COVID-19
Eating Out After Bariatric Surgery
Eventually this pandemic will be over and we all will feel comfortable eating out again. Food is a big part of life, and when you suddenly have to micromanage what you put in your mouth, it can become a bit overwhelming. One of the many lifestyle changes following bariatric surgery is to commit to eating a healthy diet. This goes beyond your own kitchen meals to what you eat at a restaurant.
MASJAX COVID-19 Update June 2020
Dr. Husain Abbas, FACS
Everybody knows that there is a surge of cases in Florida, but these tend to be in the younger population. We have not seen an increase in hospitalization. We do everything that needs to be done to make sure that our patients are protected.
- The first thing that we do is we’ve limited the number of visitors – specifically unnecessary visitors. And even when patients come in, we are trying to limit who actually comes and who doesn’t.
- Universal mask wearing. Everybody must wear a mask. The mask is really not for me. This mask does not protect me, but I’d like to think that by wearing this mask, I am protecting others. That has been adopted at our hospital here in Jacksonville.
- Everybody gets tested for COVID-19. I myself and my group have been very liberal with testing everybody. We would rather know if somebody’s positive because they may be asymptomatic and of course we can just delay the surgery.
So, all of these factors have been put in place because we truly believe it’s extremely important not to delay something (bariatric surgery, other general surgical procedures) that could give patients such a tremendous benefit.
If we do feel that perhaps the risks are starting to go up and we start seeing increasing hospitalizations, we will be the first to tell our patients. Just like we did not too long ago. We, in fact, stopped all elective cases until we figure out what exactly is this virus what it does…how does it affect patients? We stopped all elective surgery for six weeks.
What I can tell you is if I was a patient, or if I had a family member, I would happily bring them here because I do believe we’re doing everything possible to ensure the safety, which is the number one priority of our patients. And, of course, the second is delivering excellent care and getting the patient in the hospital and out of the hospital in a timely but efficient fashion.
Learn more about MASJax’s response to COVID-19.
Bariatric Surgery FAQs with Dr. Abbas
Transcript (slightly edited for ease of reading)
Jenny: Just talking about bariatric surgery. Who is a candidate for bariatric surgery?
Dr. Abbas: Generally speaking, anybody that has a BMI greater than 35. And the way you calculate your BMI is… Everybody has a smartphone now – just type in your height and type in your weight in a BMI calculator and you’ll actually get your BMI. So, BMI greater than 35 with a medical condition such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia which is elevated cholesterol or hypertension or if somebody has a BMI of 40. So, again, if you just type in BMI calculator in your Google search, you’ll find it. It is your weight relative to your height. So, BMI stands for the Body Mass Index.
So those are the patients who are actually on our candidates for bariatric surgery.
Dr. Crean On News4Jax Discussing Stress Effects (Hemorrhoids) During COVID-19
Full Transcript, Slightly Edited for Ease of Reading
News4JAX – During this time of uncertainty, with COVID-19, it’s no surprise people are dealing with much added stress. Unfortunately, that can cause health problems, including hemorrhoid flare-ups. According to Harvard Health, more than 75% of people, ages 45 and older, have had hemorrhoids with symptoms like rectal pain, itching and bleeding after a bowel movement. Joining me now with more, is Dr. Alex Crean from Memorial Hospital. Dr. Crean, thank you so much for joining us this morning
Dr. Crean – Good morning Zack thank you for having me.
Please Don’t Delay Urgent or Emergency Care During These Times of Crisis
There is a great deal of uncertainty in the public’s perception of medical care due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Many hospitals and surgical centers have appropriately stopped performing elective surgery in the hopes of saving important resources for the influx of COVID-19 patients that may begin (hopefully not) at any time. However, it is important to remember that emergency situations are still being treated as before, and patients should not delay care if they experience an emergency situation or a complication associated with a recent surgery.
With so much swirling around us, it is easy to delay getting appropriate urgent care for several reasons including a) being afraid of being infected, b) worrying about taking away resources from the hospital and c) that your condition may be minor and can be handled at a later date. Unfortunately, the result of delaying care can often lead to more severe problems, worse surgical outcomes and even fatal consequences.
Healthy Habits for Uncertain Times
It’s easy to feel stressed, alone, or depressed during this time of the coronavirus. Things are uncertain, we‘re isolated from friends and family, and we aren’t able to engage in our normal activities.
Many of us feel a loss of control in our lives, which isn’t surprising, because so much of this situation is out of our control. But some things are still within our control. We may not be able to control the situation, but we can still control our response to the situation. If you feel like you‘re losing control, here are a few strategies to help you get back on track:
How to Avoid Stress Eating Now That You’re Spending More Time at Home
Every bariatric patient knows that stress is a leading cause of over-eating and times like these make us particularly vulnerable to finding comfort in food. Even someone who has maintained an appropriate diet for years after their surgery can be derailed by this extreme uncertainty and frustration.
So how do we avoid stress eating they can add hundreds or even thousands of calories to our daily intake, so we can maintain our weight and even thrive through this outbreak.
Should I Cancel My Office Appointment or Surgery Due to Coronavirus?
Did you know that many doctors and nurses, at one point or another, have had anxiety and serious concern about the myriad of diseases that we as humans are exposed to? Imagine you are ready for a career helping other people and you begin to learn about how many ways there are to get sick – from genetic predisposition through infectious disease. It’s enough to send you over the edge.
As a result, as surgeons, we know all too well that times of widespread disease and great uncertainty, such as those we are dealing with now, can be anxiety inducing and downright scary. Plus, the days and weeks leading up to surgery are nerve wracking even when we don’t have a spreading health issue to contend with.
Diabetes and The Risk of Severe Complications from Coronavirus
General thinking on coronavirus has shifted from prevention to mitigation of disease spread. Virtually every country in the world and every state in the US will be affected to some degree. This is no surprise as the world has become smaller and global travel and commerce is easier than ever before.
While we have all heard and should follow CDC recommendations about washing hands, not touching our face and selectively self-quarantining and calling appropriate medical professionals if we believe we may have been infected, there are some additional tips that we, as metabolic surgical experts can offer to further reduce risk, both in bariatric and non-bariatric patient populations.
