Congratulations! You are about to embark on a weight loss journey that will lead you to a happier, healthier you. We want to provide you with a guide on how to best prepare for your procedure, including diet and travel arrangements.
Before You Travel…
Grab your passport and start getting ready for your trip to Mexico. Make sure your passport is valid; if it’s expired, we recommend that you renew it prior to making your travel and surgery arrangements. Even though our patients are in charge of planning their own transportation to get to Monterrey, Mexico we can definitely assist each patient in finding the best option on how to get there.
As soon as you know how and when you plan to arrive in Monterrey, please provide this information to your patient coordinator. We need this information to confirm availability and make sure we allocate all the necessary resources for your treatment. Once we confirm availability and have all your appointments and reservations ready, we will provide you with a full detailed itinerary. In addition, we will provide you with your liquid diet guide and your pre-surgery instructions. We will support you throughout the entire process. We want to make sure this is a worry-free, hassle-free experience.
Pre-Operation Nutrition
Your nutrition plays an important role before and after your weight loss surgery. Prepare your body for weight loss surgery by eating a healthy diet rich in protein and low in sugar and fat. It is also important to stay hydrated and active so that you can be in the best possible shape prior to your procedure.
You can also consider taking a multivitamin as well as 10000mcg of Biotin daily for up to 2 months before the procedure. These supplements can help you stay healthy and balanced for when your body starts losing weight rapidly after your surgery.
Liquid Diet
The days prior to your surgery are very important. It is necessary to follow a Liquid Diet before your procedure. We require you to start your Liquid Diet three (3) days before surgery. We understand that this may not be easy. However, this step helps us perform your procedure as well as helps you with post-procedure recovery.
List of foods and beverages allowed during the liquid diet stage
- Natural water
- Homemade fruit juice (pulp free)
- Store-bought juice (sugar-free)
- Broths or bone broth for higher protein content (any flavor)
- Low carb protein drink (1 daily)
- Teas (sugar-free, you can use low-calorie sweeteners or stevia)
- Gelatins (sugar-free)
- Lemonade (sugar-free)
- Flavored powder drinks (sugar-free)
- Sugar-free electrolyte/sports drinks
- Popsicles (sugar-free)
Please avoid the following during your liquid diet stage
- Alcoholic beverages
- Coffee
- Sodas and other carbonated drinks
- Any solid food
- Sugar
- Dairy
- Green juices
- Smoothies
- Caffeine
- Sports drinks that contain sugar (i.e., Gatorade, Powerade)
Please, remember the following:
- Stop smoking for at least 1 week prior to the surgery
- Avoid taking any aspirin for 5 days prior to the surgery. For headaches or pain, consider ibuprofen (such as Advil) or acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) instead.
- If you regularly take vitamins, it is recommended to stop taking them 3 days prior to the procedure and you can resume intake a month after your surgery.
- For your blood work, you will need to fast and avoid any foods or liquids for 8 hours.
- Prior to your surgery, you will need to fast for at least 8 hours.
- If your treatment is the Gastric Balloon, then you will only need to fast for 8 hours prior to the balloon insertion or removal. Also remember that prior to balloon removal or balloon adjustment, you will need to follow a liquid diet for 48 hours to make sure that the stomach is empty for this procedure.