Pain Management:

Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA), started after surgery, allows you to receive small doses of pain medicine frequently, providing steady pain relief. It can also be controlled by the patient to have a more comfortable hospital stay.

Activity:

Compression stocking are placed on your lower extremities and blood thinners are given to prevent deep venous thrombosis (DVT) (blood clots in your veins). In addition, walking is started the day after surgery to prevent DVT.

Breathing Exercises:

"Incentive Spirometer" provided during your pre-admission testing should be used after surgery. You will be instructed to take ten deep breaths into the "Incentive Spirometer" every hour while awake to prevent breathing problems and lung infections.

Studies:

An upper gastrointestinal X-ray (UGI) is done for the gastric bypass patients on the first day after surgery to check that the newly created stomach pouch is functioning properly. Following a normal UGI study, a clear liquid diet is started.

Diet:

You will start a liquid diet on the same day after lap band surgery or the day after gastric bypass surgery. You will be given instructions on diet before surgery by our nutritionist. The approximate hospital stay is one day for lap band surgery or two days for gastric bypass surgery. You will not be allowed to go home until you are able to drink at least a liter of water per day in addition to your liquid diet.