There are some uncomfortable physical complications that can occur after weight loss surgery. The good news is that you can help prevent them by being very careful and deliberate about everything you do post-surgery. Here are some of the most common complications and the ways to avoid them.
Loss of Muscle Mass
When your body begins to lose weight, it’s going to burn your fat stores for much-needed energy. Because your body will initially think that it’s starving, it may turn to other places to find consumable energy, including your muscles. As a result, being sedentary after surgery can lead to a significant loss of muscle mass.
In order to combat this, you must increase your protein intake and exercise daily to build and tone your muscles. Doing both will allow you to keep your muscles in top form and keep your body from simply depleting them.
Stomal Ulcer
A stomal ulcer is an acid-peptic ulcer that grows between your bowels and your stomach pouch. These are most often caused by smoking, so quitting would be your first step in avoiding them. If you’re not a smoker, or if quitting doesn’t stop the development of stomal ulcers, then you may need to stop using your anti-inflammatory medication and take a medication that combats acid reflux and indigestion for six months.
Stomal Stenosis
Stomal stenosis happens when the outlet of your stomach pouch becomes narrowed. It doesn’t happen very often, but when it does, you feel nauseous, suffer abdominal pain, become bloated, and vomit. You cannot always avoid stomal stenosis, but avoiding stomal ulcers (which can cause the narrowing of stomal stenosis) is a good start. Since dehydration and malnutrition can result from stomal stenosis, it is something that must be treated immediately.
Vitamin and Mineral Deficiency
Vitamins and minerals are vital to your health and survival. From calcium to iron, B12 to vitamin K, there are many different vitamins and minerals that you could become deficient in. The best way to avoid this is to stick with the foods that your doctor and nutritionist suggest for your post-surgery diet. Eating simple carbohydrates or sugary food can take up room in your stomach without offering any significant nutritional benefit.
In general, it’s important to eat the following foods:
- Low-fat dairy products
- Proteins like beef, eggs, and fish
- Leafy green vegetables, asparagus, broccoli, and carrots
- Proteins like nuts, legumes, and wheat germ
- Avocados
- Fortified grains and cereals
- Fruits like cantaloupe, watermelon, and tomato