Frequently Asked Questions

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

Stapling material is perhaps the most important tool during the cutting of structures (stomach or intestine), both for gastric sleeve and for any type of bypass. There are different brands of stapling material on the national and international market. At Obesity Health we use the best quality Covidien Medtronic staples, as well as safe and proven reinforcement techniques. Watch a video explaining stapling 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 given a tube to give you solutions through your vein. At the appointed time you will go to the operating room where you will be given a medicine through your vein to make you sleep (general anesthesia). You will wake up when the surgery is over. You will go to your room and that same day you will be told to walk (a few steps), and you will also start with small "sips of water." The day after your surgery you will feel much better, your tolerance to liquids will be evaluated and you will be able to go out for a walk in the hallway. Finally, on the second day after 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 assessed by psychology and internal medicine and start a preoperative diet that can last from 3 days to 1 month in advance depending on each case. Interviews can be done in person, by phone or by video call. More information.

1.- The first step is to carry out an initial assessment, which can be done in person or by phone. (You can schedule an appointment via 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, shopping, and everyday activities, among others. In patients whose jobs involve greater physical strength, recovery time may be longer, 2 or 3 weeks.

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

Si se puede, siempre que viaje en carro particular y alguien más maneje por usted. Si su viaje es mayor de 4 horas, se recomienda hacer escalas para quedarse a dormir  y continuar el siguiente día. En TODOS los casos se recomienda hacer pequeñas caminatas cada 2 horas y consumir tus líquidos. Para viaje en avión se recomienda después de la primer semana. Le recomendamos ir a este link para tener más detalles en relación a viajar después de mi cirugía bariátrica.

Todas las cirugías tienen riesgo de complicaciones, incluyendo la cirugía bariátrica. Afortunadamente, hoy en día, la cirugía bariátrica es muy segura. El riesgo de complicaciones en la manga gástrica es de alrededor del 1%, mientras que en el bypass del 3%. Este índice de complicaciones se considera muy baja si se compara con otros procedimientos como reparación de una  hernia umbilical riesgo menor al 1%, colecistectomía o quitar una vesícula es de 2‰, apendicectomía 3-4%, cesarea 3-4%, histerectomía o quitar la matriz 6-7%.  La cirugía bariátrica nunca ha sido tan segura como hasta ahora y en el anecdótico caso que una complicación pueda ocurrir esta puede ser curada en su totalidad. 

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 is temporary, usually starting between 2 to 4 months after surgery and stopping between 8 to 12 months after surgery. When hair loss stops, some patients even report having stronger, softer, smoother hair. This hair loss can be greatly improved by taking nutritional supplements, protein, drinking enough fluids, and eating healthily. Biotin and zinc can also help. Hair loss testimonial 1

In over 60% of patients there will be excess skin after bariatric surgery. Women, older people and those who have a body mass index greater than 40 kg/m2 are more likely to have excess skin. Younger women are the group of patients who will be more strict with their excess skin, and will be more interested in seeking reconstructive procedures. Not all patients will have sagging skin. Some factors that help reduce sagging skin after surgery are proper 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 quickest solution in cases where there is dissatisfaction. The vast majority of patients say 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 skin after bariatric surgery. Watch video.

Massive weight loss can lead to more rapid stone formation. The probability of requiring a cholecystectomy during the first 6 months after surgery is about 4%.

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

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

In general, weight loss is calculated based on excess weight. With gastric sleeve, 70-90% of excess weight can be lost, while with gastric bypass, 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.

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

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

Follow-up consultations or counseling are VERY IMPORTANT since studies have shown that patients who attend follow-up consultations have better long-term weight loss results than those who do not. You can review an article published by our psychologist Marisol Barradas and the Obesity Health team in relation to the importance of follow-up consultations at this link. See here. The best way to do them is in person, however we understand that many live in other cities or find it difficult to travel, for that we can do them virtually by a phone call or video call with similar results to the face-to-face 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 (2 times the first month and then 1 time every 2 months during the first year), with psychology (3 to 5 consultations during the first year), sports medicine (2 consultations starting in the second month). These follow-up consultations are intended to monitor your progress and adjust details that you may be doing wrong, detect possible problems and correct them, and have a closer relationship with 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 schedule of consultations for the area of nutrition See here. After the first year, we strongly suggest you continue with your consultations, although they will already be included in the package.

Yes, prior to your surgery you will be sent a series of questions about your medical history, you must take your time to answer them. In addition, you will be sent 2 questions to accept the terms and conditions regarding costs, programs and requirements. See here.