Post-Surgery Life
The Options program was designed to provide support and resources long term. Whether you had surgery recently or many years ago, we are here for you. Explore the tools and resources at every stage below.
Recovery Phase (First Few Days and Months After Surgery)
What to Expect and Possible Struggles
The first few days after surgery can be overwhelming. You’ll be recovering from major surgery and adjusting to a new way of eating and drinking.
Check out our post-surgery quick reference guide (English PDF) / (Spanish PDF) for tips for those first few days and weeks of recovering, including:
- Tips to prepare your home
- Tips to prepare for your hospital stay
- Tips before you leave the hospital
- Tips immediately after surgery
Reminders, Tips, and Resources
Stay hydrated.
Dehydration is the number one reason for hospital readmission after metabolic and bariatric surgery.
Tip: For tips and suggestions on staying hydrated, check out pages 64 to 65 of the Options Workshop Guide.
Go to all your follow-up appointments to help your care team monitor your recovery.
Tip: Contact your health care team if you aren’t sure when your follow-up appointments are scheduled.
Follow the post-surgery meal plan designed to support your recovery.
During this phase, you will be slowly moving through stages 1 through 3 of the post-surgery meal plan (clear liquids through pureed foods).
Tip: Use the Post-Surgery Meal Plan as your guide.
Tip: Check out stage 1 recipes.
Make sure to take your vitamin and mineral supplements as recommended.
Tip: Follow the Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Guide.
Find a movement routine that you enjoy and can keep up.
Tip: Explore some simple exercise videos.
Learn how to prevent and manage side effects and complications.
Tip: Explore the Side Effects and Complications Tool.
Tip: Bring the Medical Alert Wallet Card to your next doctor’s appointment to help alert health care professionals to your needs.
Consider attending a Kaiser Permanente support group to continue building skills, learning from peers, and getting the support you need.
Tip: Check out the Support Groups to find one that works for you.
Honeymoon Phase (3 Months to 1 Year After Surgery)
What to Expect and Possible Struggles
As you continue to recover and adjust to life after metabolic and bariatric surgery, it’s important to stay on top of your nutrition, physical activity, and mental health and wellness. During this time, you are often losing weight and getting used to a new lifestyle.
While this can be an exciting time, some people report struggling with different issues, including:
- Complications or side effects from surgery
- Adjustments to new or existing medications
- Adjustments to a new meal plan for different activity levels
- Fears around eating or food in general
- Struggles with body image
Check out the member stories to hear about and learn from the experiences of others, and explore the reminders and resources available to support you during this time below.
Never hesitate to reach out to your care team if you need support.
Reminders, Tips, and Resources
Go to all your follow-up appointments to help your care team monitor your recovery.
Tip: Contact your health care team if you aren’t sure when your follow-up appointments are scheduled.
Follow the post-surgery meal plan designed to support your recovery.
During this phase, you will be moving through stages 4 through 7 of the post-surgery meal plans. Slowly reintroducing foods is key. You should not move to the next stage of the meal plan until you are tolerating everything well in your current stage.
Tip: Use the Post-Surgery Meal Plan as your guide.
Tip: Check out recipes specific to your stage.
Make sure to take your vitamin and mineral supplements as recommended.
Tip: Follow the Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Guide.
Tip: If you are struggling with your vitamins and minerals, reach out to your care team. We can work with you to find alternatives.
Find a movement routine that you enjoy and can keep up.
Tip: Explore some simple exercise videos.
Learn how to prevent and manage side effects and complications.
Tip: Explore the Side Effects and Complications Tool.
Tip: Bring the Medical Alert Wallet Card to your next doctor’s appointment to help alert health care professionals to your needs.
Consider attending a Kaiser Permanente support group to continue building skills, learning from peers, and getting the support you need.
Tip: Check out the Support Groups to find one that works for you.
1 to 2 Years After Surgery
What to Expect and Possible Struggles
At about 1 to 2 years, you will likely enter a maintenance phase when you will be focusing on staying healthy and maintaining weight loss.
Some people report struggling with issues, including:
- Adjusting to a new body image
- Regaining some weight
- Feeling anxious about eating
- Experimenting with caution foods, such as alcohol or caffeine (while it may initially feel OK, it’s important to be aware of these behaviors because they can cause complications down the road)
During this time, it is also important to make sure you have set realistic expectations when it comes to weight loss. People often have a goal weight that may or may not be realistic. Expected weight loss after surgery depends on many factors, including nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and mental health and wellness. A successful surgery gets you to a weight you can maintain with realistic lifestyle changes.
Reminders, Tips, and Resources
If you are struggling with any issues like weight regain, depression, medication issues, or unexpected side effects, reach out to your care team as soon as possible.
Behavior change is a lifelong journey and your care team is here to support you.
Tip: If you notice old habits creeping in, try tracking for a few days to identify patterns and get back on track. Use the Lifestyle Log designed for post-surgery patients.
Tip: Go to all your follow-up appointments to help your care team monitor your recovery.
Follow the post-surgery meal plan designed to support your recovery.
