Day: May 19, 2025

Whenever we plan a surgery here at Tijuana Bariatrics, we want to make sure that it is performed without any complications. We also work to reduce the chances of complications as patients recover by focusing on the pre-op and post-op process. By performing customized, state-of-the-art bariatric surgery, we can make positive impacts on people’s lives.

With regard to pre-op surgical planning, one of the most important things we do is consider the past medical history of the patient. Sometimes a previous surgery and other factors can affect one’s candidacy for bariatric procedures. Such is the case with a previous abdominal surgery.

Concerns with Regard to Previous Abdominal Surgery

If a patient has had a previous surgery on the abdominal area or the digestive tract, there are some legitimate concerns about potential complications. This could mean aggravating the scar tissue from the previous surgery, leakage of the digestive tract from bariatric surgery, poor healing, increased risk of negative and long-term side effects following a bariatric procedure, and so on. Because of this, many patients who have undergone an abdominal surgery in the past have legitimate concerns about their bariatric procedure.

The Nature of the Previous Surgery Needs to Be Considered

Rest assured that a previous abdominal surgery does not necessarily preclude a person from undergoing weight loss surgery. The nature and the circumstances surrounding that previous abdominal surgery are very important to consider. By looking closely at these matters, we can properly tailor a treatment to your needs.

Laparoscopic Surgery Can Circumvent Potential Problems

In the past, it was considered a bad idea to perform a laparoscopic surgery on patients who have had previous abdominal procedure. Thanks to advances in techniques and technology, that is not always the case. Surgeons may have to be more careful when operating on patients, this is true, but a previous abdominal surgery is no longer an automatic contraindication for laparoscopic bariatric surgery.

Considering Alternatives If Traditional Bariatric Surgery Is Not Ideal

If it’s found that a patient’s previous abdominal surgery prevents them from getting bariatric surgery, we can work with the patient to develop alternatives to the initial surgical plan. Sometimes a different weight loss surgery method may be recommended. In other cases, non-surgical options may be considered, and those can also be tailored as needed to the needs of the patient.

Carefully Tailoring the Surgery to Your Needs

Your safety and wellness is important to all of us. That’s why we will consider you health goals in the future while also weighing your medical history. By noting the various factors at play, we can develop a safe and effective plan for your weight loss surgery. This is what smart and effective bariatric specialists always strive to do.

Contact Our Team of Bariatric Surgery Experts

For more information about the challenges associated with weight loss surgery and how we can meet them, be sure to contact our advanced weight loss surgery center today. The team at Tijuana Bariatrics will work with you to ensure optimal results.

The team at Tijuana Bariatrics believes in its patients and their capacity to change for the better. The fact that they’ve come to our state-of-the-art bariatric surgery practice looking for a solution shows commitment and grit that cannot be discounted or denied.

The surgery is just the first step to a better tomorrow, however. Another important step involves eating right. With that in mind, we want to consider one of the most important parts of a bariatric patient’s diet after they’ve undergone surgery: protein.

Dietary Changes After Bariatric Surgery

After you undergo bariatric surgery, your life and your lifestyle will undergo a number of changes. We don’t just mean experiencing major weight loss either. A number of the major changes that you will experience will involve changes in your diet and activity level. Eating right and exercising regularly is a sure way to improve your health and wellness for years to come.

An important part of being healthy years down the road is having the right fuel for the long haul. In this case, we’re referring to protein.

The Importance of Protein

Protein is an essential part of you. Your hair and nails are mostly comprised of protein, and it can be found in every cell in your body too. Protein is a building block for all parts of your body, and it helps repair damaged tissue. All the hormones and enzymes in your body require protein to be produced.

Protein should become a focus in your diet after bariatric surgery, and by the second week after surgery, adding more protein in the form of shakes and supplements will be crucial for proper healing in the short-term as well as long-term wellness and energy.

What Happens If I Don’t Eat Enough Protein After Bariatric Surgery?

