Preparing for Bariatric Surgery at Alexian Advanced Weight Solutions

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Taking all of the appropriate steps to prepare for your weight loss surgery is important to help ensure the success of the procedure. In addition to the details below, you will want to review the information about hospitalization for more information on preparing yourself for surgery. 

One month before surgery 

At least one month before surgery, stop taking birth control pills and hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. If you are taking any other medications, contact your prescribing physician to let them know of your impending surgery and that pills you currently take will have to be crushed or consumed in liquid form for the first month. That physician will need to provide you with the appropriate prescriptions before surgery.

Pre-admission Registration/ Pre-surgical Testing 

In the weeks before your surgery, the hospital pre-admission office will contact you by telephone before your admission to obtain pre-registration information. The pre-admitting office will verify your personal information and insurance coverage. If you have questions about your insurance coverage, or financial obligations, you should discuss them with the hospital representative at this time.

After your paperwork is done, you will be asked to go to the Day Surgery department. Here you will have your pre-operative lab work and other testing done. You will also spend time with one of our pre-admitting nurses who will interview you about your health history, give you information about the day of surgery, and answer any other questions you may have.

You will be told by the nurse in pre-admitting when you should report to the hospital on the day of surgery. 

Ten days before surgery 

Ten days before surgery, stop all medications which contain aspirin or anti-inflammatory agents such as: Bufferin, Advil, Aleve, Motrin, or Nuprin. A list of these restricted medications will be mailed to you once your surgery is scheduled. It is important to remember that you can no longer take any anti-inflammatory medication after surgery due to an increased risk of ulcers. Coated aspirin is acceptable. Please note some anti-inflammatory medication may not be listed. If you have any questions about your medication, call The Kane Center at (847) 255-9697.

If you take anticoagulants that help prevent blood clots or other special medication, be sure to discuss these with someone in our office ahead of time so that plans can be made to withdraw you from these medications prior to surgery. 

Eight days before surgery 

Start consuming your Impact Advanced Recovery Shakes. Follow instructions supplied by our office.

One week before surgery 

In the week before surgery, try to exercise for about 20 minutes each day. Practice deep breathing and coughing which will make it much easier to do both after your operation. Practice the breathing exercise like this:

• Take a deep breath and try to fill your lungs completely.
• Hold it for 3 seconds, then exhale forcefully while pursing your lips tightly as if you were blowing out a candle. Keep exhaling until your lungs are completely and totally empty.
• Take another deep, deep breath and repeat.

Practice coughing by taking a deep breath and then building up pressure in your chest before coughing forcefully. If you smoke, it is important that you stop smoking one month before surgery; this will greatly decrease potential respiratory complications after surgery. 

The day before surgery 

Start the Bowel Preparation. It's very important that your stomach and bowel be empty of food residue at the time of surgery. You must stop all intake of fluids and food beginning at midnight the day of your operation. Anesthesia cannot be administered if there is food or fluid present in the stomach. Any intake of food or fluids after midnight will cause your operation to be delayed or rescheduled.

The Kane Center will mail an information sheet to you with instructions on how to complete the bowel preparation. The bowel preparation is very important. Please follow the directions carefully. 

The day of surgery 

If your operation is the first of the day, you may need to reach the hospital very early in the morning. If your operation follows another, it is not possible to know exactly when it will begin, but you will be given an approximate time. You may want to bring a book or something to do should you need to wait.