Weight loss surgery is only part of your journey to a healthier weight, but our work isn’t over once you’ve been discharged from the surgery center. We offer all of our patients follow-up appointments and physician consultations at different intervals after their weight loss surgery has been performed because we believe these follow-up appointments are imperative to helping you achieve your ultimate weight loss goals. In today’s blog, we share some of the reasons why we feel these follow-up appointments are so important after weight loss surgery, and how you can get the most out of these appointments.
The Importance Of Follow-Up Appointments After Weight Loss Surgery
Follow-up appointments are important and beneficial for the patient in a multitude of ways after their weight loss procedure. Here’s why:
- Keeps You On Track – You still need to put in the work on your end in order to get the most out of your weight loss procedure. These follow-up appointments allow you to connect with your care team, go over your progress and talk about ways to improve your lifestyle to spur even more weight loss.
- Make Sure The Surgery Recovery Goes As Expected – Your medical team will also be able to take a look at your vitals and your surgical site and make sure your recovery is progressing as planned.
- Accountability – Studies have shown that patients are more likely to stick with positive lifestyle changes if they know that they’ll be seeing a physician in the near future. Knowing that you’re going to be meeting with your physician six weeks after your surgery will help to motivate you to continue working towards a healthy weight. You’re more likely to hold yourself accountable for your dietary and exercise choices if you know you’ll be seeing a specialist in the coming days.
- Nutritional Deficiencies – Because you’ll likely be eating less in the wake of your weight loss surgery, it can be helpful to have a physician keep an eye out for nutritional deficiencies. Blood tests or food questionnaires can help to pinpoint potential problems like Vitamin D deficiencies or a lack of fiber in your diet, which can contribute to other gastrointestinal issues. These follow-up appointments are vital for keeping an eye on potential nutritional issues that can develop after bariatric surgery.
- Questions Answered – And finally, these follow-up appointments provide the perfect opportunity for the patient to ask questions and get answers from their care team if they’ve run into any issues during the course of their recovery. You can ask questions about things you’ve experienced, what to expect in the future, or the best ways to set and work towards attainable goals. In order to get the most out of these appointments, your physician can’t be the only one talking. You need to ask questions!
For more information about follow-up appointments after weight loss surgery, or to talk to a team who is dedicated to helping see your weight loss journey through until the end, reach out to the team at the Bhatti Weight Loss Center today.
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