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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Mentally Preparing for Weight Loss Surgery

Many patients focus on the psychological adjustments they will have to make after surgery. After all, we are all having bariatric surgery in order to achieve goals; one of which is to improve our diet and general lifestyle over the long-term. As the typical patient understands, improving these parts of our lives are not as easy as following a diet and exercise plan. We have a good days and bad days, sometimes we are motivated and other times we simply don’t want to follow the plan. All of this is very normal but makes for some challenges after bariatric surgery. This is especially true over the long term when our weight begins to stabilize, and we don’t see the incredible results of early postoperative life.

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When Is Weight Regain Normal? When Is It Problematic? After Bariatric Surgery

You may have had bariatric surgery after years if not decades of yo-yo dieting – losing a significant amount of weight only to gain it right back – sometimes even reaching higher weight heights than you had before. Weight regain, sadly, is a very normal part of an obese person‘s life.

It may also be the case that after bariatric surgery, you saw several months or even a couple years of consistent weight loss allowing you to reach your ultimate body weight goals. When you finally hit that number, it can be a thrilling experience and the culmination of years of hard work and difficult decisions. However, once you hit your goal weight, you’ve only just begun your journey. Staying at your new lower weight requires as much dedication as the weight-loss leading to that point. It is at this point where many patients begin to regain some weight.

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Protein Mistakes Bariatric Surgery Patients Often Make

From well before bariatric surgery to long after, one common theme is protein. Bariatric patients require at least 60 to 80 grams of protein each day. This may seem daunting, but patients quickly find that it is not terribly hard to achieve this goal with thoughtful eating. With time, knowing exactly how to get to your protein requirement becomes second nature. However, not all proteins are made the same. Here are mistakes some patients make that reduce the effectiveness of their protein consumption regimen.

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The Effect of Obesity and Diabetes on Patients With COVID-19

An article published in the journal Diabetologia in April of this year (Cariou, et al.) showed that of patients with diabetes who were hospitalized with the novel Sars-Cov-2 virus, obesity was associated with worse outcomes. In fact, BMI was the only independent factor that was associated with higher rates of being intubated and/or death within 7 days.

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Grocery Shopping after Bariatric Surgery

It may seem trivial, but grocery shopping is one of the first lifestyle changes you have to get used to after surgery. For one, grocery shopping after bariatric surgery will never be the same as what it was before the procedure. There are many reasons for this, not least of which is that many products sold in the grocery store are simply unhealthful. These products may have caused the excess weight or obesity in the past and may be some of your favorite foods. However, grocery shopping does not have to be torture. Rather, it can be a catalyst for jump-starting healthy eating habits, not only for yourself but your entire family. In this blog, we will discuss the various tips and tricks that you should use when going to the grocery store. This will help ensure that it is both a successful and enjoyable experience.

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Understanding Vitamin B12 Deficiencies after Bariatric Surgery

Vitamin B12 deficiency is one of the most common reasons for supplementation after any bariatric procedure, but especially after the gastric bypass. Most patients will get some vitamin B12 in their daily multivitamin, however, many will require additional supplementation in the form of a pill or a longer-lasting injection.

Before we get started, it is important to understand a little bit more about what vitamin B12 does and where it is found. The key function of vitamin B12 is to enhance the growth and replication of cells in the body. The benefits here are wide ranging. However, B12 is also important in the proper functioning of the nervous system and how our brain and spine connect to and communicate with the rest of our bodies.

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Is A Hernia Ever an Emergency?

With elective surgeries curtailed or completely halted in most hospitals throughout the country, there is some question amongst patients as to what exactly constitutes an emergency procedure – especially in general surgery – where many procedures are considered elective or semi-elective. We have discussed the urgency of hernias before and concluded that in some patients it may be OK to wait to repair the hernia. We have also been quite clear that hernias may require urgent care in certain circumstances.

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