Follow-Up

We give two years free follow-up after weight loss surgery.  Routinely we see the bypass patients 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months and then annually after the surgery date.  The Lap-Band patients are routinely seen at 2 weeks after surgery and then monthly until the weight loss is stabilized then we see them every 3 months.  For both group of patients, routinely we get blood work every 3 months for the first year and then annually after that.  Of course, if the need arises we will see patients more often than that and get lab more often.  The free follow-up includes only those matters directly relating to the weight loss and/or surgery.  The free follow-up does not include adjustments for the Lap-Band patients.

Exercise

Because our patients have such different problems of medical conditions and health status, we cannot recommend any single exercise program.  When you go home from the hospital we want you walking several times daily.  They can be leisurely walks of short duration, say 5-10 minutes each, 3-4 times a day.  As you recover from the surgery, you will be stronger and be able to double or triple the time of the walk by a couple of weeks out.  Depending on your weight and other factors, we would expect most patients to be able to do aerobics, swimming and/or some jogging by 3-4 weeks out from surgery.  Then as the months go by and the weight comes off, the patient should be able to gradually increase the intensity, frequency and duration of exercise.

Support Group

We have support group meetings monthly.  Dr. Hall usually presides over them, but sometimes we have special programs that are of interest to our patients.  The meetings are low-key and no one is forced to talk.  They are held the 1st Saturday of each month in Dr. Hall’s office and start at 10:30am and last until noon.  They are not open to the public; they are for Dr. Hall’s patients that have already had surgery.  If someone wants to talk to one of these patients about their experiences, call the office and we can give you some names and phone numbers of patients that have agreed to talk to prospective patients.  The group support meetings are to help the post-operative patients with problems that may pop up, not to sell the procedure to people looking into it.

Free Seminars - 6:30 p.m.
November 17
December 15

Group Support - 10:30 a.m.
December 6
January 10

Birth Control & Pregnancy

Normally, having weight loss surgery should not interfere with your ability to get pregnant and carrying a normal, healthy baby to term and giving a normal birth.  However, because of the added demands pregnancy places on a woman’s body we strongly advise that no one get pregnant for two years after this surgery.  Both the mother and child are at risk during this time.  If you feel you cannot wait two years to get pregnant, then go have your child and come back 3 months after the birth and we will evaluate at that time.

Diet After Surgery

When you go home from the hospital you will be on a clear liquid diet.  This is to help the surgery heal before it is stressed with ‘real’ food.  You will be advanced through several stages that finally, at six weeks, you will be able to have ‘regular’ foods.  However, there are many foods that most patients cannot tolerate, and they are not allowed.  There may be some foods that you, individually, may not be able to tolerate and we recommend you stay away from them.  Otherwise, we recommend a high protein, low calorie and low fat meals.

Problems

If you have any problems you are to call the office (806) 792-5552.  The phone is answered 24/7.  If the problem cannot be handled over the phone, you may be instructed to go to the emergency room.  Dr. Hall will determine if it is appropriate that you meet him there, or in his office during office hours, or if the problem does not sound like it is related to weight loss or weight loss surgery, he may recommend seeing someone else more appropriate.  Whatever the problem may be and no matter how it is taken care of, Dr. Hall does need to know about it, so don’t hesitate to call.