Aftercare - the key to your success
Weight loss surgery is the first part of a long process, aftercare is the key to your success... Support is ultimately the one part of your journey that truly does make a real difference to your end goal...
Our programme will ensure you learn about and have the chance to get used to the changes in lifestyle and eating habits you will need to make to get the most out of your surgery.
Included in your 24 months aftercare a nurse, dietitian and fitness advisor work with you to provide all the help, support and expert advice you require to alter your behaviours and your relationship with food by creating an individual aftercare plan specific to you. You will see the nurse post operatively who will check your wounds and then you will meet the nurse, dietitian and fitness advisor at regular intervals throughout the period to review and monitor your progress.
The Aftercare Programme Includes:
- Lifestyle behaviour modification
- Changing eating habits including; eating patterns, food choices, food textures and portion control
- Fitness advice and an activity programme
- Referral to the psychologist if clinically indicated
- Referral to your surgeon if clinically indicated
- Access to a 24 hour emergency help line
We recognise and understand you may have tried numerous traditional 'diets' with little or no success, they may have been too restrictive, didn't fit in with your lifestyle or were based on foods you simply don't like. By creating a plan tailor made for you we hope you will be able to stick to it and enjoy it!
Gastric Band Adjustments
When it comes to adjustments we do follow a strict protocol - to protect you and keep you (and your band) safe.
Some patients need 2 - 3 adjustments before they feel restriction, others may need 5 or 6, every patient is different.
Following surgery there will be a period of 8 weeks in which we ask you to follow a strict regime (in three stages) before eating normally again. This allows sufficient time for recovery, any swelling to be reduced and the band to heal and adhere to the stomach tissue.
Once this period of time has lapsed, taking into account that you have had an uneventful recovery, your first adjustment, which is under X-ray can normally be performed.
Following any adjustment you will be asked to follow a regime of
- 3 days of fluids
- 3 days of soft diet
- resume normal eating of textured foods on the 7th day
Subsequent adjustment requests will be assessed by your specialist bariatric team and if appropriate a further adjustment will be offered within 2 weeks of the previous adjustment. Any deviation of this practice may incur undue swelling/obstruction or indeed give an unrealistic restriction.
Some patients get very anxious as they feel no restriction, when indeed, you may still be in the soft phase (day 4 or 5) and therefore may not feel any difference until day 7.
Please don't panic. Give yourself time, be patient and ‘listen’ to your band. All adjustments (other than your first) will be carried out clinically by a member of our specialist nursing team in one of our consultation. (Protocol must be followed)
If you are having any further surgery requiring a general anaesthetic you must undergo a small aspiration approx 1 week prior to admission - this is your responsibility to organise.
We also advise during pregnancy that an aspiration will be necessary. An individual assessment will be made with regards to health risks.
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