Side Effects Overview

Potential Complications

Rare and short-term risks of bariatric surgery include:

• Infection
• Excessive bleeding
• Anesthesia reactions
• Breathing problems
• Blood clots
• Gastrointestinal leaks
• Dehydration
• Moderate swelling, bruising, or pain
• Weakness or fatigue
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Temporary hair loss

In most cases, side effects are uncomfortable or unpleasant but not serious enough to endanger patients. However, if any of these symptoms become severe, patients should alert their doctor immediately.

Managing Common Side Effects

Of the many side effects a bariatric patient can experience, the three seen most often are nausea and vomiting, dehydration, constipation, and diarrhea. While these conditions are typically not dangerous for a short duration, they can easily become so over a long period of time.

• Adjust Eating Habits – To avoid vomiting, you will need to develop healthy habits and adjust how you eat. For example, you will need to chew thoroughly before swallowing to reduce stress on your digestive system and keep your food moist. It is also helpful to stop halfway through a meal. This gives your system a chance to begin digesting without overloading. If you are still hungry afterward, you can always eat more. Most importantly of all, though, patients should stick to their post-surgery diet as closely as possible.
• Dehydration – With limited space in the stomach, it is often difficult to consume sufficient liquids. Because water plays such an important role in our body, the effects of dehydration can be catastrophic: not only can it lead to bladder or kidney infections, it can leave patients weak, dizzy, and confused. If you are experiencing lower back pain or notice deep yellow or amber urine, you may be dehydrated. Fortunately, there are a number of simple ways to ease this discomfort. The average person needs at least 1.5 to 2 liters of water a day – about four bottles’ worth. If nausea makes drinking difficult, sucking on ice cubes can also be beneficial. However, patients should avoid drinking caffeinated beverages altogether.
• Nausea and Vomiting – More often than not, these two side effects are connected. They are usually triggered by an increased sensitivity to odors, dehydration, a failure to recognize when you are full, eating too quickly, not chewing properly,  or even simply eating foods that do not agree with you.
• Diarrhea and Constipation – Because your digestive system undergoes drastic changes, it can take your body a considerable amount of time to adjust after bariatric surgery. On the one hand, an altered diet and reduced caloric intake can cause patients to experience fewer bowel movements, which can make them more prone to constipation. But on the other hand, eating fatty or sugary foods can easily upset the stomach and cause diarrhea. Unfortunately, both side effects are particularly common. Patients should only become concerned if an individual episode lasts more than two days.