Frequent questions

Your daily activities involve some exercise, such as walking, moving or climbing stairs. You can do these activities from day 1 of your surgery. Everything will be progressive. However, when it comes to formal exercise such as the gym, swimming, contact sports, running, we prefer that the patient do them after 2 months. The goal is to prevent the formation of any hernias at the incision sites. This recommendation may vary in each of the bariatric teams or surgeons.

Stapling material is perhaps the most important tool during cutting the structures (stomach or intestine), both for the gastric sleeve and for any type of bypass. There are different brands of grapes in the national and international market. At Obesity Health we use the highest quality Covidien Medtronic staples, as well as safe and proven reinforcement techniques. Watch video about grape picking explanation by Dr. Rey Romero

You will arrive at the hospital the night before your surgery (in some cases you can arrive the same day in the morning). You will be channeled to put solutions through your veins. At the appointed time you will go to the operating room where medication will be placed through your vein to make you fall asleep (general anesthesia). You will wake up when the surgery is finished. You will go to your room and that same day you will be instructed to walk (some steps), and you will also start with small "sips of water." The day after your surgery you will feel much better, your fluid tolerance will be evaluated and you will be able to go for a walk in the hallway. Finally, on the second day of your surgery, you will be discharged and you will be given the necessary instructions for your postoperative period. More information.

It is necessary to have an initial interview with Dr. Rey Romero or one of our medical coordinators, undergo preoperative studies, be evaluated by psychology and internal medicine and start a preoperative diet that can last from 3 days to 1 month prior depending on each case. Interviews can be carried out in person, by telephone or by video call. More information.

1.- The first step is to carry out an initial assessment, this can be in person or by telephone. (You can schedule by WhatsApp at 52 229173 0768).

Most patients can return to normal activities 7 days after surgery. These activities include driving, going to the office, work, places, daily activities, among others. In patients whose jobs involve greater physical strength, the recovery time may be longer, 2 or 3 weeks.

Download your postoperative care manual which has been prepared for your understanding and based on hundreds of our patients' experiences. Download manual

Yes you can, as long as you travel in a private car and someone else drives for you. If your trip is longer than 4 hours, it is recommended to make stops to stay overnight and continue the next day. In ALL cases it is recommended to take short walks every 2 hours and consume your fluids. For air travel it is recommended after the first week. We recommend you go to this link for more details regarding traveling after my bariatric surgery.

All surgeries have a risk of complications, including bariatric surgery. Fortunately, today, bariatric surgery is very safe. The risk of complications in the gastric sleeve is around 1%, while in the bypass it is 3%. This complication rate is considered very low when compared to other procedures such as repair of an umbilical hernia, risk of less than 1%, cholecystectomy or removal of a gallbladder is 2‰, appendectomy 3-4%, cesarean section 3-4%, hysterectomy or remove the matrix 6-7%. Bariatric surgery has never been as safe as until now and in the anecdotal case that a complication may occur, it can be completely cured.

This hair loss is known as telogen effluvium and is reported by 70% of women and 20% of men. This hair loss IS NOT BALDNESS! and it is temporary, usually starting between months 2 to 4 after surgery and stopping between months 8 to 12 after surgery. When hair loss stops, some patients even report that they have stronger, softer and smoother hair. This hair loss can be greatly improved by taking nutritional supplements, protein, drinking enough fluids and eating healthy. Biotin and zinc can also help. Hair loss testimony 1

In more than 60% of patients there will be excess skin after bariatric surgery. Women, older people, and those who have body mass indexes greater than 40 kg/m2 are more likely to have excess skin. Young women are the group of patients who will be stricter with their excess skin, and will be more interested in seeking reconstructive procedures. Not all patients will have sagging. Some factors that help reduce sagging after surgery are adequate hydration (drinking enough water), taking biotin and collagen, taking your protein powder, and doing anaerobic exercise. Finally, plastic surgery can be the most effective and quick solution in cases where there is nonconformity. The vast majority of patients comment that they would not change the weight loss obtained even if they had excess skin. Lic. Paola Bravo tells us some tips to reduce sagging after bariatric surgery. Watch video.

Massive weight loss can cause stones to form more quickly. The probability of requiring a cholecystectomy during the first 6 months after surgery about 4%.

If we leave you drainage for 1 week. The drain is your thin silicone tube that is attached to a small bulb and serves to drain the secretion and let the surgeon know if everything is going well with the surgery. The removal of the drain can be done by a nurse or doctor, it is done in a few seconds and is not painful. The practice of leaving drainage varies by medical group and depends on their experience. We prefer to leave it so we can monitor you better. Video on how to empty the drain, Video on how to remove the drain

In all our patients, prior to bariatric surgery, measures will be taken such as a COVID clinical questionnaire, a COVID test and in-hospital safety measures. More information.

In general, weight loss is calculated based on excess weight. With the gastric sleeve you can lose 70-90% of excess weight, while with the bypass the weight loss is between 80-95%. Good eating habits and following the instructions given by the team will ensure healthier and more permanent weight loss. More information.

To date, there is no treatment for weight loss that does not have the possibility of rebound or weight gain, bariatric surgery is no exception. Fortunately, bariatric surgery has the lowest risk of recurrence of all existing treatments. With the gastric sleeve the risk of rebound is around 20% at 2-3 years, while with the bypass it is around 20% at 5-6 years. If you maintain good habits you will not gain weight. More information.

Food anxiety is one of the factors that often prevents weight loss and causes obesity. There are multiple techniques on how to combat anxiety, not all of them can be adapted to each person, it is necessary to cultivate constant discipline to be able to combat it. In this video, our nutritionists offer you some tips to combat anxiety. Watch video.

Follow-up consultations or counseling are VERY IMPORTANT since studies have shown that patients who take their follow-up consultations have better results in long-term weight loss than those who do not take them. You can review at this link an article published by our psychologist Marisol Barradas and the Obesity Health team regarding the importance of follow-up consultations. See here. The best way to take them is in person, however we understand that many live in other cities or find it difficult to get around, for that we can do them virtually by a call or video call with similar results to the in-person consultation. At Obesity Health we provide at least 1 year of follow-up included in your package with follow-up consultations by the medical area (medical coordinators) (1 week, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months), with nutrition (twice the first month and then once every 2 months during the first year), with psychology (3 to 5 consultations during the first year), sports medicine (2 consultations from the second month). These follow-up consultations have the objective of seeing your evolution and adjusting details that you may be doing wrong, detecting possible problems and correcting them, and having greater attachment to your multidisciplinary team. These consultations are not rigid and you can have the support of any of our specialists if you need it at any time. I share with you in this link the calendar of consultations in the nutrition area. See here. After the 1st year we strongly suggest you continue with your consultancies although they will already be included in the package.

Yes, prior to your surgery you will be sent a serious question about your medical history, you must take your time to answer it. In addition, you will be sent 2 questions for acceptance of terms and conditions in relation to costs, programs and requirements. See here.