When your body lacks protein, it will typically begin to leech protein away from your muscles, which can cause you to appear frail and lose healthy definition. This doesn’t even go into the other negative health effects related to protein deficiency. Make protein a priority.

Recommended Protein Intake After Weight Loss Surgery

While the recommended amount of protein can vary from patient to patient, many nutritionists recommend that patients ingest between 60g and 80g of protein each day, perhaps even up to 100g. The protein intake should be spread out through the course of the day.

This may sound like a lot, but keep in mind that protein becomes your primary source of energy through the day after bariatric surgery. The diet is low-carb and high-protein, which is ideal for losing weight and keeping the weight off.

Ideal Sources of Protein

When it comes to good sources of protein, patients should consider lean meats and healthy sources of protein. The occasional protein shake isn’t a bad idea either.

Some ideal sources of protein include:

• Fish
• Beans
• Lentils
• Soy
• Eggs
• Dairy

Working with Your for Lasting Benefits

Sticking to a diet and new lifestyle can be challenging, but we know that you can do it. We’ll work with you to figure out meal plans. We can also guide you to other resources for recipes, support, and nutritional information so you are empowered to take back control of your life.

Contact Tijuana Bariatrics for Weight Loss Surgery

For more information about your dietary needs after a bariatric procedure, be sure to contact our weight loss surgery center today. The team at Tijuana Bariatrics looks forward to your visit and helping you be as healthy as possible.

Here at Tijuana Bariatrics, we believe in exploring all options for weight loss. Patients have different needs, and their bodies may respond in different ways to treatment. This is why we always take time to consider which bariatric procedure may be most ideal for a patient.

The duodenal switch surgery can be an effective weight loss procedure, boasting a number of benefits. Let’s take a moment to consider the basics of the surgery and what it can achieve.

About Duodenal Switch Surgery

The duodenal switch is a bit like a gastric sleeve combined with a gastric bypass. The size of the stomach is reduces and part of the digestive tract bypasses a portion of the small intestine. While it is not spoken of as much as the other weight loss surgery procedures, it can prove quite effective.

Combined Restrictive and Malabsorptive Weight Loss

The duodental switch is a great option for achieving a combined restrictive and malabsorptive type of weight loss. This means that a patient consumes fewer calories and feels less hungry during meals and that fewer calories are absorbed by the body during the act of digestion. This can mean a lot when people are looking to lose a lot of weight, making the duodenal switch a strong option to consider for morbid obesity.

Helps Patients Achieve Greater Excess Weight Loss

Some studies have found that patients who undergo duodenal switch surgery lose more of their excess weight than patients who undergo other procedures. Given the combination of restrictive and malabsorptive weight loss, this should come as no surprise.

Good Results with Long-Term Weight Loss

In addition to losing a good deal of excessive weight, the duodenal switch has a good record of keeping that weight off. This is again thanks to that restrictive and malabsorptive approach to weight loss, which can help minimize the weight gain common after a bariatric surgery procedure has been performed.

Excellent for Addressing Obesity-Related Conditions

Because of the great results eliminating excessive weight and keeping that weight off, the duodenal switch has proven quite effective at addressing medical conditions commonly associated with obesity and morbid obesity, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and hyperlipidemia.

Can Be Used as Revision for Gastric Sleeve

Some people who undergo gastric sleeve surgery do not always achieve optimal weight loss results. In these cases, their gastric sleeve can be easily converted into a duodenal switch. This demonstrates the helpful versatility of many weight loss surgery procedures, and the ways that bariatric surgeons can tailor treatments to the needs of their patients.

Is a Duodenal Switch Right for Me?

The best way to find out if the duodenal switch is the right bariatric procedure for you and your needs is to schedule a consultation with our team. We’ll consider the pros and cons of every surgery and help you make smart choices about your surgical weight loss needs.

