Nausea and Vomiting Immediately After Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric surgery is the term used for various types of weight loss surgeries, including sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass and gastric band surgery. While bariatric surgery provides many health benefits, including losing weight and improving weight-related illnesses and diseases, it also has some side effects. One of the more common side effects with this type of surgery is postoperative nausea and vomiting. Here are some things to know about nausea and vomiting after weight loss surgery.

The Frequency of Nausea and Vomiting

Postoperative nausea and vomiting, or PONV, can occur after you have had a bariatric surgery procedure. With PONV, you may retch, become nauseated, or vomit. If these symptoms occur, they usually happen within the first 48 hours of surgery.

PONV is a common side effect when a patient has anesthesia for surgery, whether it is bariatric surgery or gallbladder surgery. PONV occurs in roughly 30 percent of patients and 80 percent of high-risk patients.

It is also frequently included in preoperative discussions as something most patients want to try and avoid after they come out of anesthesia.

The Physiology of Post-Surgical Nausea

While the exact physiology of PONV after procedures like bariatric surgery are not completely understood, researchers do know that it is not centralized in one vomiting center of the brain or body. Instead, PONV is often triggered by different things, such as anxiety, illness, perioperative stimuli, anesthesia, and drug interactions.

Even motion too soon or too fast after the procedure can lead to nausea and vomiting after bariatric surgery. There are neurotransmitter pathways in the brain that might be responsible for the physiology of the nausea and vomiting, though the exact cause is still somewhat unknown.

Increased Risk for Nausea and Vomiting

Potential side effects after surgery is something nearly all patients are at risk of, even if they don’t fit the common risk factors. Nausea and vomiting happen to be common ones, not because of the weight loss surgery, but because of the anesthesia used.

Each patient has a unique set of side effects. Some simply have an adverse reaction to anesthesia, but their body does not show signs of this until they awake. In others, the medications given to fight off infection or help with the pain after surgery can cause sensitivity of the stomach. The three main areas of risk factors include patient-related factors, surgery-related factors, and anesthesia-related factors.

If you are concerned about nausea and vomiting after surgery, let your surgeon know if you have previously experienced it after anesthesia. Be sure you know what types of medications you are allergic to, even if the allergy is slight.