Article Title:

Bariatric Medicine - Behavior Modification after Surgery

Summary:
Bariatric medicine is the study and treatment of obesity. It is a common misconc
eption that this area of medicine is surgery. However, that is only a part of th
e treatment concerning bariatric medicine. The causes and prevention of obesity
is one of the main elements of bariatric science. To maintain weight loss and hi
s or her health, that patient will be under the care of a bariatric specialist f
or the rest of his or her life. Included in this treatment is intense therapy an
d behavior modification.
Keywords:
Bariatric Medicine
Article Text:
Bariatric Medicine - Behavior Modification after Surgery
Co-Editor-in-Chief, Tracy E. Austin, MD
Thursday, February 18, 2010 - 07:01 PM
Behavior Modification after Surgery
Bariatric medicine is the study and treatment of obesity. Most people think that
bariatric medicine has only to do with surgery that alters a person s stomach so
that he or she can not consume as much food. This is only a part of the treatmen
t concerning bariatric medicine.
The causes and prevention of obesity is one of the main elements of bariatric sc
ience. For a person to maintain weight loss and his or her health, that patient
will be under the care of a bariatric specialist for the rest of his or her life
. Included in this treatment is intense therapy and behavior modification.
Behavior modification can involve numerous facets or treatment. These include:
Physical activity
Medication
Active behavior modification
Bariatric treatment is not simply going under the knife and having the stomach s
tapled or banded. It overwhelmingly involves the emotional elements and the und
erstanding of what is happening with the patient. Before surgery, the patient wi
ll go through therapeutic sessions and intensive discussions with the doctor so
that the side effects are thoroughly explained and understood. The follow up tr
eatment is also extremely important to follow.
After Surgery Modifications
Most recovery times range from one to three weeks for laparoscopic gastric bypas
s surgery and two to six weeks after gastric bypass surgery. There are many diff
erent habits after surgery that the patient will have to modify.
Diet
The patient cannot eat normally after the surgery and will have to take protein
supplements and multivitamins to avoid nutritional deficiencies. Immediately aft
er surgery, the patient will be on a liquid diet. This diet may include tea, bro
th, or electrolyte beverages such as Gatorade.
Patients also have to avoid drinking from a straw or a bottle and should gingerl
y sip from a cup. Using this method will help the patient to avoid swallowing to
o much air and avoiding extreme discomfort. Carbonated beverages are also to be
avoided. If they aren t, the carbonation can expand the newly-formed pouch in the
stomach.
Staying hydrated is essential. However, a patient can not drink and eat at the s
ame time as the liquid will expand the stomach and not enough food will be eaten
and absorbed since the patient will feel too full to eat the correct amount of
food to stay healthy. Examples of pureed foods that are accepted for the post-op
erative diet are:
Protein shakes
Broth only
Blended poultry
Low-fat yogurt or milk
Mashed bananas
After a couple of months, patients can move on towards a more solid diet of pure
ed substances. Most patients at this point can tolerate approximately 16 to 24 o
unces a day.
Dumping Syndrome
If a patient strays from the correct diet and neglects to follow the modificatio
ns in his or her diet, then a symptom know as dumping can occur. If the patient ea
ts foods that are too sugary or high in fat, or too much artificial sweetener, h
e or she can experience numerous maladies:
Nausea
Chest pain
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Sweating
Drinking Alcohol
It is recommended that patients not drink alcohol for at least six months after
surgery because it is high in calories, sugar, and low in nutritional value. Not
only that, alcohol will actually deplete the body of nutrients.
Pregnancy
Doctors do not recommend that female patients get pregnant within a year after s
urgery because of injury that may be suffered to the mother and thereby injuring
the fetus. This means that sexually active females should use some form of birt
h control for at least one year after surgery.
Pain Medication
Patients will have to avoid medication like NSAIDs (including aspirin and ibupro
fen). Instead, patients are safe to take acetaminophen. The doctor should be con
sulted if the patient is not sure if a pain medication is safe.
Exercise
It is very important to maintain an exercise regimen after surgery to maintain a
healthy weight and decrease weight gain. This exercise begins one to two days a
fter surgery, which may seem odd, but movement of the legs helps to decrease the
chances of acquiring deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot in the legs).
Specific exercise plans will be drawn up by the doctor, which will begin with a
low-impact program that will increase over time to more physical challenging exe
rcises.
Lifetime Diet
It will always be important to maintain a very, low-fat and sugar free diet for
the rest of a patient s life. Good foods that doctors recommend are:
Lean meat (chicken, turkey, pork)
Fish
Low-fat cottage cheese
Tofu
Whole grains
Cheese
Soft pasta
Bariatric surgery requires extreme dedication from the patient undergoing the su
rgery to be diligent about the pre- and post-surgery instructions. By not follow
ing these directions, the person can suffer malnutrition, gain back weight, or w
orse, suffer from life-threatening internal injuries. For referenced and resourc
ed information, go to http://www.smilemd.com/bariatric-medicine/behavior-modific
ation-after-surgery.aspx
Resources about the Author:
http://www.smilemd.com instantly schedules nationwide online medical and dental
appointments for <a href="http://www.smilemd.com/blog/article.aspx">doctors dent
ists bariatrician bariatric surgeon nyc</a>. Patient versions of medical & denta
l articles are library referenced for online publication by co-editors-in-chief
Judy J. Johnson DDS and Tracy E. Austin, MD. Dr. Johnson is a member of The New
York Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Dr. Austin is a member of the A.M.A., Americ
an Medical Writers Association and the Association of Health Care Journalists.