After Lap Band Surgery
Once a patient has undergone Lap Band surgery, they are likely to return to work within a week, seeing minimal discomfort.
Lap Band Surgery
Nutrition Plan
You will need to follow a nutrition plan (which may include vitamin supplements) prescribed by your surgeon and/or nutritionist. The nutrition plan will likely include a liquid diet for a few weeks, until you can tolerate soft foods, and later solid foods. A specific exercise program (see below), as well as behavioral-modification therapy, may also be recommended.
Adjustments After Lap Band Surgery
Along with proper nutrition and exercise following Lap Band surgery, patients will need to make a number of visits to their doctor's office for band adjustment.
On average, patients require six to eight adjustments of the band during the first 18 months following Lap-Band surgery.
First Lap Band Adjustment
In all likelihood, a patient will receive their first band adjustment anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks following surgery. The adjustments are done without surgery and take less than half an hour. As a patient sees a weight decrease, added adjustments may be needed.
At the time of surgery, the band, made out of silicone and titanium, is situated around the stomach, connected to tubing which connects to an access port located below the skin of the abdomen. While the port cannot be viewed, it can be felt by placing pressure on the abdomen. Through the port and the tubing, a medical professional can easily inflate or deflate the inner surface of the band by simply injecting a saline solution into the port.
The band, which is constructed to remain in a patient for their lifetime, can be loosened or tightened to meet their needs. Most importantly, the body must adjust to the new band, and some swelling immediately after Lap Band surgery is not uncommon.
Loosening or tightening the band can vary as a woman carrying a child may have her band loosened to accommodate the increasing size of the fetus, while those who are not seeing major weight loss may have their bands tightened.
When the band is too tight, removing some saline provides for a looser fit and decreases the amount of restriction. If the band is too loose, increasing the saline will reduce the size of the opening to the lower portion of the stomach.
All patients will vary in how much or how little they need the band adjustments following Lap Band surgery.
In the first year following surgery, the average patient will require adjustments some six to eight times, while the second year post-surgery may only require one or two visits. The third year may see no visits at all for band adjustment.
Weight Gain After Lap Band Surgery
For some patients who still see a weight increase years after Lap Band surgery, it is important to make an office visit with your doctor to discuss the options available to correct this issue.
Weight gain following Lap Band surgery can be addressed as easily as adjusting the band or altering one's diet and exercise programs to produce better results.
As noted, exercise plays a key role in helping to reduce one's weight, especially after Lap Band surgery.
Staying faithful to a daily exercise regimen includes spending a half an hour a day, seven days a week engaged in workouts. These activities can include walking, biking or hiking.
Please call 1-800-953-5000 for free Lap Band Surgery consultation.
Tags: After Lap Band Surgery, Lap Band Surgery Nutrition Plan, First Lap Band Adjustment, Weight Gain