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The LAP-BAND® System

Life After Surgery

The LAP-BAND® System Overview | LAP-BAND FAQs | Life After Surgery
LAP-BAND History | Outcomes | Risks

One of the benefits of the LAP-BAND® System is that patients return to normal activity relatively quickly after surgery. The length of hospital stay is usually less than 24 hours. It also takes most people about a week to return to work and a month to six weeks to resume strenuous exercising. In the case of open surgery or if there are complications, recovery may take longer.

LAP-BAND® System surgery is the first step on the road to successful and sustained weight loss. However, you must take the next step by adopting a lifelong program that will help you meet your goals. This multifaceted program will include routine check-ups with your surgeon, ongoing band adjustments if necessary, and regular attendance at support group meetings. You will need to work closely with your surgeon and weight-management team, follow their advice, and communicate openly with them. You will also need to learn to use the LAP-BAND® System as a tool to help you lose your excess weight.

Post-Surgery Nutrition

After surgery, you will need a new nutrition plan. Your surgeon and/or dietitian can help you learn about and get used to the changes in lifestyle and eating habits you need to make. It is very important to follow the eating and drinking instructions beginning immediately after the operation.

In the first few weeks after your surgery, you will be on a liquid diet since only thin liquids will be tolerated by your stomach at that time. As you heal, you will gradually progress to pureed foods (three to four weeks post-op) and then soft foods (five weeks post-op). Finally, you will be able to eat solid foods.

When you can eat solid foods without problems you will need to pay close attention to your diet. The LAP-BAND® System is designed to restrict solids, not liquids, so drinking liquids will not make you feel full. You also should not drink liquids during or immediately after meals as they will flush food through the reduced stomach pouch, which means you will not get the prolonged feeling of satiety needed to help you eat less. However, staying hydrated and drinking lots of water throughout the day is important. You will also need to learn to eat slowly and chew your food very thoroughly.

It is recommended that you eat only three small meals a day and make sure that these meals contain adequate nutrients. You will need to make good food choices and learn to avoid problem foods, such as high-fiber, high-fat, and dry foods, since these are more difficult for the small stomach pouch to digest. Good food choices include fruit and vegetables, lean protein, some bread and cereal, and some dairy products. Foods that have a concentrated supply of calories with little nutritional value, such as milkshakes, syrups, jam, and pastries, should be avoided as much as possible.

Exercise Plan

Incorporating regular physical activity into your daily routine is as important as following your nutrition plan. Often patients have been sedentary due to decreased activity tolerance, psychological constraints, and in some cases, physical disabilities. After LAP-BAND® surgery, aerobic activities—particularly walking and swimming—are generally best tolerated. You will need to consult with your surgeon and weight-management team to find out which activity is right for you.

Adjustments

Being able to adjust the band is a unique feature of the LAP-BAND® System and is a normal part of the post-surgery follow-up. This feature allows your surgeon to the right level of restriction to meet your individual needs.

Adjustments are simple office visits that only take 10 or 15 minutes. They are performed without surgery using a thin needle to inject or withdraw saline from the band via the access port. This widens or narrows the band opening to control the rate of your weight loss. The most common reasons for adjustments are that you are not able to eat much of anything without feeling uncomfortable and vomiting (your band is too tight) or that you are not losing weight (your band is too loose). The first adjustment is typically done 4 to 6 weeks after surgery, and the total number of adjustments you may have will depend on your individual weight-loss rate and results.

Your Motivation: Key to Success

To work, the LAP-BAND® System needs your active participation. Your success will depend on you and the partnership between you and your medical team. Your surgeon will not perform the operation unless he or she is sure that you understand the problems your excess weight is causing. Your surgeon will also make sure you understand your responsibilities, including adopting and maintaining new eating patterns and a healthy lifestyle.

Disclaimer:

As with any surgery, there are specific risks and possible complications associated with the LAP-BAND® System surgery. Talk to your doctor to determine if you are a candidate for the LAP-BAND® System.

For more information about the LAP-BAND® System, please call 1-877-LAP-BAND.