Unlike the gastric bypass, the LAP-BAND System doesn’t involve any stomach stapling, cutting or intestinal re-routing. It can help you achieve steady, healthy and safer weight loss, with a shorter recovery time.

The average hospital stay is less than 24 hours. Most people can go home the same day. Typically, it will be about a week before you can go back to work. You can resume activities as tolerated.

Your adjustments depend on your individual case and considerations such as how fast and well you are healing post-surgery. Many patients have between five and eight adjustments within the first year after surgery, while others may have only a few. However, adjustments are customized to meet your individual needs. Don’t be in a hurry to have an adjustment, as one of the major benefits of the LAP-BAND System is a steady, healthy and safe weight loss.

Sterile saline (salt water similar to tears) is used to fill or adjust the LAP-BAND System. Saline is used commonly in medical applications as a filler, hydration and cleansing solution.

We recommend you take a multivitamin each day. Occasionally we recommend a protein supplement, but most people are able to achieve all their dietary goals by simple eating a well balanced diet.

Remember that weight-loss surgery is not a quick fix. The LAP-BAND System is a powerful surgical tool that can help you lose weight, but your motivation and commitment to a new lifestyle are the real keys to your success. If you don’t follow the post-surgery nutrition and exercise guidelines, your weight loss success with the LAP-BAND System may be greatly reduced. For example, you should not drink any liquids with your food. Liquids pass straight through your upper stomach pouch and into your system. There, you absorb their ‘empty’ calories (high calorie drinks such as milkshakes or soda), and you won’t feel full. Therefore, you may not lose as much weight as you could. In addition to the new nutrition plan, regular exercise helps you lose even more weight, and most importantly, it will also help improve your overall health and wellness.

Although the LAP-BAND Adjustable Gastric Banding System is meant to be permanent, it can be it can be removed if necessary. This can typically be done laparoscopically. Surgeons report that the stomach generally returns to its original shape once the LAP-BAND System is removed. After the removal, though, you will in all likeligood regain your weight.

As with any surgery, there are risks associated with the LAP-BAND System procedure. These include the standard risks of any surgery, such as bleeding ingury to near-by organs, heart attack, blood clot and infection. Other risks include, but are not limited to, nausea and vomiting, band slippage, band erosion, and access port problems. To obtain detailed risk information, please talk to your doctor.

Becoming pregnant can be easier as you lose weight. Your menstrual cycle may become more regular. In addition, the LAP-BAND System’s adjustability feature supports pregnancy. If you need to eat more while you are pregnant, the LAP-BAND System can be loosened. After pregnancy, the LAP-BAND System may be made tighter again and you can resume losing weight.

Yes! Check-ups with your surgeon are extremely important and highly recommended before and after the procedure for long-term success. During the first year after surgery, patients typically visit their surgeons every four to six weeks, although that will vary from patient to patient. LAP-BAND System adjustments can be made during these visits.

This is not always the case. As a rule, plastic surgery will not be considered for at least a year or two after the operation since the skin will sometimes mold itself around the new body tissue. Give your skin the time it needs to adjust before you decide to have more surgery.

The LAP-BAND System limits the amount of food you can eat at one time. If you feel nauseated on a regular basis, it could mean that you aren’t chewing your food well enough, eating too fast or that you aren’t following the post-surgical diet rules properly. However, it could also mean that there is a problem with the placement of the LAP-BAND System. Contact your doctor if you continue to get sick. You must avoid vomiting as much as possible because it can cause your small stomach pouch to stretch. It can also lead to slippage of part of the stomach through the LAP-BAND System, offsetting the effectiveness of your surgery. In some severe cases, damage due to vomiting can mean another operation.

The LAP-BAND System makes you eat less and feel full in two ways: first, by reducing how much your stomach can hold at one time and second, by increasing the time it takes food to get through your digestive system. After a small meal, the amount of which varies from person to person, you should feel full and satisfied for some time. If you follow the nutrition guidelines when you choose your food and then chew it well, you shouldn’t feel hungry or deprived. Remember, the LAP-BAND System is a powerful tool to help you change your eating habits.

After your stomach has healed, you may eat most foods that don’t cause you discomfort. Click here for some great food choices. However, since you can only eat a small amount at a time, it is important that you choose nutritious, vitamin-rich foods as outlined on this site and recommended by your surgeon and his team. Remember, if you eat foods that contain a lot of sugar and fat or drink liquids full of empty calories (milkshakes, sodas), you will still be consuming more calories than you burn, and your weight loss with the LAP-BAND Adjustable Gastric Banding System may be greatly reduced or even cancelled.

Alcohol has a lot of calories and breaks down vitamins. An occasional glass of wine or other alcoholic beverage, though, is not considered harmful to weight loss.

Yes, we recognize that eating out is important. There are a few tips that can help. Order only a small portion, such as an appetizer. Try to eat as slowly as you can. It will help if you stop eating at the same time as your dinner companions. You might want to let your host or hostess know in advance that you cannot eat very much. Ask your surgeon for a LAP-BAND Patient Card included in the Post-Op Patient Packet provided by Allergen. The patient card explains what the LAP-BAND System is and states that you cannot eat very much (this card can also be helpful if you have an unrelated medical emergency).

While it might seem tempting and easy, your LAP-BAND System should never be opened to eat a big meal at a special occasion. The LAP-BAND System can be opened for medical reasons, though, such as pregnancy, when you will need to increase your nutritional intake.

The LAP-BAND System should not hamper any type of physical activity. You should be free to do aerobics, stretches, and any strenuous exercise you enjoy once you’ve completely recovered, and your surgeon gives you the ‘ok’.

The access port is placed under the skin in the abdominal wall, and once the incisions have healed, it should not cause discomfort or limit any physical exercise. The only sensation you may experience from the port occurs when you go in for adjustments. If you feel persistent discomfort in the port area, talk to your doctor.