Lifestyle Changes After Weight Loss Surgery

The benefits of weight loss surgery are not limited to the change in the number that shows up on the scale, but an entire lifestyle reboot. Surgery is just a puzzle piece in the grand scheme of weight loss – it is one tool in the toolbox. After weight loss surgery, there are many aspects of life you have to commit to changing including your diet, physical activity, and mindset.

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Proton Pump Inhibitors: Are They Safe for Long Term Use?

Proton Pump Inhibitors or PPIs have become the front-line treatment for mild to moderate acid reflux, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. Virtually every patient that has not seen improvement with antacid such as TUMS has moved on to PPIs which are readily available, over the counter, and are relatively inexpensive. These highly marketed medicines are the next step in GERD treatment and work by suppressing acid in the stomach. In other words, the reflux does not go away, but rather the contents that are refluxing are no longer as acidic.

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Swimming – A Great Post Bariatric Surgery Exercise With A Couple Caveats

In the bariatric postoperative recovery process, we encourage patients to not only diet, but also exercise more frequently and consistently. In the beginning, as wounds are healing, exercise may be in the form of several minutes or even a half hour of walking, as tolerated. However, as patients begin to increase their activity levels, we like to see them perform somewhat strenuous, but low impact, activities. Contact sports, running and more can all be very stressful on the joints, especially with excess weight, and should therefore be avoided.

Swimming is a fantastic exercise that is easy on the joints yet works virtually every muscle in the body.  For that reason, not to mention getting outside and enjoying the sunshine, we like to promote swimming as one of the best exercises after bariatric surgery.  It is very important to make sure your surgeon has advised you that your incisions are healed enough to get in a pool.

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What To Know About Osteoarthritis and Obesity?

We all have smooth cartilage between bones in our joints that allows free, smooth movement without pain and disability. Osteoarthritis is a condition in which this cartilage begins to break down, causing jagged, degraded tissue and later bone on bone rubbing, inflammation and bone spurs that lead to weakness, pain, disability and even immobility.

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Diet or Exercise – Which Yields Better Weight Loss Results?

We all know that a combination of diet and exercise allows for ideal body weight loss and maintenance at a lower weight. However, many bariatric patients, especially in the early postoperative time of their lives want to know which they should prioritize. And, while we always want our patients to embark on a well-rounded diet and exercise program, initially, diet is really what they must focus on.

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Tips To Prepare You For Your Bariatric Consultation

If you’re considering bariatric surgery and you’re waiting for your preliminary consultation at our office, congratulations! You’ve made an incredible first step toward changing your life and your health. Realizing that you may not be able to do it alone and confronting your weight issues head-on are not easy and your decision should be commended. By the same token, you probably also realize that there’s a lot of work to do to make sure your surgical procedure is a success.

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Comparing Fundoplication to LINX for Reflux Management

A traditional fundoplication (where the upper part of the stomach is wrapped around the lower portion of the esophagus) and the LINX Reflux Management System, (a bracelet-like titanium implant to squeeze the lower esophageal sphincter) are two common surgical solutions for gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. Both have their pros and cons and we will discuss them in further detail in this blog.

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How Do I Know My Abdominal Pain Is from Gallbladder Disease

How Do I Know It’s My Gallbladder?

Gallbladder disease can manifest with many symptoms, some relatively minor and others much more debilitating. Because of the location of the gallbladder, however, these symptoms can be confused with other unrelated diseases and conditions. In this blog, we are going to explore some of those symptoms.

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Can I Have a Hernia Repaired If I’m Pregnant?

Pregnancy is a leading cause of hernia development because of the constant pressure on the abdomen, which becomes stretched and weakened over the course of the pregnancy. Typically, pregnant women will first notice their hernia after the birth of their child however, in some cases, the hernia will visibly manifest during the pregnancy. Unlike most symptomatic hernias, waiting until after birth to repair the hernia is the preferred course of action. And while a hernia repair does not directly typically affect the pregnancy, some of the inherent risks of surgery become more pronounced in pregnant women.

The most important advice that we can offer is if you are looking to get pregnant and have a hernia you should, unless otherwise indicated by your surgeon, undergo a hernia surgery BEFORE getting pregnant. This reduces the risk of any complications during pregnancy and avoids many of the potential risks of having surgery while pregnant.

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Alcohol and Bariatric Surgery

One of the simplest but most common phrases we tell our patients is “everything in moderation” and this also applies to alcoholic beverages. However, there are some hard and fast rules that must be understood in the immediate postop timeframe that can prevent serious complications and discomfort.

First, it is important that in the months after surgery, you do not drink alcohol. This is primarily because alcoholic drinks can add hundreds of empty calories. A bottle of beer can add upwards of 150 calories (and discomfort from the carbonation), a glass of wine, upwards of 125 calories and mixed drinks can add hundreds of calories and quite a bit of sugar.

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