Gastric sleeve surgery is a procedure that many patients approach with mixed feelings. You may be excited to have some help losing weight so you can improve your health and self-confidence. But you may also be a little nervous about the pain and discomfort associated with the healing process. While there is no way to eliminate this discomfort completely, there are some ways you can make recovery more pleasant, and maybe even a little shorter.
Walk as much as possible.
When you are beginning your recovery in the hospital, your nurses and physical therapists will probably insist that you get up and walk the day after the procedure. This will be painful at first, but you must find the stamina to push through it. As you move forward in your recovery, first at the hospital and then at home, continue to make walking a priority. While it may not feel good, it will reduce your risk of forming blood clots in your legs. It will also increase blood flow to the surgical site, helping it to heal a lot faster. If you can only walk for a couple of minutes at a time, that's okay—just be sure to do it several times per day.
Stock up on a variety of liquids.
Doctors generally have their gastric sleeve patients stick to a liquid diet for at least a month post-surgery. This can be tough. You may be tempted to eat solid foods, and if you give in, this may slow down your recovery and lead to stomach pain. A good way to stick to your liquid diet is to make sure you have lots of different options on hand. Buy some fruit smoothies, juices, liquid yogurts, simple broths and soups, and so forth.
Keep a recovery journal.
Starting the very first day after your surgery, when you are still in the hospital, keep a journal. Note what you are eating and drinking, your level of pain, how much exercise you get, and any other symptoms you experience. Update your journal every day. This will help you notice any worrisome changes, such as an increase in pain levels, a lot sooner. You can then bring these issues to the attention of your doctor and have them addressed a lot sooner. You'll also have an easier time recognizing whether there are certain foods or drinks that cause you pain after eating them. This is common with gastric sleeve patients; sometimes it takes a while to identify your unique triggers.
If you follow the advice above, your recovery from gastric sleeve surgery should go more smoothly. Contact a gastric sleeve surgery clinic for more information.
Share4 December 2020
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