Learn More About Weight Loss Surgery

To learn more about weight loss options that can help you lead a healthier and more fulfilling life, be sure to contact our weight loss surgery center today. The team at Tijuana Bariatrics is here to help you feel great and look great.

At Tijuana Bariatrics, our team of skilled bariatric professionals want nothing more than for you to succeed in your mission to live a long, fulfilling, and most of all healthy life. Essential to this success will be learning how to eat – and, just as importantly, how to think about eating – after your bariatric surgery. Prior to bariatric surgery, you probably had any number of ways to justify falling off the healthy-eating wagon; frankly, most people do. However, with your new, smaller stomach, you have physical restrictions that you simply can no longer ignore. If you do, you can make yourself quite sick.

The good news is that, while you will always have hard days when you want to fall back into bad eating habits, you will also discover healthy snacks after bariatric surgery that you love. Our Tijuana, BC bariatric team will support you every step of the way as you adjust to your new diet, providing you with tips, recipes, and other useful information that will help keep you on the right track. Before you know it, healthy eating habits will come naturally to you, and many of the foods you once craved will have lost their appeal.

General Snacking Advice

In general, you should try to avoid snacking between meals unless you are actually hungry. Don’t mistake a psychological craving for food for actual, physical hunger. If you discover that your craving is psychological, enjoy a glass of water. However, if you are hungry and do require a snack:

• Eat your snack slowly and chew your food thoroughly.
• Eat something substantial and filled with nutrients.
• Don’t waste your snack on juice, soda, or a caloric drink; it won’t fill you up, and it probably won’t provide much in the way of nutrients.
• A snack that is high in protein will fill you up and help you reach your protein goal for the day.

Specific Snacks You Can Enjoy after Bariatric Surgery

Again, if you are going to eat a snack, make it count. Don’t eat empty calories; bread, rice, and sugary treats, even in moderation, will fill you up only momentarily, and you’ll gain nothing in the way of nutrition. Think in terms of nuts, fruits, vegetables, and lean meats.

Good snacks after bariatric surgery include:

• A small handful of walnuts or almonds
• A roll-up with a slice of your favorite deli meat, a slice of low-fat cheese, and your favorite veggie
• Carrots with hummus
• An apple with peanut, almond, or cashew butter
• Low-fat string cheese
• Beef jerky
• Cottage cheese with a little fresh fruit
• A banana with a bit of peanut butter for dipping (don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it!)
• Olives
• A small bowl of lentil soup
• A couple of scrambled eggs
• Tuna on celery

Learn More about Healthy Snacks after Bariatric Surgery

For more advice about healthy snacks you can enjoy after bariatric surgery, please contact Tijuana Bariatrics today.

At Tijuana Bariatrics, we want to make sure that patients have ample options for weight loss. That is why we offer different kinds of surgeries to meet the needs of our patients. We can tailor treatments and procedures precisely to the patient in order to achieve safe and lasting weight loss.

Duodenal switch surgery has proven a safe and effective weight loss procedure. We’d like to take a moment to go over the basics of candidacy for this surgery.

About Duodenal Switch Surgery

Duodenal switch surgery combines malabsorptive weight loss with restrictive weight loss techniques. In terms of how the surgery works, the size of the stomach is reduced and part of the small intestine is bypassed during digestion, which allows patients to lose a lot of weight rapidly.

General Candidates for Duodenal Switch Surgery

Good candidates for duodenal switch surgery are people who are morbidly obese or suffer from superobesity. They should be in good general health to tolerate a bariatric procedure. The should also be in a state in which they are unable to lose weight through natural means quick enough, or they face a number of health problems related to obesity that bariatric surgery can help address.

Good Option for People with Very High BMIs

Since duodenal switch surgery combines two kinds of surgical weight loss options, it helps people lose a lot of weight and keep it off. This makes it an ideal option for people who suffer from morbid obesity and superobesity. Morbid obesity means a BMI of 40.0 to 49.9; superobesity refers to people with a BMI of 50 or greater.

