ercent of the patients. This surgery, like all others, can have some side effects. About thirtypercent of gastric exclusion patients develop gallstones. If gallbladder diseaseis found before or during the operation, it will be removed. If the gallbladderis not removed, and gallstones form, it will be removed through lapaeroscopicsurgery.Following the surgery the patient should only drink liquids andgradually build up to soft solids. Depending how severe the surgery was, thepatient will not be able to eat very much. Eventually the amount the stomachcan hold will increase, then stop after several weeks. For the first two to threeweeks the patient should not drink any citrus juices,diluted, unsweetenedapple or grape juice are the only juices that should be drunk. The patientshould never eat a food with added sugar, or sugar listed as one of the threemain ingredients this would cause nausea and clamminess.After the surgery there should not be too much strenuous activity. Thepatient can, and should, start walking right after the procedure, pushingherself a little more each time. By the next visit with the doctor, which wouldbe about three weeks after the operation, she should be able to walk a fullmile in fifteen to twenty minutes. The patient can return to work as soon asshe feels ready, but avoiding anything that puts stress on the wound. Thereshould be no driving for several days, and then the patient should start withlittle trips. The one rule of thumb is " If it hurts, don't do it".As stated in the beginning only those who are morbidly obese, andhave answered the four questions "yes" should consider this operation.People who want to quickly take off ten to twenty pounds should NOT. Ifthese people have the money to pay for an operation like this, they have themoney to join a gym, or hire a personal trainer....
