Roozbeh Mansour, MD, FACS

There are variations in the post op diet based on a center's experience and consensus. The point is that you pick one and stick with it. And the best one is the one your bariatric surgeon and dietician have more experience with. It is a matter of discipline and following the instruction in order to get the best results.

You can definitely benefit from bariatric surgery. Although not perfect, surgery has shown the most sustainable results. Especially with someone so determined who can loose 70 pounds with diet and exercise. I would offer surgery to such a patient and share the success.

The type and location of hernia is very important. This is a complex situation and needs review of your work up.

Gastric sleeve has shown great results for sustainable weight loss. No surgery is a magic bullet and weight regain is always a concern. I do not recommend travel medicine for any surgery but specifically bariatric, because the work up before and the follow up after is crucial to your long term success. I am sure you can find great surgeons but surgery is not the only component of success. You would qualify per most insurances in the US if you have any obesity related problems (high blood pressure, Diabetes, ...) Also there are cash deals that can be considered.

I am not aware of any contraindication. However, similar symptoms can occur after bariatric surgery due to dehydration (more commonly) or other reasons. I suggest that you start with your primary physician and maybe a cardiologist before deciding on bariatric surgery. Dehydration can definitely exacerbate your symptoms and you will need to be optimized before, and be super vigilant about hydration after surgery.