Sleeve gastrectomy, also known as gastric sleeve surgery, is the surgical removal of around 80% of the stomach. In its place, a tube or “sleeve” of the stomach is left. This procedure is designed to assist with long-term weight loss with proper lifestyle changes under medical direction.
The recovery from sleeve gastrectomy includes healing from the procedure and all the adjustments that are necessary to make with a smaller stomach. This guide will go over what recovery will look like after sleeve gastrectomy.
Initial Recovery
The initial recovery period will require a hospital stay of around two to three days. Eventually, after one to two weeks, you can return to work. However, fatigue during this time is natural, and work will need to be light. We recommend that you work only half days or from home until three to five weeks have passed.
While light exercise is recommended, avoid high-impact exercise for the first month. During this time, it’s natural to experience a range of different symptoms. Body aches, feeling cold, dry skin, hair loss, mood changes, and fatigue are all normal symptoms for the first three to six months. This is because your body is attempting to adjust to the rapid weight loss.
Eating Habits
How you can eat and what you can eat during this time are going to change dramatically. The first week will consist of only sugar-free, non-carbonated liquids. After that, the next three weeks will consist of pureed foods.
Finally, four weeks after surgery, normal food can be added to your diet. From here on, your nutritional health will be supplemented by multivitamins, calcium supplements, and vitamin B-12 injections.
Weight Loss
You can expect to lose some weight as you fully recover from sleeve gastrectomy. However, you will lose the largest amount of weight over the next two years after the surgery. In general, most people can expect to lose 50 to 60 percent of their excess weight.
Sleeve Gastrectomy in New York, NY
With NYC Hernia, weight loss from surgical sleeve gastrectomy can be a reality. Dr. Jacobs is an expert provider of sleeve gastrectomy and has performed over 1,000 sleeve gastrectomies with great success. If you want to learn more about sleeve gastrectomy and what recovery may look like, contact NYC Hernia at 212-879-6677 or visit here to book an appointment.