Gastric bypass surgery

In the weeks before surgery, we may recommend increasing your activity to boost your strength. Two weeks before surgery, you will start a liquid diet that includes clear liquids and protein shakes. This diet reduces your abdominal fat and liver size, making the surgery easier and safer to complete. We also have resources available to help you make any needed lifestyle changes, including quitting smoking. 

Our care team will go over pre-surgery instructions, but generally, you should avoid taking aspirin, blood-thinning medications or ibuprofen at least 24 hours prior to your procedure.

Before your procedure, we’ll give you general anesthesia, so you won’t feel or remember anything. Then, using a laparoscopic technique, your surgeon will divide your stomach and connect the smaller pouch to your small intestines
 
The entire surgery lasts between two and three hours.

After surgery, you will stay in the hospital for one to two days. 
 
When you return home, you will follow a liquid diet for the first two weeks, then slowly progress to pureed and solid foods over the next month. During this time, you should stick to walking for exercise and gradually increase your activity as your care team suggests. 
 
Most people can return to work after six weeks.

For a year after your procedure, we’ll evaluate your nutrition and weight loss every three months. Our team is ready with customized nutrition guidance, fitness coaching, behavioral therapy and more.  
 
After that, we’d like to see you at least once a year.