Preparing for Gastric Bypass Surgery: What to Expect

Weight-loss surgery is a major commitment that requires lifestyle changes, including what you eat and how often you exercise. The entire process, from consultation to surgery, usually takes about six months to complete. The procedure itself takes about two to four hours and after that, you'll likely stay in the hospital for two days.

Gastric bypass

is recommended for people with clinically severe obesity and follow-up studies have demonstrated significant and consistent weight loss decades later.

Weight-loss surgery requires preparation long before the procedure and a permanent commitment after gastric surgery. It used to be the most common weight-loss surgery, but in recent years it has been surpassed by the gastric sleeve. Because the outcome of gastric bypass surgery is life-changing, preparing for it requires dedication and time on the part of the patient. This means that when food passes through the digestive system, it will now bypass most of the stomach and the first part of the small intestine.

Laparoscopic gastric bypass was introduced nearly 30 years ago and has since become the standard treatment for most people. Learn about where gastric bypass surgery is performed, what clothes to wear and what clothes you should do, and what adjustments you should make in terms of food and drink or preoperative medications. If you and a healthcare professional have decided that you need gastric bypass surgery to improve your health, you'll soon begin preparing for surgery. Gastric bypass surgery is a serious lifelong commitment, but it can provide important, lifelong changes.

While considered a safe procedure, comparable to many other common surgeries, gastric bypass is a major operation that will change the digestive system forever. To ensure a successful outcome, it's important to understand what to expect before, during, and after your procedure.

Genevieve Szulimowski
Genevieve Szulimowski

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