Living with a gastric sleeve

All you need to know about living with a gastric sleeve

1. Surgery isn’t an easy option

With gastric sleeve surgery you won’t lose weight overnight–it’s a long journey. On average, it takes close to two years to reach your target weight together with a great deal of dedication, perseverance and daily work. A gastric sleeve is a tool to help you make some radical and permanent changes to your lifestyle in order to achieve and maintain your weight and health goals.

2. A new post-surgery diet

You’ll need to be committed to a new eating plan that’s low fat, low calorie and portion controlled. Eat nutrient dense foods such as fish, an apple or a banana and avoid sugary foods. Protein is very important in your post-surgery diet. It isn’t stored by your body so you should have at least 60 grams of protein daily. This will help your body to function properly, heal wounds, maintain muscle tissue and avoid hair loss. 

3. Make water your best friend

Don’t drink your calories. Avoid fizzy drinks. Instead drink water regularly throughout the day. You need at least two litres of fluid a day. Carry a reusable bottle filled with water to keep you hydrated. Don’t drink with meals. Aim to wait 30 minutes after a meal before drinking.

4. Listen to your stomach 

Your stomach has been reduced by approximately 75% and is now the size of a banana. You should have three small meals a day. Stop eating immediately when your stomach is full. Overeating will stretch your stomach pouch, cause discomfort and may make you vomit. Chew your food thoroughly and eat slowly.

5. Exercise regularly 

Exercise is extremely important to achieve long term success in reaching and maintaining your weight loss goals and to live a healthy lifestyle. Gradually begin a realistic exercise program under the guidance of your bariatric team and increase your exercise capacity slowly. Choose activities that you enjoy or that can be incorporated into your everyday life such as brisk walking.

6. Emotional support

You’ll embark on an emotional rollercoaster during your weight loss journey, from feeling anxious keeping to your new healthy regime or depressed with food grief and missing social rituals.

Talk through your aspirations, fears and celebrate milestones with your partner, family, friends, and support groups. Don’t let food be your comfort.

7. Alcohol

Don’t drink alcohol for the first six months following a sleeve gastrectomy. Beware alcohol is very high in calories, contains no nutrients and can stimulate appetite. You’ll feel the effects of the alcohol much quicker than before.

8.  Dining out

Plan what you’ll eat if you’re going out and ask for half the portion size at restaurants. You may get a discount and you won’t be tempted to overeat.

9. Pregnancy

You’ll lose the bulk of your weight within the first two years following gastric sleeve surgery. During this time you may find it difficult to meet all your body’s nutritional needs. It’s therefore recommended that you wait 18 months after surgery before getting pregnant.

10. Saggy skin

Substantial weight loss after gastric sleeve surgery may leave you with excess folds and rolls of skin especially around the breasts, tummy, hips and limbs. Hanging skin can make you vulnerable to rashes and infections and it can affect your self-confidence.

Exercise and toning will help tighten and firm up saggy skin. Once you’ve reached and maintained your goal weight you may consider cosmetic surgery.

About Ramsay Health Care Weight Loss Surgery Services

Ramsay Health Care is a leading provider of weight loss surgery in the UK. Whatever weight loss treatment option you are considering Ramsay offers weight loss procedures that are performed by highly qualified and experienced bariatric surgeons who have undergone intensive training in their speciality.

This content is intended for information purposes only and should not replace advice that your Consultant Surgeon would give you.

Please contact us if you would like to discuss one of these procedures in more detail.