Process as patient

Every hospital or clinic has its own process – there is not a single ‘standard’ experience as a bariatric patient. However, you’ll find that many facilities follow a process like this one.

Let’s break down the overall process into two equally important categories: what can happen before surgery, and what patients should experience after surgery. Remember, weight loss surgery is not just a one-off medical procedure but a change that affects the rest of your life.

Before surgery

As you’re considering whether to have bariatric surgery, you need to gather lots of information. Likewise, the clinic or hospital you’re exploring needs to get to know you. Here are some typical ways that happens:

You take part in a weight loss seminar
Whether online or in person, free seminars or informational meetings are a great way to get a feel for what you can expect. You might be asked at the seminar to fill out a health questionnaire, as the clinic’s staff will need some health information from you upfront if you choose to make an appointment with a bariatric surgeon. Get tips on finding the right bariatric clinic.

You meet with a bariatric surgeon
You’ll talk to the surgeon about which type of weight loss treatment is right for you, and you’ll be able to ask the facility’s staff your many questions. At this meeting, someone will also weigh and measure you. Download a guide of questions you should consider asking.

You might be offered medical nutrition therapy
If you have decided to have bariatric surgery, many facilities require that you attend medical nutrition therapy. This is to help ensure your success after surgery by preparing you for the many lifestyle changes you’ll have to make after the operation.

You might need to meet with a psychologist
Some facilities use such a meeting to ensure your mental readiness for surgery. Your expectations must be realistic, you must understand and agree to the impact of surgery, and you must be able to change your lifestyle.

You attend various appointments and take various medical tests
Appointments can be either educational or medical, and the intent is to prepare you for the surgery. This can include dietary instructions and medical tests, for example.

What’s next for you?

First, of course, you need to think it over yourself. And if you’re potentially interested, you'll need careful evaluation by healthcare professionals to determine whether surgery is right for you.

In the meantime, you might want to read this article:

Curious about whether you might qualify for bariatric surgery?

Find out here

After surgery

Aftercare is essential to give you the best foundation for success. What’s more, patients who regularly go to their follow-up appointments almost always lose more weight than those who don’t.

You can expect the process after surgery to resemble this:

The first few days
Depending on the procedure, you’ll probably be hospitalised anywhere from 1/2 days to a week. You’ll have to follow a strict liquid diet, stay well hydrated, and avoid both carbonated drinks and soda. Even if you don’t feel like moving around, it will be important to do so. You should not, however, lift anything heavy.

The first few weeks
After about 3-4 weeks, most people return to work. You will still have to follow a liquid diet at first and slowly introduce soft, then solid foods. (The facility’s dietician will guide you.) You should get about 20 minutes of light exercise daily walking, for example. You will have follow-up appointments with your healthcare team. You might also be invited to join group follow-up sessions with other weight loss surgery patients.

After 6 months
By now, your life should feel more normal. You’ll have to keep following the dietician’s nutrition plan, and your new lifestyle will be able to include jogging, swimming, bicycling or other physical activities. While losing weight often feels easy during the first few months post-surgery, it’s natural for the pace of weight loss to slow down. Your routine follow-up appointments should help you understand whether your rate of weight loss is normal. At these appointments, your doctor may also order lab tests to track how you’re doing with any related conditions (type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol issues, etc.).

For the first few years
This is when most people report real, measurable improvements to their quality of life.¹ To get the most out of bariatric surgery, you’ll have to continue eating healthy and exercising. You will be in touch with your surgeon every year as your weight loss levels out and you settle into a new normal’ weight. On average, people lose about 30% of their starting weight then settle into a weight that’s about 25% less than before surgery.² You don’t need to wait for your annual appointment to reach out to your surgeon and/or care team. If you have questions or concerns, be sure to ask!

For the rest of your life.
You will still have to eat healthy and exercise to get the most out of bariatric surgery. Your doctor will probably also want you take vitamins or mineral supplements.

Annual tests will make sure you are getting enough nutrients. And if you are not, you will find out which extra vitamins you need. ³

It takes time to establish a healthy new lifestyle! But it's worth it.

Learn more about why aftercare is important

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References

1. Sierżantowicz, R. et al. Quality of Life after Bariatric Surgery – A systematic review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19159078

2. van Rijswijk AS, van Olst N, Schats W, van der Peet DL, van de Laar AW. What Is Weight Loss After Bariatric Surgery Expressed in Percentage Total Weight Loss (%TWL)? A Systematic Review. Obes Surg. 2021 Aug;31(8):3833-3847. doi: 10.1007/s11695-021-05394-x. Epub 2021 May 17. PMID: 34002289.

3. Wilson R, Aminian A, Tahrani, A. Metabolic Surgery: A clinical update. Wiley. 2020 DOI: 10.1111/dom.14235

Disclaimer

Information contained herein is not medical advice and should not be used as an alternative to speaking with your doctor.
Discuss indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions, adverse events and any further information with your health care professional.