At the Hospital

While you are recovering at the hospital, you may receive the following care:

• Pain medication will be given as needed.
• Your diet:
  • Day of surgery—You will not eat or drink anything.
  • Day after surgery—You will likely have an x-ray to check for leaks from the stomach pouch. You will drink a special liquid while x-rays are taken.
    • If the x-ray is normal, you will be given 30 milliliters (mL) of liquids every 20 minutes.
    • If leaks are found, you will receive nutrition through an IV until the leaks are fixed.
  • On the second day after surgery—You will have 1-2 tablespoons of pureed food or 1-2 ounces of liquids every 20 minutes.
• You may be asked to do the following:
  • Use an incentive spirometer to take deep breaths every hour to prevent breathing problems.
  • Wear elastic surgical stockings or boots to promote blood flow in your legs.
  • Get up and walk daily.

Preventing Infection

During your stay, the hospital staff will take steps to reduce your chance of infection such as:

• Washing their hands
• Wearing gloves or masks
• Keeping your incisions covered

There are also steps you can take to reduce your chance of infection such as:

• Washing your hands often and reminding visitors and healthcare providers to do the same
• Reminding your healthcare providers to wear gloves or masks
• Not allowing others to touch your incision

At Home

You will need to practice lifelong healthy eating and exercising habits. After your surgery:

• Do not lift anything heavy for at least 2 weeks.
• You may have emotional changes after this surgery. Your doctor may refer you to a therapist.
• You will meet regularly with your healthcare team for monitoring and support.

Your new stomach is the size of a small egg. It is slow to empty. This will make you feel full quickly. Nutritional steps include:

• You need to eat very small amounts and eat very slowly.
• You will begin with 4-6 small meals per day. A meal is two ounces of food.
• For the first 4-6 weeks after surgery, all food must be pureed.
• When you move to solid foods, food must be well-chewed.
• When making food choices, ensure that you are getting enough protein.
• Eating too much or too quickly can cause vomiting or intense pain under your breastbone. Most people quickly learn how much food they can eat.
• This procedure does not cause nausea and diarrhea if sweet or fatty foods are eaten. In fact, some people gain back weight because they continue to consume high-calorie foods. To promote ongoing weight loss, avoid high-calorie foods.