Helpful for People with Obesity-Related Conditions

Obesity can result in a host of serious illnesses and medical conditions that are deleterious to one’s health. This includes issues such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, increased cancer risk, and severe arthritis. Getting duodenal switch surgery can address these medical problems through promoting rapid weight loss.

Patients Should Understand the Risks and Benefits of Surgery

As with any surgical procedure, it’s crucial that people understand the risks as well as the benefits of the procedure. By knowing the risks and benefits, patients can be more confident in the choices they make with regard to surgical weight loss procedures.

Realistic Expectations About Surgical Weight Loss

In addition to knowing the risks and benefits, it’s important that patients have realistic expectations about the duodenal switch and how it will change their lives and their lifestyles. The weight loss promoted by the surgery must be supplemented by dietary changes and changes in physical activity as well.

Ideal Revision Option for Gastric Sleeve Patients

Sometimes patients who undergo a gastric sleeve (sleeve gastrectomy) do not experience the amount of weight loss they would like. To improve the results of bariatric treatment, the gastric sleeve can be turned into a duodental switch through a revision surgery.

Learn More About Duodenal Switch Surgery

For more information about duodental switch surgery and your many other options for safe and rapid surgical weight loss, be sure to contact our bariatric surgery center today. The team at Tijuana Bariatrics is here to help you achieve a healthier weight that lasts for the years ahead.

Duodenal switch surgery represents a breakthrough in bariatric surgery, combining restrictive components with a malabsorptive element to make massive weight loss over the long term a realistic goal for patients struggling with morbid obesity. During the procedure, your bariatric surgeon reduces the size of the stomach while preserving the structural integrity of the pyloric valve and the duodenum. Ultimately, patients who undergo duodenal switch surgery will be able to absorb a healthy amount of nutrients; however, they will absorb only about 20 percent of the fat they consume.

Although the concept that underlies duodenal switch surgery – a marriage of restrictive and malabsorptive elements – is simple enough, the procedure itself is among the most complex in bariatric surgery. As you might imagine, then, the recovery period following duodenal switch surgery is also relatively significant. Our weight loss specialists are careful to explain duodenal switch surgery recovery in detail during consultations at our Tijuana, BC bariatric surgery practice. We want patients to know exactly what duodenal switch surgery entails so that they can make confident decisions regarding whether to proceed with the procedure.

We invite you to read the following information about duodenal switch surgery recovery and then contact Tijuana Bariatrics today to find out more about whether this type of bariatric surgery is right for you.

The Duodenal Switch Recovery Timeline

Every patient’s body is different and will therefore heal differently after duodenal switch recovery. It is also important to note that there are multiple types of recovery that must occur after duodenal switch surgery, including both the physical and the emotional.

The physical recovery from duodenal switch surgery can take anywhere from one week to a couple of months, depending on many factors. If our team is able to perform the surgery laparoscopically, then the patient’s physical recovery time will be relatively minimal – one to two weeks on average. If your surgeon must perform open surgery for some reason, then the patient’s physical recovery time will be significantly longer – up to eight weeks, depending on his or her health and how closely he or she follows post-operative instructions. In order to ensure the quickest, most comfortable recovery period possible, patients must take all medications exactly as advised, stay hydrated throughout the day, follow their prescribed diet plan, and engage in light walking as often as they can while otherwise avoiding strenuous activity.

The emotional recovery from duodenal switch surgery has no set timeline and may even require a lifetime. Most patients who undergo any form of bariatric surgery experience extreme highs and lows, especially in the initial months following their procedure, as they consider what they have done. On the one hand, they have taken control of their lives and their health, quite definitively. On the other, they have forever changed the relationship they are able to have with food. These realizations, coupled with the exhaustion and discomfort they experience during their physical recovery, can be emotionally draining. Fortunately, there are support groups and other sources of support that can be leaned on during this period.

