After undergoing gastric bypass surgery, you will usually be kept in the hospital for three days but in rare cases it could take almost a week. While there are minor complications that could arise following surgery which can extend a hospital stay (such as an ulcer, digestive issue or wound infection), most gastric bypass patients are able to leave the hospital within a week of undergoing their surgery.

During the initial recovery period – that first 24 hours – you will have particular guidelines to follow in order to recover quickly and safely. Here are some things you can expect to occur during this time:

· Limited liquids to start. Following surgery, you should slowly introduce small sips of clear liquids (no more than 4 ounces per hour) and build up to 48 to 64 ounces over the course of the day. If you do not experience any nausea, vomiting or pain, you also can add such things as unsweetened fruit juices, clear broths, sugar-free popsicles, decaffeinated and unsweetened herbal teas, and clear liquid protein drinks.

· Food restriction. For the first 10 days or so, you are not allowed to eat so that your stomach can heal from the operation. After that time, a regimen will be put in place to gradually introduce pureed food and eventually solids into your diet.

· Sensitivity to beverage temperature and texture. Early in the recovery period, it is recommended that you avoid extremely cold and hot drinks, including coffee which can act as an irritant to both your stomach and esophagus and dehydrate you quickly. You’ll also want to stay away from carbonated beverages and the use of straws, both of which can cause unnecessary bloating and painful gas.

· Potential to experience “Dumping Syndrome.” Whenever gastric bypass patients consume foods or beverages that are high in fat or sugar content, they may find themselves experiencing feelings of nausea, vomiting, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, sweating or fatigue of some kind. This is known as “Dumping Syndrome” and results when undigested foods and liquids exit the stomach too quickly because of a high concentration of sugar or fat content, a condition that will remain a warning signal throughout the weight loss journey for gastric bypass patients. It may make its first appearance at this time, particularly if sweetened juices or teas are mistakenly consumed instead of unsweetened.