Frank Duperier, MD

Hyperthyroidism, will not go away after gastric bypass. If you are on thyroid supplementation for a low thyroid, you may need your medications adjusted so that it’s not artificially giving you too much thyroid hormone causing hyperthyroidism. If you are not on any medications for your thyroid, I would recommend that you see an endocrinologist and be evaluated for medications vs. surgical treatment for your over active thyroid.

Strictures can occur once you are about 4 to 8 weeks out from surgery. A stricture is a narrowing of the new stomach outlet where it surgically attached to the small bowel. Symptoms include difficulty with eating solid foods, developing increased saliva or mucous, reflux symptoms, and in severe cases, difficulty with liquids. A stricture, with time, can resolve on its own, but often the waiting time to heal can make you feel miserable. Once you are out at least 4 weeks from surgery, balloon dilation with endoscopy can be performed to open up the narrowing. Several balloon dilations might be needed to fix the issue.