Essential pre-operative checklist for a positive bariatric experience

As you eagerly anticipate a new life after obesity surgery and look forward to all the succeeding health benefits, you must ensure that you’re well prepared for the surgery and your life after it. Weight loss surgery is one of the most effective methods to lose weight, especially for morbidly obese individuals.However, any surgical procedure requires patients to prepare themselves, both mentally and physically, to ensure a successful outcome. While some pre-operative preparations are directly related to the patient’s regular routine and lifestyle, others are related to the surgical procedure. If you adhere to the following checklist before an obesity surgery, it will assure a positive surgical weight loss experience.

• Educate yourself: Knowledge is the key to finding the right answer. Which is why reading up on weight loss surgery will ease the concerns you may have regarding bariatric surgery. Knowing about the procedure in detail, and its associated risks and changes will help you set realistic expectations. This will make the surgery less of a trauma and more of a value-adding initiative in your weight loss journey.
• Get your insurance in place: The pre-operative phase is probably the best time to navigate your medical insurance plan. You must thoroughly scan through the policies and other terms and conditions to understand what procedures are covered under your plan and at what cost. You can utilize this time to make the necessary monetary arrangements for the surgery if your medical insurance does not cover the cost of it or may cover it only partially.
• Quit smoking: Cigarettes are made up of more than 4000 substances and many of them can have an adverse effect on the outcome of your weight loss surgery. While some can trigger respiratory problems, such as interrupting the uptake, transport,and delivery of oxygen, others can affect your respiratory function, both during and after anesthesia. Furthermore, smoking affects drug metabolism and delays the process of wound healing, which prolongs your post-operative recovery duration. Knowing that the use of tobacco and nicotine can cause severe complications during and after surgery, you must refrain from smoking at least 3 months prior to your bariatric surgery.
• Eat healthy: Once you’ve taken the plunge to lose weight through surgery, you need not postpone indulging in healthy eating habits until after surgery. In fact, the pre-operative period is the best time to let your body adjust to the new diet plan. For this, you must increase the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables and proteins while limiting the consumption of sugar and high-fat foods. Beginning the process of incorporating a healthy diet in advance will ensure a smoother dietary transition post the obesitysurgery. To make things easier, you may consider maintaining a food journal to record your nutritional consumption during the day and review it at the end of each day.
• Kick start your fitness routine: Just like your dietary plan, don’t hesitate to begin your fitness regime in advance. You can begin with simple exercises such as shorts walks or desk exercises to get into the routine. Instead of burdening yourself with strenuous fitness programs, look out for activities that you enjoy. Remember, the fitter you are prior to your surgery, the quicker you’ll recover post the procedure.

There’s a lot to take in physically and emotionally once you’ve decided to undergo a weight loss surgery at any bariatric center or keyhole surgery center. Beginning with this pre-operative checklist will certainly ensure a positive experience throughout.