Managing anxiety before bariatric surgery, like any surgical procedure, is crucial for your overall well-being and the success of the surgery. Here are some specific tips to help you cope with anxiety before your Tonic bariatric surgery:
- Educate Yourself: Learn about the bariatric surgery procedure you’ll be undergoing, including the risks, benefits, and expected outcomes. Knowing what to expect can reduce anxiety. Tonic are here to help and will help you through the whole process.
- Consult Your Tonic Team: Have open and honest discussions with your surgeon, dietitian, and other healthcare professionals involved in your care. They can provide personalised information and address your concerns.
- Support System: Lean on your friends and family for emotional support. Join our Tonic bariatric surgery support group to connect with others who have gone through similar experiences.
- Pre-Surgery Diet: Follow your pre-surgery diet instructions carefully. This will not only help prepare your body for the surgery but also give you a sense of control and accomplishment.
- Mental Health Support: If you have a history of anxiety or depression, consider speaking with our Tonic pyschologist. They can help you manage your mental health leading up to and after the surgery.
- Prepare Your Home: Ensure your home is ready for your post-surgery needs. Stock up on recommended kiquids, prepare comfortable resting areas, and have all necessary items within easy reach.
- Stay Active: Gentle physical activities like walking can help reduce anxiety. Consult with the Tonic PT Harry to determine safe exercises before surgery.
- Breathing and Relaxation Techniques: Practice deep breathing and relaxation exercises to help calm your nerves. These techniques can be particularly useful when you’re feeling anxious. Maybe try downloading an app such as “Calm”.
- Nutritional Education: Continue to educate yourself about post-surgery nutrition. Understanding the dietary changes you’ll need to make can help you feel more in control.
- Set Realistic Expectations: Understand that bariatric surgery is a tool for weight loss, but it still requires effort and lifestyle changes on your part. Set realistic expectations for your post-surgery journey.
- Visualise Success: Visualise a healthier, happier you after the surgery. Use positive visualisation techniques to reduce anxiety and stay motivated.
- Stay Hydrated and Eat Well: Follow your pre-surgery dietary guidelines to ensure your body is in the best possible condition for surgery.
- Distraction: Keep yourself busy with activities and hobbies that you enjoy. Engaging in positive distractions can take your mind off anxiety.
- Stay Informed About Anesthesia: If you’re concerned about anesthesia, discuss your fears with the anesthesiologist. They can provide reassurance and address your questions.
- Post-Surgery Plan: Make sure you have a clear post-surgery plan in place, including a schedule for follow-up appointments, dietary guidelines, and support from your healthcare team.
- Journaling: Consider keeping a journal to record your thoughts, feelings, and progress throughout your pre-surgery and post-surgery journey.
- Prepare for Lifestyle Changes: Recognise that bariatric surgery will necessitate significant lifestyle changes. Be ready to embrace and adapt to these changes.
- Stay Positive: Surround yourself with positive influences and avoid negative or stressful situations. Positivity can significantly impact your mental state.
Remember that bariatric surgery is a significant step towards improved health, but it’s just one part of your weight loss journey. Preparing physically and mentally, having a support system, and staying informed can help you manage anxiety and increase your chances of a successful outcome. Always consult with our Tonic Clinic team for guidance tailored to your specific needs.
We pride ourselves in providing one of the most comprehensive support packages around you after your procedure. Weight loss surgery itself is simply a tool to help you lose weight. Our aftercare team work with you to make sure this is as effective as possible in your weight loss journey. Tonic are one of the only providers to offer a Premium 5 Year Aftercare service to ensure you get the results you desire and deserve from your procedure.
Personal Trainer
Our lifestyle & fitness coaches will get you moving. They will integrate fitness into your life and teach you different techniques about how to continue in a positive, healthy manner post weight loss surgery.
Personal Dietitian
• Learn to eat regular meals and healthy snacks
• Measure and control food portions
• Use the skill of self-monitoring by completing a food diary to help identify unhelpful eating habits
• Use mobile apps to measure the calorie content of foods
• Offer individually tailored dietary advice, e.g. gluten-free, low lactose, vegetarian
• Help you develop skills for both weight loss and keeping weight off in the long term.
Post operatively, they will guide you through the eating stages and check that you are taking your supplements.
Private Psychotherapist
Our psychotherapists look after your mental well-being as you embark on this journey. They will help you to identify your strengths and weaknesses, look at your eating patterns past and present and prepare you for the changes you will need to make. You may have questions that the psychotherapists can help you with if you have any anxiety. Our psychotherapists can teach you different techniques to help you cope with different kinds of situations.
On-Call Nurse
The specialist bariatric nurse will support and advise you before your surgery. They will discuss what to expect during your hospital stay, the surgery, the healing process and medications. After your surgery, the specialist nurse will ring you to check on your progress. They will advise and support throughout the initial few days after your surgery and will encourage, reassure, answer questions, and help you return to your normal activities.
Tonic Toolkit
Our Toolkit is designed around patients post surgery. The Toolkit includes a bariatric plate to help you manage portions, a resistance training band, a water bottle, a restaurant card, a cutlery set, bariatric vitamins, Tonic protein powder, a Tonic tape measure and more. Find out more here
Bariatric Surgeon Follow-Up Review
Clinical appointments with the surgeon continue for 5 years post treatment. We hear how non-Tonic patients can feel left out in the cold after surgery with little or no help and nowhere to turn to. Here at Tonic, we go above and beyond to make sure you are treated as one of the family and supported along your journey.
