• Beginning one month before surgery, stop smoking! If you do not stop smoking, your surgery will be delayed or cancelled.
• Beginning one week before surgery, do not take any aspirin, herbal medications, or NSAIDS (Celebrex, Aleve, Mobic, Motrin, naproxen). Tylenol is safe for pain.
• To get ready for your exercise program following surgery, look around for a gym or exercise facility that will allow you to walk on a track or treadmill, or drive your car to define a mile walking course. After you recover from surgery you will need to walk one to two miles two to three times a week. Use your pedometer and strive for 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day.
• Sample and purchase a variety of high protein beverages -- there are many possibilities, so taste and decide. Also get some sugar-free popsicles.
• Beginning one week before surgery, change your diet to the one below. This diet will help shrink your liver and make surgery safer. It will also introduce you to what the typical postoperative diet is like:
  • Eat more high protein, low fat foods: Lean meats, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, low fat cheese, light yogurt, skim milk, cottage cheese, tofu, beans/lentils.
  • Eat less than four servings per day of these high carbohydrate foods (one serving = ½ cup or one piece of fresh fruit or bread): Fruit/fruit juice, breads, pasta, crackers, cereal, rice, potatoes.
  • Avoid sugary foods and beverages, desserts and candy.
  • Limit these high fat foods and condiments: Butter/margarine, oils, salad dressing, sour cream, mayonnaise, cream, gravy, cream cheese, chips, high fat meats, bacon, sausage, fried foods, desserts.
• On the morning of the day before surgery, begin a clear liquid diet. Also drink one bottle of Magnesium Citrate (Citrate of Magnesia). This is a fairly strong laxative and will work within 4 to 8 hours.
• On the night before surgery, take a long shower or bath and clean your abdomen three to four times with soap and water. Pay special attention to cleaning your belly button area -- use a Q-tip.
• Do not eat anything after midnight the evening before surgery. You may take those medications “okayed” by anesthesia with sips of water as needed.
• If you use a CPAP machine, bring it with you to the hospital. You will use it following surgery.
• Pack a comfortable robe for use in the hospital.

Patient Manual Index

• Introduction
• Questions to Ask Your Insurance Company
• Your Health Care Team
• Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
• Lap-Band Procedure
• Path to Surgery
• The First Clinic Visit
• The Second Clinic Visit
• The Third Clinic Visit
• Preparation Instructions for Surgery
• Day of Surgery and Postoperative Stay
• Hospital Course Following a Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
• Hospital Course Following a Lap-Band Procedure
• Post Surgery Follow-up Care
• Potential Complications of Roux-en-Y Bypass Surgery