Making Your Surgery A Lasting Success
A successful weight-loss program involves more than just surgery. Even with cut-rate international surgeries in countries like Mexico and the Caribbean, weight loss without proper life-style changes and professional support is often difficult to achieve. Dr. Wiljon Beltre and his staff at The Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery in Maitland, Florida know that bariatric surgery is just one important component to achieving long-lasting, healthy weight-loss. With their strong, experienced, and professional support, Dr. Beltre and his team will help guide you through the life-style changes and advanced preparation to ensure that your body is in optimal shape to achieve a safe and successful surgical procedure, and that you have the support and follow-through to help you achieve long-lasting results after surgery.
Getting Ready For Surgery
Once you’ve made the decision to have a bariatric surgery, the work really begins. In order to achieve optimal results, a specialized diet will be outlined for you by the Center’s experienced staff. This diet will be specially designed to ensure that you’re getting a healthy, balanced low-fat diet that will reduce the amount of fat cells around both the liver and intestines. This is essential to ensuring that your surgery proceeds with the highest degree of safety—reducing both the risk of complications, as well as reducing your recovery time after surgery. During your pre-surgical diet, you’ll be encouraged to consume healthy food such as:
- Proteins, such as lean meats, low-fat dairy products, eggs and protein powders
- Healthy foods such as oatmeal, vegetables and whole grains
While also limiting foods such as:
- Foods high in saturated fats, such as fatty meats, fried foods and whole dairy products
- Foods with refined carbohydrates, such as bread, pasta, sugary treats and cereal
- Foods high in sugars, such as candy and non-diet sodas
- Alcoholic beverages
- Herbal supplements
In addition to these dietary guidelines, the following lifestyle changes are recommended—both before and after your weight-loss surgery:
- Quit smoking
- Avoid binge eating or drinking
- Stop drinking beverages containing carbonation or caffeine
- Avoid drinking with your meals—give yourself a 30 minute window of no liquids both before and after each meal.
- In order to prolong the enjoyment of eating, cut food into smaller pieces, and practice chewing slowly for longer periods.
- After consulting with your physician, begin a routine exercise program designed to meet your unique needs.
- Join a monthly weight-loss support group in your area.
Entering the Home Stretch Before Surgery
The last two weeks before your surgery are the most important, and we’ve put together this brief guide to give you some insight about what to expect:
Two Weeks Before Surgery
The high-protein diet begins in earnest once you’re two weeks from the date of surgery. Breakfast and lunch will consist of a high-protein shake, which you can acquire at a retail store, such a Target or Wal-Mart, or at a health food store, such as GNC. Dinner will consist of lean meats and vegetables.
One Week Before Surgery
At this stage, you will need to stop taking medications such as Coumadin, Plavix, aspirin and ibuprofen, as well as arthritis medications, as they can cause increased bleeding and stomach irritation. If you are using time-released medications, ask your pharmacist to convert them to non-time-released during this period.
Two Days Before Surgery
At this stage, it is essential to begin your clear liquid diet. YOU MUST NOT CONSUME SOLID FOOD FOR TWO DAYS BEFORE YOUR SURGERY. You may consume clear liquids, such as water, clear juice (no pulp), clear broth (chicken beef or vegetable), and Jell-O, popsicles, and clear flavored water products of any flavor are all OK.
Morning of Surgery
The day before surgery, you must stop taking medications such as Metformin and Pradaxa. The night before your procedure, you will receive a call from the hospital, informing of your arrival time. Please remember to bring a photo ID with you to the hospital, as we will need to verify your identity during check-in. Once you arrive, be sure to inform the nurse of any medications you may have taken that morning. Your family members will be asked to wait in the waiting room as you’re taken in to the Operating Room, where you will meet the experienced surgical staff who will be taking care of you. They will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Getting ready for surgery can be a challenging process, but with support and assistance from the team at the Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery, you can make it a success!
Contact the Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery
Board certified surgeon Dr. Wiljon Beltre at the Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery in Maitland, Florida (neighboring Orlando, FL) has made it his life’s passion to help individuals like you achieve their weight loss goals safely and successfully. Whether you have come from central Florida or traveled half-way—or even all the way—across the country, our goal is offer a weight loss surgery option that is as safe, as effective, and as affordable as we can possibly make it.
Significant, long-term, successful weight loss is not easy. Even with the help of metabolic surgery, losing the weight and keeping it off requires a life-long commitment to serious lifestyle changes and hard work. But with the help of Dr. Beltre and our dedicated team of caring, experienced specialists, success is possible!
If you believe a sleeve gastrectomy is right for you, or would like to learn more about other metabolic surgery options available at The Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery, we encourage you to contact our office to start the process today!
Call 321-499-6505 or Click Here to schedule a phone or video consultation with Dr. Beltre.
