A Gastric Bypass is a surgery performed under general anesthesia. Therefore, your body does need time to recover. How long you need, is different for each person. On average, it takes 3 to 6 weeks. Make sure you are extra careful during your recovery, being sure to avoid heavy lifting or sports. Wait for the first few days after your operation to pass before driving and cycling. Swallowing often hurts in the beginning. Therefore, eat only liquid food for the first 2 weeks. Your Health Care Professional will tell you more about recovery after your surgery.

As a result of eating less food following Gastric Bypass surgery, it may be difficult to achieve a healthy and balanced diet. The absorption of certain vitamins and minerals is impacted because the first part of the small intestine (the duodenum) and a piece of the second part of the small intestine (fasting colon) is closed off from food. Because no food passes through this part of the small intestine, no vitamins and minerals are absorbed there either. It is typically in the small intestine where nutrient absorption happens most efficiently. In addition, food intolerance can occur after weight loss surgery. Especially for meat, dairy products, bread and pasta. Red meat is an important source of protein, vitamin B12 and iron. And milk and yogurt are a great source of calcium. However, food intolerance is common after a gastric bypass, which may make it difficult to digest these foods and absorb the nutrients from them. While we aspire to consistently eat a healthy and balanced diet, post-gastric bypass surgery evidence suggests this may be difficult to achieve. Vitamin and mineral supplements can bridge dietary gaps, ensuring nutritional deficiency is prevented.