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1. How can I contact the Surgeons?
You may contact either Dr Swanepoel or Dr Potgieter via their contact details on our website or you can send a mail to bssgsouthafrica@gmail.com and one of our Bariatric Support Councilors will contact you.
2. Am I a suitable candidate?
Your doctor will assess this during your consultation.
To be considered as a surgical candidate, individuals must meet the following criteria (subject to slight variation per surgical program):
Be between 18 and 70 years of age
Have a Body Mass Index of 40 or above OR?
Have a Body Mass Index of 35-40 with significant associated health problems
Made serious past attempts to lose weight
Are dedicated to drastic lifestyle changes and follow-up appointments
Not suffering from any disease that may be causing excess weight
Absence of drug, alcohol, or emotional problems
Understand the surgery and associated risks.
3. What are the several types of Bariatric Surgery?
Vertical Banded Gastroplasty (VBG)
Once again, your doctor will assess the best procedure for your individual needs.
4. How much will the surgery cost?
This type of surgery can vary widely between doctors. a Gastric bypass can cost from R60 000 to 140 000 upwards depending on the procedure.
5. What kind of changes do I need in my diet?
July Kotze is our resident dietician and is part of the team that will assess you
She will consult with you before and after the surgery to ensure that the necessary dietary changes are made to accommodate your lifestyle change.
6. What psychological assessment do I need?
Psychological assessments are done as a routine part of your consultation.
7. Will I need plastic Surgery?
Because weight loss is so fast after surgery, and the skin is often not elastic enough to rebound, it is common for bariatric patients to have excess skin removed later by plastic surgery.
Discuss this with your surgeon.
8. What changes will I need to make to my lifestyle after surgery?
This surgery is life changing. At Bariatric Surgery Support we are committed to offering you a helpline to guide you through this life changing experience. We together with the Surgeons, Dietician, Psychologist, Physician and the rest of our Team are committed to supporting you on this journey every step of the way.
What Happens…?
9.What happens before surgery?
Your surgeon will give you specific instructions on how to prepare for the procedure. Your stomach must be completely empty to reduce the changes of vomiting during the procedure. It is important that you abstain from food and liquid after midnight the evening before your surgery.
10.What happens on the day of surgery?
You will report to a pre-operative nursing unit, where you will change into a hospital gown. A nurse will review your chart and confirm that all paperwork is in order. You will be taken to a pre-operative nursing unit where an anaesthesiologist will start an IV. Before any medications are administered, your surgeon will verify your name and the type of procedure you are having. You will then be taken to the operating room. After the appropriate form of anaesthesia is administered, surgery will be performed.
11.What type of anesthesia will be used?
You will have a pre-operative interview with an anaesthesiologist who will ask you questions regarding your medical history. Gastric bypass surgery is performed under general anaesthesia, which will keep you asleep during your surgery.
12.What happens during the surgery, and how is it performed?
Your surgeon will make five to seven small incisions and insert tube-like instruments through them. The abdomen will be filled with gas to help the surgeon view the abdominal cavity. A camera will be inserted through one of the tubes that will display images on a monitor in the operating room. In this manner, your surgeon will be able to work inside your abdomen without making a larger incision.
During the Roux-en-Y procedure, the stomach is divided and separated. A small pouch is created at the top of the stomach and the rest is permanently separated. The small intestine is then attached to the new pouch creating a new digestive tract.
13.What happens after the surgery?
Once the surgery is completed, you will be taken to a post-operative or recovery unit where a nurse will monitor your progress. It is important that your bandages be kept clean and dry. You will be asked to walk the night of surgery. You will undergo a swallow study on the first postoperative day to make sure there are no problems. If there are no problems, you will be discharged on postoperative day two. You will be scheduled for a follow-up appointment within two weeks after you are discharged from the hospital.
14. How long will I be in the hospital?
Usually, patients are in the hospital for two to five days.
15.What are the risks associated with a Roux-en-Y procedure?
As with any surgery, there are risks such as bleeding, infection, or an adverse reaction to anaesthesia. Other risks include anastigmatic leakage, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, follow-up operations to correct complications, increased risk for gallstones and nutritional deficiencies such as anaemia. Your surgeon will inform you of the risks prior to surgery.
16.What should I watch out for?
Be sure to call your doctor if any of the following symptoms appear:
• Fever
• Worsening pain
• Redness or swelling around the incision
• The incision is warm to the touch
• Drainage from the incision
17.Will there be scar(s)?
The incisions should heal well, leaving small discrete scars.
18.When can I expect to return to work and/or resume normal activities?
Light activity at home is encouraged after surgery. You can expect to return to normal daily activities, such as showering, and walking upstairs within a few days. If you are taking narcotic medications for pain, you should not drive.
19. What is the Bariatric Surgery recovery process?
Most people typically stay in the hospital for a few days or less after gastric bypass surgery. Some may need to stay four to five days. Your doctor will approve your discharge home once the following is true for you:
- You can move without too much discomfort.
- You can eat liquid and/or pureed food without vomiting.
- You no longer require pain medication given by injection.
Other recommendations you should follow:
- Once you are eating solid food, remember to chew each bite very slowly and thoroughly.
- Eat small meals frequently throughout the day, rather than large meals that your stomach cannot accommodate. Your new stomach won’t be able to handle both solid food and fluids at the same time. So, you should separate fluid and food intake by at least 30 minutes and only sip what you are drinking.
- Avoid high fat, high sugar foods and alcohol.
- Resume physical activity six weeks after the operation. Once you are fully recovered, you should strive for daily physical activity to maintain weight loss after the surgery.
- Seek social support from others who have undergone weight loss surgery.