Before surgery, you will have at least two appointments. During your first appointment, your dietitian will assess your current eating habits and nutrition status. Your dietitian will provide nutrition goals for you to work on to improve your nutrition status before surgery. The final appointment before surgery is when the dietitian reviews the pre-surgery liquid diet and the diet progression after surgery. Some patients need more time to become confident with the information. Therefore, you may have extra visits prior to surgery.
It is our goal as dietitians to make sure you have the confidence and ability to comply with the bariatric guidelines. The dietitians will be able to customize your nutrition plans as needed to comply with the guidelines.
After surgery, we encourage you to see the dietitian at six weeks, three months, six months, nine months and 12 months after surgery. You can make an appointment with the dietitian on the same day you see the Clinic Providers by calling 918-376-8410 and pressing option #1.
Once you have seen Dr. Kirk after attending the seminar, the Bariatric Navigator will contact you to set up an appointment with the dietitian. We strive to make several appointments for you on the same day. This cuts down on the number of days you need to take off.
Before surgery, adequate protein will improve your protein status. A good protein status helps keep your muscles strong, reduces the risk of hair loss or thinning, improves your immune system and improves your ability to heal. After surgery, protein is needed to spare your muscles from being used for energy. Research now shows higher protein intake promotes fat loss when you lose weight while protecting your muscle mass.
All bariatric surgeries restrict the amount of food you can take in. Less food means you will not be able to get the adequate amount of vitamins and minerals needed to stay healthy. The Roux en Y gastric bypass surgery also comes with some malabsorption, making it extra hard to get your nutrients through foods. The sleeve gastrectomy also has some malabsorption associated with it. When most of your stomach is removed, there is a decreased ability to activate certain nutrients.
Taking a good quality multi-supplement will help reduce the risk of your hair getting thin after surgery. The dietitians will help you find a multi-supplement best for your needs.