Transcription:
What to Expect After Weight Loss Surgery

Intro: This is BayCare HealthChat, another podcast from BayCare Health System.

Deborah Howell (Host): Welcome to BayCare HealthChat. I'm Deborah Howell. And a lot of people are considering weight loss surgery these days, but it's not something to rush into before you do some research. Today, let's get some help understanding what to expect after weight loss surgery. I'm joined by Cindy Campione, the patient access representative at the Metabolic and Bariatric Center at St. Anthony's Hospital. Cindy, it's so great to have you with us today.

Cindy Campione: Deborah, thank you so much for having me. I'm thrilled to be here with us today.

Deborah Howell (Host): Well, it's all our pleasure. Let's dive right into maybe the biggest question of all. What is the expected recovery time for people having bariatric surgery?

Cindy Campione: The recovery time varies from person to person. My personal experience is that I returned to work in three weeks with no problems at all. I do know of other patients who have returned to work at a desk job in as little as a week, sometimes even four days. But for myself, I took three weeks off and I could have come back to work in two weeks with no problems.

Deborah Howell (Host): Wow. That's pretty amazing. All right. Since you've been there, let's talk about nutrition and diet before and after the surgery.

Cindy Campione: Well, I have to tell you that my personal experience is that my nutrition and diet prior to my surgery was I had been on every diet and nutrition plan that is out there. I tried everything and while I had really good nutrition, my diet was poor because I overate and probably overate the wrong things.

But once I started this program with BayCare, I had a number of visits with our bariatric dietitian who was a registered dietitian and also a certified diabetes educator. The registered dietitians here at BayCare help you to create the right food plan for yourself before your bariatric surgery, so you can be as healthy as possible before your surgery, and then walk you through your diet and nutrition plan every step of the way after your surgery, as you rebuild your eating habits. They hold your hand. It's amazing.

Deborah Howell (Host): Wow. You spoke a little bit about follow up. How often does a patient follow up with medical staff after the surgery?

Cindy Campione: Well, between the surgeon's office and the Metabolic and Bariatric Centers at BayCare, it's what the patient needs, but we recommend that the patient comes back and sees the bariatric dietitian several times in the first year after surgery. Those visits many times can be done virtually or on a telephone, or they can come in and do a face-to-face visit. It's very helpful as you reintroduce other foods into your diet after your surgery and it works. It helps you continue to lose weight, to stay healthy, to keep your energy level up while you lose weight.

Deborah Howell (Host): Sure. And energy is all when you're going through something like this.

Cindy Campione: Absolutely.

Deborah Howell (Host): Which brings me to my next question. It's kind of an important one. What does an exercise program look like after weight loss surgery?

Cindy Campione: After your weight loss surgery, we have an exercise fitness specialist at BayCare who helps you create a plan. Many people after surgery stay out of the gym for four to six weeks, and then start getting back into the gym or getting back into exercise, but walking is recommended immediately after surgery. Since the surgery is a laparoscopic surgery, which means it's not a huge incision, you are up walking in the hospital just a few hours after surgery. And the more you walk, the better you feel. Your energy level comes back so quickly after this surgery and just gets higher and higher as you get healthier and healthier.

Deborah Howell (Host): So, was your procedure in-hospital?

Cindy Campione: Yes. I had a laparoscopic gastric sleeve procedure at St. Anthony's Hospital. And I came into the hospital on Monday morning early and had my surgery late Monday morning. And I went home Tuesday about lunchtime.

Deborah Howell (Host): And how did you feel when you got home?

Cindy Campione: I was fine. There's some discomfort because any surgery, you have a little discomfort, but I did not have pain. I took Tylenol and I didn't have any trouble.

Deborah Howell (Host): Wow. That's fantastic.

Cindy Campione: I'm pretty good at this type of thing. Everyone's experience is different. But from our patients that come through our office, you know, we always check with them a few days after surgery. And from most of them, I hear, "Well, I thought this would be a lot worse, but it really wasn't."

Deborah Howell (Host): Good. And so then you're home. And as you said, you took three weeks off. What did you do during those three weeks?

Cindy Campione: I rested, I read, I watched television, watched Netflix.

Deborah Howell (Host): Okay. Love it.

Cindy Campione: Yeah. And I walked. And one of the most important things after bariatric surgery is liquid intake, you know, to sip your liquids, sip, sip, sip, and to get your protein and nutrition. And there's a lot of reading, a lot of things to learn and get excited for. And I also did some shopping online for new clothes because I was already losing weight. And so I was excited about that.

Deborah Howell (Host): That is definitely the good part, right? Okay. And if you don't mind my asking, how much weight did you lose?

Cindy Campione: I am one year postop. And at this moment in time, I have lost 75 pounds.

Deborah Howell (Host): Wow.

