Gastric bypass surgery is recommended only in cases of extreme obesity, to help you lose weight quickly and reduce the risks of obesity-related illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and sleep apnea.
MedLine Plus lists the side effects of gastric bypass surgery as anemia, osteoporosis, gallstones and kidney stones as a result of nutritional deficiencies, heartburn, vomiting and hernia.
The surgery bypasses part of your stomach and small intestine, decreasing the amount of food you can comfortably consume and limiting the amount of calories your body can absorb from the food you eat. Paying close attention to your diet is critical to ensure you receive adequate nutrition.
Expected Weight Loss
You will experience extremely rapid weight loss the first month after surgery -- up to 20 pounds in the first four weeks. Weight loss continues to be rapid for the next six months but does slow down after the first year. You can expect to lose up to 60 percent of your excess weight in the first two years after surgery.
MedLine Plus cautions that, "bypass surgery alone is not a solution to losing weight. It can train you to eat less, but you still have to do much of the work. You will need to follow the exercise and eating guidelines that your doctor and dietitian gave you."
Liquids-Only
The first two to three weeks after surgery, you will be on a liquids-only diet, designed to allow the staple line in your stomach to heal. Consume two to three ounces of room temperature liquid at a time. MayoClinic.com recommends broth, unsweetened juice or milk. You may need a liquid protein supplement as well.
Always follow your doctor's specific instructions after surgery.
Pureed and Soft Foods
With your doctor's permission, you'll start to add blended or pureed foods into your diet after three weeks. Duke Health suggests high protein foods that are low in sugar, fat and fiber. Protein will help your body heal and maintain muscle mass during weight loss. Plan to eat six small meals a day as you learn to recoginize the signs that you have eaten enough -- a feeling of heaviness, tightness or pressure may signal that you're full; heartburn, nausea and vomiting are signs that you ate too much or too quickly.
Recommended Foods
Duke Health recommends these soft high protein foods: eggs, low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese, tuna fish, lentils, fat-free refried beans, ground meat, soft low-fat cheeses and tofu. Other foods to add to your diet include oatmeal, soft vegetables, fruits without skin and soup.
Each small meal should include 3 oz. of protein and foods that contain less than 5 g of sugar and fat. After gastric bypass surgery, high-fat foods may make you nauseous, and foods high in sugar may make you lightheaded and faint.
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