Preparing for a Duodenal Switch

Preparation for a Duodenal Switch is often as important as the surgery itself, you will need to ensure you have support from your family and your clinic, You will of course not need to prepare alone your specialist team should consist of a surgeon, specialist nurses, a dietician and access to a psychologist amongst other specialist help. Each member of the team will have a different responsibility, and will of course ensure your full preparation prior to you entering surgery; this is to influence your success and safety throughout the procedure.

How Will I Prepare?

You will need to demonstrate that you are ready for a life altering procedure; you should demonstrate that you will have the motivation and determination to change. You will need to follow a strict diet and exercise regime once your procedure has been completed and you will be assessed as to whether you are ready to adapt to this type of life. Once you have been accepted for surgery you will be required to not smoke for 30 days prior to the procedure, within the 48 hours before the operation you will not be allowed to drink alcohol, and you will also be required to lose a specific amount of weight. Usually you will be asked to lose around 5 to 10% of your excess weight through diet and exercise; you will however receive assistance with this.

Medical examinations

You will need to ensure that you are completely honest with your doctor and specialist team throughout with regards to your medical history and any problems you may have. This will ensure your safety throughout as well as determining your success rate for the procedure. You will be required to have regular blood tests, as well as certain medical examinations. You will need to have an upper endoscopy exam, where a tube is placed down the oesophagus; this will show that you are healthy before surgery, and that no tumours or ulcers currently exist within the stomach.


Support

Throughout the procedure you will be supported by a specialist team from the clinic your procedure will be taking place at, this team will consist of a dietician, specialist nurses, and a surgeon, you will also have access to a psychologist. Each member of the team will provide you with support in different ways, the surgeon will of course assist with any questions you have regarding the procedure and how you should prepare effectively for this part. The specialist nurses will offer you assistance medically, and will ensure your suitability for the procedure with medical issues at the forefront of their minds. The dietician will assist you with adapting your diet; they will help you draw up a plan which you will need to follow prior to the surgery, as you will need to lose between 5 and 10% of your excess body weight. The psychologist will help you with and personal issues you may have, they are there to listen to you and to guide you through the procedure as easily as possible, they will help you with the stress of the change in lifestyle and weight. This team will be on hand prior to and after the surgery, and are there to keep you safe and feeling confident throughout. You should also seek support from your family and friends, amongst others they know you the best, and you will need help with preparing for surgery from them, if you have a tight support group surrounding you, the surgery and the overall experience will be as comfortable and successful as possible.


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