Your Medications After Weight Loss Surgery

Your pain management medication might be in the form of a local anesthetic that can be administered in the surgical area, such as around the incision.

You may need narcotic medications to manage your pain. You may also cont inue your maintenance medications, such as for high blood pressure or high cholesterol, but the need for these medications will be monitored, and sometime after surgery your doctor may decide to change them.

Because nutritional deficiencies may occur after certain weight loss surgeries, you may be monitored for low levels of iron, calcium, folate and vitamin B-12, and you may need to take supplements. This pertains specifically to Roux-en-
Y gastric bypass, biliopancreatic diversion and duodenal switch.

If you are a woman of child-bearing age, you may be advised to use birth control for 18 to 24 months postsurgery.

Physicians advise against pregnancy during the period of maximum weight loss, due to intrauterine restrictions and possible nutritional deficiencies. You will be able to get pregnant sooner after surgery if you have a gastric band operation, because weight loss tends to be more gradual, without the risk of nutritional deficiencies.

Regardless of the operation you have, multivitamins with iron, folate and B-12 are imperative during pregnancy.