Learn More about Duodenal Switch Surgery Recovery

To learn more about duodenal switch surgery recovery, please contact Tijuana Bariatrics today.

Most people have at least a few pounds they’d like to shed to improve their appearance. However, for a great deal of people, weight loss is about much more than just enhancing the figure. When the body holds onto a significant amount of excess weight, a person’s overall health is likely to suffer. Individuals who are classified as obese are encouraged to shed weight to improve their overall well being and decrease their risk of health problems. Unfortunately, it is not easy to lose a large amount of weight. Duodenal switch surgery is a bariatric procedure that helps patients lose weight quickly, and maintain that weight loss for the long-term. Duodenal switch surgery success rates are high among our Tijuana, BC patients, with most effectively achieving their weight loss goals, and then maintaining those goals for years to come.

What Is Duodenal Switch Surgery?

Duodenal switch surgery is not as well known as other bariatric surgery procedures. This complex procedure requires a great deal of skill, so many surgeons do not offer this technique. However, our bariatric surgeons recognize the benefits that duodenal switch surgery provides to patients, so they are happy to offer it at our practice. Our surgeons are highly experienced in this technique and have helped countless patients lose weight through bariatric treatment.

Duodenal switch surgery alters the size of the stomach and rearranges the flow of the small intestines. This procedure differs from other gastric bypass techniques in that it is both restrictive and malabsorptive. This means that the procedure restricts the amount of food that can be taken in by the stomach, as well as limiting the amount of calories that are absorbed by the body. Because this procedure achieves both of these goals, it is one of the most effective bariatric procedures available.

How Successful Is Duodenal Switch Surgery?

Duodenal switch surgery is one of the most successful bariatric procedures in regards to weight loss and long-term results. To be considered a successful weight loss procedure, patients must exhibit a loss of at least 50 percent of excess weight. On average, duodenal switch patients report a loss of 70 to 80 percent of their excess weight. Patients are not only able to drop this weight quickly, but they manage to keep it off in the years following their procedure. In addition to proving effective as a long-term weight loss procedure, duodenal switch surgery has been shown to successfully treat obesity-related illnesses, including the following:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• High cholesterol
• Sleep apnea

As patients lose weight following duodenal switch surgery, most report that they feel better, have more energy, and are more confident in their own bodies. It is this patient satisfaction that is a true measure of the success of duodenal switch surgery.

Contact Us

At our bariatric surgical center, patients find the help they need to lose weight and begin the journey to a healthier lifestyle. If you would like to learn more about the bariatric procedures offered by our surgeons, contact us at your earliest convenience.

At Tijuana Bariatrics, we are proud to offer a full range of bariatric surgery procedures, including state-of-the-art LAP-BAND® System surgery, to our valued patients. We also provide exceptional support to our patients, including full education about what to expect after their LAP-BAND® System procedures. We want our patients to understand precisely what they are committing to and what is required of them before they undergo surgery so that they can make the most informed and confident decisions possible.

In describing the LAP-BAND® System recovery period to patients during consultations at our Tijuana, BC bariatric surgery practice, our skilled network of weight loss surgeons are always detailed and specific. The following article provides just a general overview of the recovery period after LAP-BAND® System surgery. For a full education about what the LAP-BAND® System procedure entails, including the recovery process, please schedule your initial consultation with the weight loss surgery specialists at Tijuana Bariatrics today.

The LAP-BAND® System Recovery Period

When you wake up from your surgery, you will be extremely groggy, but you should not feel any pain thanks to the lingering effects of the anesthesia. As you become more alert, you may be asked to get out of bed and take a few steps. Over the course of your recovery period, light walking will be essential to your recovery. It will help to relieve the pain from the CO2 that may have accumulated in your abdomen during the procedure and to reduce swelling at the surgical site. You will be restricted to clear liquids on your first day.