Cindy Campione: Now, I am a little older than some people. So, I might be losing a little more slowly than some. Everyone loses at their own rate. But for me, the 75 pounds has meant six sizes down in clothing. And it has also meant for me personally, I am not on the medications that I was on prior to my surgery.

Deborah Howell (Host): Beautiful.

Cindy Campione: And my doctor has taken me off all of my medications, even my blood pressure pill and for a lady of a certain age to not be on a blood pressure pill, that's pretty good. I still do have a little more weight to lose. I'd like to lose about another 25 pounds, and then I will look at where I am then and make a decision. But to be under 200 pounds and to be shopping in the regular women's clothing, in the missy clothing is almost overwhelming. It's a miracle and a blessing.

Deborah Howell (Host): Cindy, so, so happy for your success. Well done.

Cindy Campione: Thank you. There are so many of us that have the surgery, that experience, success that is like a miracle to us. It's not just a weight loss. It is a weight lifting emotionally and physically. It's a metabolic change in your body that allows you to move around more freely, have less pain. Get up and go, get down on the floor and look for that earring that I dropped that rolled under the dresser without going and getting a broom. It's pretty amazing.

Deborah Howell (Host): You know, also so much better for your joints and knees hips not to have the extra weight.

Cindy Campione: It is absolutely amazing. Before my surgery and before this weight loss, I really had a bad knee and I knew when it was going to rain several hours before the rain started. And now, it's a surprise when I look out the window and see that it's raining.

Deborah Howell (Host): Just delighted for you.

Cindy Campione: Like I said, for myself, it's been a miracle.

Deborah Howell (Host): Yeah. You know, sometimes people just need someone to talk to. Can you tell us some of the benefits of counseling and therapy to address food issues?

Cindy Campione: Absolutely, I can. I've been very lucky to have a really good psychologist that I found here through BayCare to talk to before my surgery. And I have continued to speak with her after my surgery on a semi-regular basis, just because I want to understand my food issues and overcome them. I feel that everyone could benefit from a good counselor in all areas of their life, not just food issues. But food issues run very deep. And many of our food issues begin when we're very young and we don't really understand them because they started when we were so young. But getting to the root of them makes a huge difference in your understanding of your body, your needs and how to take care of yourself.

Deborah Howell (Host): You put that so beautifully and it resonates with just about everybody I can think about, because you know, food is deep. It really is, as you said. And it's been really, really enlightening to talk to you, Cindy, about your experience. Is there anything else you'd like to add to our conversation?

Cindy Campione: I'd like to say this. I wish that I had known about this surgery and had this procedure done 30 years ago in my life. I am very happy with my life. I love my job. I love working for BayCare and I love working in the Metabolic and Bariatric Center. But I think back in my life opportunities that I did not go for, because I didn't think I could get them because I was heavy, job opportunities that they just flat out told me, "We're not going to hire you because we don't want a heavy girl at the front desk."

Deborah Howell (Host): Oh, my goodness.

Cindy Campione: Things like that. And taking care of my son, I couldn't keep up with him the way I would've liked to. And looking back the difference in my life, had I been healthy, it could have just made a huge difference. I don't have remorse and I'm not going to have regrets, but I look back and see what could have been. And I'm so happy for younger people who see that this is a good thing for them and go for it and have their success. So when they raise their children, they're able to get on the floor and play with them and chase after them and catch them.

Deborah Howell (Host): Yes.

Cindy Campione: Anything that we can do to make ourselves healthier helps us be happier, helps us live our lives, the way that we're supposed to live. And life is meant to be lived. It's not meant to sit at home on the couch, watching television. There's a lot of great things outside to do.

Deborah Howell (Host): Don't hold yourself back needlessly, right?

Cindy Campione: Absolutely. And I'm not going to say that having bariatric surgery is easy. We all have to work on ourselves. And self-work is the hardest work, but it's the most rewarding and it's a miracle.

Deborah Howell (Host): Oh, Cindy. Thank you so, so much for being on this podcast today. And I have a feeling that people are going to pick up the line and, you know, call BayCare. You know, it starts with information. It starts with a conversation, correct?

Cindy Campione: That's exactly right, Deborah. It starts with a conversation and we are here to talk them through it, walk them through it and it's their time and their journey. We can go as fast or as slow as they want. And if people just want information, we've got plenty of it to give.

Deborah Howell (Host): Cindy Campione, you're a wonderful guest. Thank you so much. And God speed for that last 25.

Cindy Campione: Thank you so much. God bless you, Deborah.

Deborah Howell (Host): To learn more about bariatric and all the services at BayCare, please visit BayCare.org. You'll find the phone number there as well. That wraps up this episode of BayCare HealthChat. Always remember to subscribe, rate, and review this podcast and all the other BayCare podcasts, so we can share the wealth of information from our experts together.

This is Deborah Howell. Have yourself a terrific day.