. Use fruit and vegetables for any snacks between meals. Do not wait for the surgery to do the work before you start this process!
  • Stop drinking those fizzy diet drinks and increase your intake of still water.
  • Introduce a healthier eating pattern based around 3 healthy meals a day
  • Prepare yourself and plan for the 2 weeks low calorie liquid diet immediately before surgery.
  • Begin the process of introducing daily activity and exercise into your routine.
  • Begin by planning walking 2 - 4 miles (about 45 - 60 minutes) each day. Do not leave it until the end of the day to fit in your walking. Look towards exercise as fun and enjoyment rather than just burning calories. Do not wait till you have lost weight after surgery before beginning this process!
  • Work with your dietitian and plan how you can incorporate the advice given into your daily routine.
  • See what help you family and immediate friends might be able to give you and explain to them how you need to change the types of food in your house and change your shopping basket accordingly.

Dietary advice to help prepare you for gastric band surgery

If you are considering gastric band surgery you should be willing to comply with the necessary dietary and lifestyle modifications required to promote and maintain long-term weight loss and to improve your overall health and well-being. A gastric band should not be considered as a quick fix option without the need for your input.

Dietary protocols before surgery vary from hospital to hospital but here at UPMC Beacon Hospital, the Bariatric Surgeon generally recommends that you aim to adopt some of the healthy eating and exercise strategies before surgery. This will ideally result in some weight loss and better prepare you for life after surgery when you are working in partnership with your band.

You will need to implement healthier eating habits before surgery to achieve this and you should begin by:

  • eating 3 meals a day at regular times
  • cutting out all high fat and high sugar foods
  • avoiding snacking in between meals
  • avoiding alcohol
  • avoiding fizzy drinks
  • including walking on a daily basis in your lifestyle

If you are a smoker you must stop smoking before surgery!

Certain diet rules are essential to ensure the success of the band and these can be practised prior to surgery:

  • eating slowly and chewing food thoroughly - this is essential after surgery so that no food gets stuck passing through the narrowed stomach opening that the gastric band will create.
  • eliminate all distractions while you eat - take the time to sit down and focus on your meal
  • pay attention to signs of fullness - stop eating as soon as you feel full.
  • stop drinking for 30 minutes before a meal and wait for 30 minutes after a meal. After surgery, taking fluids with your food can make the food pass through the small stomach pouch (created by the band) too quickly - as a result you can feel hungry again.
  • sip calorie-free/very low calorie liquids frequently in between meals e.g. water, drinks with no added sugar

If you are going forward for gastric band surgery you will have to follow a very low calorie liquid diet for 2 weeks prior to surgery. An enlarged fatty liver is common in obesity and this very low calorie diet can help reduce the size of the liver before surgery. The size and condition of your liver is important at the time of surgery. The liver has to be repositioned for a time during surgery to allow the surgeon access to the site where the band will be placed. This will lower the risk of any complications.

Bariatric surgery does not mean you will be free from comfort eating or food cravings. Your dietitian can talk you through coping techniques if these situations arise.

Finally, your dietitian will take you through the pre-operative dietary recommendations in detail if you are a suitable candidate for surgery.

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