Individual's Experience of Living With Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

To explore the lived experience following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery of eight men and women in the South of England who had undergone surgery a minimum of 12 months prior.

This phenomenologically based qualitative study utilised Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as a framework for the analysis and exploration of participants' lived experiences.

Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with eight men and women in the South of England in 2017.

Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis revealed four superordinate themes: Managing change and uncertainty; The affective experience of change; The post-operative body within its relational context; and The presence and absence of appropriate support.

Participants described the complex nature of the post-operative experience and highlighted the deeply personal nature of the adjustment required following surgery. The process of change and adjustment does not represent a smooth transition from pre- to post-operative life, and the experience of weight loss is intertwined with relationships that require patients to renegotiate the ways in which they understand themselves within social encounters.

The clinical significance of this study lies in its support for the contribution that an existential phenomenological approach can offer in supporting individuals who choose to have bariatric surgery through its acknowledgment of the body as a site of experience which is situated within a person's wider social, cultural and historical world. These findings contribute an in-depth appreciation of the biopsychosocial experiences of individuals following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery that can be applied in nursing practice to better inform the development of appropriate ways in which to support the overall wellbeing of individuals who made the decision to undergo bariatric surgery.

Limited patient involvement was incorporated, focusing on feedback on the interview process.