Bariatric Surgery Checklist
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Checklist Before Bariatric Surgery

When you are anticipating your new life after bariatric surgery and looking forward to all the accompanying health benefits, it’s important to properly prepare for your surgery so the end result is everything you are imagining. Adhering to the following pre-surgery checklist will help you ensure you get the best results from your weight loss surgery.

Read Up

Knowledge is power, and reading up on weight loss surgery can ease many of the concerns you might be having. Knowing about the procedure and having realistic expectations can calm any fears or concerns you might have.

Your Medical Insurance

Navigating your medical insurance plan, policies and procedures isn’t something you’d curl up with on a rainy day, but ensuring you understand what procedures are covered, and at what cost, will remove the fear of the unknown. Understanding your insurance plan prior to surgery will greatly alleviate stress. When you’re recovering, you’ll want to curl up with a real book.

Quit Smoking

While you’ve known you should quit smoking from first time you picked up a cigarette, the time to quit is now. Use of tobacco products can increase risks and complications during and after weight loss surgery. And the longer you’ve been free of cigarettes, the greater the health benefits. It’s recommended that you be tobacco-free for at least three (3) months prior to surgery.

Eat Better

There’s no need to postpone implementation of your new, healthy eating plan until after surgery. Begin now by increasing your intake of protein and fresh fruits and vegetables while limiting sugary and high-fat foods. It’s important to note that many alcoholic beverages are high in sugar or carbohydrate content.

It’s recommended you keep a food diary, and review it at the end of the day. Write down everything you consume and when, including water (drink at least 64 ounces a day). Doing so will help bring to light unhealthy snacking or stress-related eating.

Begin Your Exercise Routine

Like your eating plan, don’t wait to start your new exercise regimen until after surgery. Some people cringe at the thought of exercise, but you won’t have to if you pick activities you’ll enjoy. Remember, taking your dog for a walk counts. Just pick activities you’ll enjoy, then build on those over time. The better shape you’re in prior to surgery usually translates into quicker recovery times after surgery.

Don’t Gain Additional Weight

Don’t get into the mindset that you’ll eat everything you want now because weight loss surgery will take care of it later. Surgery isn’t a quick fix, and also shouldn’t be considered a starting point in your weight loss journey. Being at your healthiest will assist in the success of your surgery and greatly aid in recovery.

Keep a Journal

While you’re jotting down your food and water consumption each day, it’s important to include when and why you’re eating. This will help you better understand your relationship with food and possibly shed light on why you’ve struggled with your weight for years.

There’s a lot to take in once you’ve decided on weight loss surgery. Beginning with this pre-surgery checklist will help keep your end result in mind and on track. Dr. Malladi can help you better understand the steps to take in order to ensure your weight loss surgery is safe and successful.

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