During the second and third days after your surgery, you will begin to feel some pain, especially in the abdominal region. Prescription pain medication will help to curb this pain; however, some soreness will still inevitably be felt. You will not likely have much of an appetite at this point, but you may be permitted to add other liquids to the clear liquids you were allowed on day one.

During the first week after your surgery, you should be doing as much light walking as you can stand, but otherwise avoiding strenuous, getting sufficient rest, and keeping your head elevated. When our surgeons give you the clearance, you may take a shower, but you must avoid baths at this point, as you may not soak the incision points. Continue to take your pain medication as needed. Your appetite will begin to return as the week progresses, but you must be careful to follow the dietary instructions provided to you by our surgeons to the letter.

By the second week after your surgery, your pain should be minor, and you should feel more like your old self, albeit with less energy due to your dietary changes. At this point, you may be allowed to introduce soft foods into your diet and return to a more normal routine, although strenuous exercise and other activities must be avoided until our surgeons advise otherwise.

Learn More about LAP-BAND® System Recovery

To learn more about LAP-BAND® System recovery, please contact Tijuana Bariatrics today.

The team at Tijuana Bariatrics wants to make sure that patients are confident about their weight loss surgery options. Even relatively simple-sounding bariatric procedures such as LAP-BAND® restrictive weight loss surgery involve their share of side effects and risks.

With this in mind, we’d like to go over some of the most common side effects that patients experienced after they undergo LAP-BAND® surgery. Knowing what to expect helps many patients make smart choices about their weight loss needs.

Post-Surgical Soreness and Discomfort

After any sort of surgery, pain and discomfort are common issues. After your LAP-BAND® procedure, your will notice discomfort around the abdominal area, particularly around the incision sites. Thankfully these are only temporary issues. The pain will decrease steadily in the days after the procedure, and pain relievers can be taken to reduce the discomfort you may feel.

Nausea and Vomiting

Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of different weight loss surgeries, though they tend to be more pronounced in the first days after surgery as you recover. The most common reasons of this tend to be diet related. As you are getting used to your new stomach size and dietary habits, you may notice that certain foods or that eating too fast can result in nausea. Try to take time and notice what triggers these bouts of nausea and vomiting.

If you notice that the vomiting and nausea are still common problems well after the surgery has been performed, be sure to discuss these issues with your bariatric surgeon. They can look into matters more closely and determine if a secondary surgery or other matters may need to be considered.

Slowing Down the Eating Process

Perhaps the biggest side effect of LAP-BAND® surgery (alluded to above) is that you will become a slower eater out of necessity. Not only can eating too fast cause nausea and vomiting. Eating too fast can also result in serious abdominal pain.

It’s of the utmost importance that LAP-BAND® patients eat slowly. Food should be chewed thoroughly and all meals savored in order to prevent eating quickly and problems with proper digestion. Patients should ideally avoid drinking water with their meals to conserve stomach space. Hydration should occur between meals.

Potential Risks of LAP-BAND® Surgery

Not to be confused with side effects, there are some risks and complications that may be related to LAP-BAND® surgery. These include the following:

• Lack of Adequate Weight Loss – Sometimes patients will lose some weight after LAP-BAND® surgery, but not enough. In these cases, adjusting the band or trying a different bariatric option is ideal.

• Slippage of the Gastric Band – The gastric band can slip out of place every now and then, altering the size of the patient’s stomach. Corrective procedures can be performed to make the necessary adjustments.

• Stomach Blockage – If the gastric band is improperly positioned or food is eaten too fast, there is the possibility of a stomach blockage. This can be a very serious health problem that necessitates immediate medical attention.

Understanding the Pros and Cons of Surgery

We think it’s important that patients understand the good and bad aspects of bariatric surgery, which is why we take ample time to cover the pros and cons of every procedure. We can go over all of these issues with you in more detail during the consultation for your LAP-BAND®.

