4 Effective Ways to Faster Recovery after Gastric Sleeve Surgery
Gastric sleeve surgery is considered the best treatment to lose pounds. It is also known as bariatric surgery. So, if you have recently undergone this treatment, you probably are looking for aftercare tips to enjoy long-lasting results. Know that preparing your body after treatment can be exciting and challenging.
After a few days or weeks of treatment, you may experience the following:
- Fatigue
- Nausea and vomiting
- Difficulty sleeping
- Postsurgical pain
- Weakness
- Light-headedness
- Loss of appetite
- Flatulence and gas pain
- Emotional ups and downs.
The experts urge following some aftercare measures with bariatric surgery for weight loss. After all, you wish to minimize the risk of complications and enjoy long-lasting results.
With that in mind, let’s delve into discussing some strategies that are particularly beneficial to help you recover faster from gastric sleeve treatment.
Adapt To A Healthy Diet
The post-treatment diet plan includes four stages. The experts in gastric sleeve at New York Bariatric Group believe that diet plays a vital role in taking care of your body.
Stage 1: You have to adapt to a liquid diet during stage one. It is because it helps your tummy heal without being stretched by food. Your liquid diet may include decaffeinated coffee and tea, thin soup and broth, unsweetened juice, etc.
Stage 2: This stage consists of puréed foods. During this stage, consider eating spinach, carrots, yogurt, beef, chicken, pineapples, etc. At this stage, try to avoid drinking fluids with your meals.
Stage 3: Once your doctor decides you’re ready, you can add soft food to your diet. These may include soft-boiled eggs, ground meat, white fish, and canned fruits, such as peaches or pears.
Stage 4: The last stage includes the reintroduction of solid food. It begins after 2 months of treatment. Avoid eating any food that causes abdominal discomfort, vomiting, or nausea during this stage, such as popcorn, tough meat, bread, muffins, etc.
Adjust To A New Sleep Schedule
It is common to experience disrupted sleep post-surgery. Know that lack of sleep can hinder your recovery process. Therefore, ensure you get adequate rest by napping when your body is tired.
Be patient as you adjust to your new sleep schedule and avoid staying in bed when you’re unable to sleep.
Start Exercising
Gastric sleeve surgery is all about losing weight and muscles. Therefore, medical experts recommend exercising after 2-3 weeks of your treatment. Indeed, exercising effectively maintains lean body mass, which maintains metabolism and promotes healthy weight loss.
For example, you can devise a walking plan to aid you on your road to recovery. Know that walking reduces that bloaty sensation people get in their tummy after bariatric surgery. The sooner you start walking, the faster you can recover.
Wound Care
After your treatment, your incisions will have stitches deep in the skin and surgical glue on top.
It’s safe to let the incisions get wet during a shower, but don’t submerge them in water until healed completely. Consider applying Vaseline or Aquaphor to the incisions when the glue peels off to keep the skin moisturized. This prevents scabbing and speeds healing.
Wrapping Up
To sum it up, it’s crucial to understand that gastric sleeve surgery isn’t an overnight solution to a new lean body. You have to follow all the tips mentioned above to see extreme and long-lasting changes in your body.