While most weight loss surgery procedures have a routine recovery period, some do not proceed as expected and require further medical attention. It is sometimes difficult to know which symptoms are normal during recovery and which require a visit to your doctor.
Wound Infection
You should immediately proceed to a physician if you have any signs of infection in your incision. Symptoms of infection include:
- Any unexpected drainage from your wound, including drainage that is yellow or green in color and that has a strong odor
- A temperature of 100 degrees or more
- Extreme pain in your incision. Also, the incision should not turn red or feel hot when you touch it. Discomfort in your incision is normal, but sharp and extreme pain is not.
Of course, infection isn’t the only condition to concern yourself with during weight-loss surgery recovery. You should also visit or call your doctor if you have:
- More than five incidents of diarrhea in a 24-hour period
- Severe pain that appears suddenly and does not respond to the pain medication that was prescribed for you
- Swelling of your legs or sudden leg pain
- Pain in the shoulder or chest or shortness of breath that doesn’t go away after resting for 15 minutes
Nausea and Vomiting
Feeling nauseous or vomiting requires a visit to your doctor if it lasts for more than 24 hours—unless you’ve just had gastric band surgery, in which case you should call your physician immediately. Vomiting can result in the expulsion of the gastric band.
If you want to control your nausea, try the following suggestions:
- Stop eating solid food for 24 hours.
- Start taking clear liquids in and then graduate to soft foods and eventually to whole foods as your nausea permits.
- Some nausea is caused by mucous plugs. Warm fluids may dislodge the plug, so try that before eating.
Remember, every individual is different, and the symptoms that should be alarming to you may not appear on this list. If you have any unusual symptoms that your doctor did not prepare you for or any sudden change in your health, even one that is not listed above, call your doctor immediately.