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| Post Operative Bariatric Care |
Dietary counseling is provided by Dr Madhu Goel, Bariatric Physician keeping in mind the preferences and lifestyle of the patient. Regular monitoring is done to avoid any deficiencies. |
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| Diet |
| Post Gastric Band / Gastric Bypass |
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| First 2 Weeks |
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Liquid Diet |
| Next 2 Weeks |
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Pureed / Soft Paste like Food |
| Month Later |
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Solid food |
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| Post Sleeve Gastrectomy |
| First 2 Weeks |
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Liquid Diet |
| Next 4 Weeks |
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Soft Diet |
| 6 Weeks Later |
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Solid Diet |
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Exercise |
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Patient is encouraged to walk on the day of surgery. |
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Long walks/ slow treadmill is advised 10 days later |
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Aerobic activity like swimming can begin from the 20th day |
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Upper & lower body workouts can be started 1 month after surgery, abdominal exercises should be avoided for 3 months. |
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Supplements |
| Gastric Band |
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Multivitamin and Calcium.
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| Sleeve Gastrectomy |
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Iron, Multivitamin, Calcium.
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| Gastric Bypass |
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Iron, Multivitamin, Calcium.
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| Follow up Investigations |
| Vitamin and Mineral levels are checked every 6 months for 1 year & annually thereafter. |
Support helps and motivates post surgery patients achieve better weight loss and deal with the issues related to diet, recipes and exercise by sharing experiences and communicating with peers. Support group meetings are an important component of a bariatric program.
Underneath is an article on one of the meetings held in Bombay Hospital in Feb: 10. |
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Ordinary People with Extra-ordinary Resolve |
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Have we seen him before? Was the expression on everyone’s face when they failed to recognize the handsome, Mr Kadam, a high court lawyer, after a bariatric procedure performed a year back. He does not feel embarrassed to attend courts & frequent absences at court has become a thing of the past, he elaborates. Even strangers stop him to congratulate on this achievement. ‘More than the physical change, I was cured of diabetes within 3 months of surgery & stopped medication completely’, he says.
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‘Complete patient transformation is common’ says Dr Ramen Goel, bariatric surgeon, Bombay Hospital. ‘It is not a question of appearance or weight loss alone but remission of various diseases like diabetes; sleep apnoea etc. in over 80% patients.’
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Mr Virani,267 kgs heaviest person in the country to undergo bariatric surgery, had not ventured out of his house for over 5yrs. 15 months after sleeve gastrectomy & 135kgs lighter, he does not hesitate to attend the support group meeting.
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Ms Prabhavati is physically active after losing 70 kgs post Gastric bypass and getting rid of her excruciating joint pains. Her husband, a security supervisor had to mobilize resources to get the surgery done. Prabhavati is motivating her daughter (31 yrs) to undergo the same & had brought her along to meet other younger beneficiaries of surgery.
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A confident Mrunalini was the star speaker after reaching the target weight & getting rid of backaches and a snoring problem, which had bothered her husband. She shared her gym routine with those who had surgery recently.
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Ms Davde, a lawyer by profession, is extremely grateful after getting rid of her diabetes and wants others to benefit too. Similarly, Priti, a teacher, wants to contribute for creating awareness in various ways.
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Typically a support group includes patients who had surgery at different time intervals. Participants included Pooja, who had surgery just 1 week back. While Parvati, Rakesh & Saika had it a month ago. The younger entrants have maximum questions, mostly answered by their bariatric seniors. ‘We remain present only to ensure that no unscientific answers are given,’ says Dr Goel.
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Support group meetings bring together operated patients regularly. Bonding between bariatric patients is worth watching. Most of these people have fought hard a disease which not only makes them miserable but evokes a social bias as well, it’s natural that they have much to share esp as bias exists within their own family, physicians & close friends as well.’
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Patients share their pre surgery problems, recovery schedule, supplement intake, exercise regimen & even improvised recipes. It has been proven that regular attendance at support groups has direct impact on patient’s well being & results, shares Dr Goel, ‘it is wonderful to walk together on the same path, facing identical issues and having similar goals.’
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Dr Ramen Goel, who has operated these patients shared that bariatric surgery requires dedicated program with adequate follow up protocols. Time & effort spent in maintaining database, organizing support group meetings, patient newsletter & reminders for follow up visits & tests are some of the activities by which adequacy of a bariatric program can be assessed.’
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Commending the strong will power of his patients, he said, ‘Over 90% of our patients have repeatedly lost weight with diet etc but have failed to maintain lost weight. The failure to maintain weight is because obesity is a disease & over 98% are expected to regain weight after diet & other conservative measures.’ Applauding his patients, Dr Goel said ‘Bariatric surgery is not a short cut for weight loss because only people with extra-ordinary resolve take this step.’
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