Speak with the Weight Loss Experts at Tijuana Bariatrics

For more information about the side effects of various weight loss surgery procedures and how we can help you lose weight safely and quickly, be sure to contact our bariatric surgery center today. The team at Tijuana Bariatrics is here to help you look and feel your very best.

Gastric bypass surgery is a bariatric procedure designed to alter the digestive system and help those who struggle with weight loss achieve their health and fitness goals. Steps taken during gastric bypass surgery recovery can help ensure successful results while also reducing the risks of complications. One of the most important things you can do during your recovery after gastric bypass surgery is follow a proper diet plan. To learn more about the gastric bypass surgery diet, schedule a consultation with Tijuana, BC surgeons.

The Importance of Following a Diet Plan after Gastric Bypass Surgery

After gastric bypass surgery, it is important for patients to follow a diet plan as prescribed by their doctor or registered dietitian. Following a gastric bypass diet can help ensure safe weight loss and better results. The gastric bypass diet also allows the stomach to heal by preventing overstretching of the stomach and helping patients become accustomed to eating smaller portions to accommodate a smaller stomach. Closely following the gastric bypass diet after surgery can also help reduce the risk of complications and encourage a healthy recovery.

The Gastric Bypass Surgery Diet

Patients will be given detailed instructions on what to eat after gastric bypass surgery to ensure the success of treatment. In general, patients should keep meals small (about half a cup to a cup of food), eat slowly, and choose foods high in protein and low in fat and sugar. Each diet will vary based on patient needs, but a typical gastric bypass diet plan will look like this:

• Liquids for the first few days: After gastric bypass surgery, the stomach will need time to heal and should not be overstressed by eating solid foods or large amounts. A liquid diet consisting of only clear liquids will need to be followed during the initial recovery stage. Once clear liquids are tolerated, other liquids may be added to the diet. Liquids may include broth, decaffeinated and unsweetened tea and coffee, unsweetened juice, skim or 1 percent milk, and sugar-free gelatin. It’s also important to drink slowly and limit liquids to 2 to 3 ounces at a time.
• Pureed foods after a few days: Once liquids have been well tolerated for a few days, and upon surgeon approval, pureed foods may be introduced into the diet. Foods should have the consistency of a thick liquid or smooth paste and may be blended with liquids like water, broth, skim milk, or unsweetened juice. Pureed foods should be unprocessed and may include beans, fish, lean ground meats, eggs, cooked vegetables, and soft fruits. Patients should also wait 30 minutes after eating before drinking anything to prevent overstretching the stomach.
• Soft foods after a few weeks: After a few weeks of eating pureed foods, and upon doctor approval, soft foods may be eaten. Foods should be kept in small, easily chewable pieces and may include finely ground or tender, diced meats, cooked vegetables without skin or seeds, and canned or soft fruit without skin or seeds.
• Solids after eight weeks: Most patients are recovered enough to eat solids about eight weeks after surgery. Although solid foods may be eaten, all food should be diced or cut small and thoroughly chewed. Portions should still be small and should continue to include high protein, low fat, and low sugar. Patients should avoid certain foods, such as nuts and seeds, dried fruits, fried foods, breads, tough meat, and carbonated beverages, until doctor approval is received.

Maintaining a Healthy Diet

In most cases, the stomach will be fully recovered about three to four months after surgery. Once recovered, patients may begin to eat a normal healthy diet. Maintaining a healthy, low fat diet is essential to losing weight and keeping weight off after gastric bypass surgery. Limiting sugars and carbohydrates, like breads, pastas, and starchy vegetables, while eating a balanced diet of lean meats, leafy vegetables, and fresh fruit can help ensure weight loss success and improved health.

Is Gastric Bypass Right for You?

Gastric bypass surgery is highly effective at helping those who suffer from obesity shed unwanted weight and live a healthier lifestyle. If you’ve struggled with weight loss and are ready to reclaim your life, gastric bypass may be right for you. To find out more about gastric bypass, or other weight loss procedures, we welcome you to schedule a consultation with our doctors.