During this phase, you will be in stage 8, healthy meal plan for life.
Tip: Use the Post-Surgery Meal Plan as your guide.
Tip: Check out recipes specific to stage 8.
Tip: Use the Dining Out Wallet Card to guide your choices when eating out.
Make sure to take your vitamin and mineral supplements as recommended.
Tip: Follow the Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Guide.
Tip: If you are struggling with your vitamins and minerals, reach out to your care team. We can work with you to find alternatives.
Find a movement routine that you enjoy and can keep up.
Tip: Explore some simple exercise videos.
Consider attending a Kaiser Permanente support group to continue building skills, learning from peers, and getting the support you need.
Tip: Check out the Support Groups to find one that works for you.
Other tools and resources available to you:
Wellness Coaching by Phone:
Self-care wellness apps (available to Kaiser Permanente members):
Programs and wellness tools at the Center for Healthy Living:
Bring the Medical Alert Wallet Card to your next doctor’s appointment to help alert health care professionals to your needs:
2 to 4 Years After Surgery
What to Expect and Possible Struggles
By 2 to 4 years after surgery, you have settled into a new post-surgery life. At this time, some people may start to consider family planning and pregnancy because they are safely 18 to 24 months post-surgery. Some people are also considering excess skin removal surgery.
Some people report struggling with issues, including:
- Regaining weight
- Old habits returning (like drinking alcohol) that may be cause for concern
- Hormonal effects of surgery decreasing and feeling hungrier
- Life events that happen and get you off track
Reminders, Tips, and Resources
If you are struggling with any issues like weight regain, depression, medication issues, or unexpected side effects, reach out to your care team as soon as possible.
Behavior change is a lifelong journey and your care team is here to support you.
Tip: If you notice old habits creeping in, try tracking for a few days to identify patterns and get back on track. Use the Lifestyle Log designed for post-surgery patients.
Tip: If you notice yourself falling off track with your post-surgery routines, use the Relapse First Aid Kit to help you do something that gets you back on track right away.
Tip: Go to all your follow-up appointments to help your care team monitor your recovery.
Follow the post-surgery meal plan designed to support your recovery.
During this phase, you will be in stage 8, healthy meal plan for life.
Tip: Use the Post-Surgery Meal Plan as your guide.
Tip: Check out recipes specific to stage 8.
Tip: Use the Dining Out Wallet Card to guide your choices when eating out.
Make sure to take your vitamin and mineral supplements as recommended.
Tip: Follow the Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Guide.
Tip: If you are struggling with your vitamins and minerals, reach out to your care team. We can work with you to find alternatives.
Find a movement routine that you enjoy and can keep up.
Tip: Explore some simple exercise videos.
Consider attending a Kaiser Permanente support group or trying Wellness Coaching by Phone to continue building skills, learning from peers, and getting the support you need.
Tip: Check out the Support Groups to find one that works for you.
Other tools and resources available to you:
Self-care wellness apps (available to Kaiser Permanente members):
Programs and wellness tools at the Center for Healthy Living:
Bring the Medical Alert Wallet Card to your next doctor’s appointment to help alert health care professionals to your needs:
5+ Years After Surgery
What to Expect and Possible Struggles
At 5 or more years after surgery, your care team is still here to support you. At this point, many people report fully adjusting to post-surgery life. However, some people report struggling with issues, including:
- Vitamin and mineral deficiencies if they forget to take their vitamin and minerals
- Weight regain and feeling like they have failed
- Old habits returning (like drinking alcohol) that may be cause for concern
Reminders, Tips, and Resources
If you are struggling with any issues like weight regain, depression, medication issues, or unexpected side effects, reach out to your care team as soon as possible.
Behavior change is a lifelong journey and your care team is here to support you.
Tip: If you notice old habits creeping in, try tracking for a few days to identify patterns and get back on track. Use the Lifestyle Log designed for post-surgery patients.
Tip: Go to all your follow-up appointments to help your care team monitor your recovery.
Follow the post-surgery meal plan designed to support your recovery.
During this phase, you will be in stage 8, healthy meal plan for life.
Tip: Use the Post-Surgery Meal Plan as your guide.
Tip: Check out recipes specific to stage 8.
Tip: Use the Dining Out Wallet Card to guide your choices when eating out.
Make sure to take your vitamin and mineral supplements as recommended.
Tip: Follow the Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Guide.
Tip: If you are struggling with your vitamins and minerals, reach out to your care team. We can work with you to find alternatives.
Find a movement routine that you enjoy and can keep up.
Tip: Explore some simple exercise videos.
Consider attending a Kaiser Permanente support group or trying Wellness Coaching by Phone to continue building skills, learning from peers, and getting the support you need.
Tip: Check out the Support Groups to find one that works for you.
Other tools and resources available to you:
Self-care wellness apps (available to Kaiser Permanente members):
Programs and wellness tools at the Center for Healthy Living:
Bring the Medical Alert Wallet Card to your next doctor’s appointment to help alert health care professionals to your needs: