LAP-BAND^® FAQ

• Will I be sick a lot after the operation?

• How long will it take to recover after surgery?

• How much weight will I lose?

• How do the weight-loss results with the LAP-BAND^® compare to those with the gastric bypass?

• Does the LAP-BAND^® require frequent office visits after surgery?

• Does the LAP-BAND^® limit any physical activity?

• How is the band adjusted?

• Do I have to be careful with the access port just underneath my skin?

• Can the band be removed?

• Will I need plastic surgery for the surplus skin when I have lost a lot of weight?

• Is it true that the LAP-BAND^® seems “tighter” in the morning?

• Will I feel hungry or deprived with the LAP-BAND^®?

• What will happen if I become ill?

• What about pregnancy?

• Will I need to take vitamin supplements?

• What about other medication?

• What if I go out to eat?

• What about alcohol?

• Can I eat anything in moderation?

• Will I suffer from constipation?

LAP-BAND^® FAQs

• Will I be sick a lot after the operation?

  The LAP-BAND^® System limits food intake. If you feel nauseated or sick on a regular basis, it may mean that you are not chewing your food well or that you are not following the diet rules properly. However, it could also mean that there is a problem with the restriction or placement of the band. Please contact us if this problem persists. Vomiting should be avoided as much as possible. It can cause the small stomach pouch to stretch. It can also lead to slippage of part of the stomach through the band, which would reduce the success of the operation. In some cases, it may also require another operation.

  Back to Top

• How long will it take to recover after surgery?

  The LAP-BAND^® surgery is performed laparoscopically and is typically done as an outpatient in a day surgery setting. This laparoscopic procedure takes about one hour to perform under general anesthesia. Patients begin drinking liquids and are walking within one to two hours after surgery. It takes most patients less then a week to return to work and 3-4 weeks to resume exercising. In the case of open surgery or if there are complications, recovery may take longer.

  Back to Top

• How much weight will I lose?

  Weight-loss results vary from patient to patient, and the amount of weight you may lose depends on several things. The band needs to be in the right position, and you need to be committed to your new lifestyle and eating habits. Obesity surgery is not a miracle cure, and the pounds won’t come off by themselves. It is very important to set achievable weight-loss goals from the beginning. A weight loss of 2 to 3 pounds a week in the first year after the operation is possible, but one pound a week is more likely. Twelve to eighteen months after the operation, weekly weight loss slows. Remember that you should lose weight gradually. Losing weight too fast creates a health risk and can lead to a number of problems. Your main goal is to have weight loss that prevents, improves, or resolves health problems connected with severe obesity.

  Back to Top

• How do the weight-loss results with the LAP-BAND^® compare to those with the gastric bypass?

  You should focus on long-term weight loss and remember that it is important to lose weight gradually while reducing obesity-related risks and improving your health. Gastric bypass patients lose weight faster because of the malabsorptive component of the bypass surgery. However, at two to three years post-op, the LAP-BAND^® patients may approach the same weight loss.

  Back to Top

• Does the LAP-BAND^® require frequent office visits after surgery?

  Check-ups are a normal and a very important part of the LAP-BAND^® System follow-up. Frequent post-op visits have been shown to result in better weight loss. Poor eating habits can be addressed and changed. Also during these post-op visits, adjustments (band fills) are performed to help drive the weight loss.

  Back to Top

• Does the LAP-BAND^® limit any physical activity?

  The LAP-BAND^® does not affect or hamper physical activity including aerobics, stretching and strenuous exercise.

  Back to Top

• How is the band adjusted?

  A fine needle is passed through the skin into the access port to add or subtract saline. This process most often takes only a few minutes. Most patients say it is nearly painless. It may take place in the doctor’s office, at an outpatient “Fill Center” clinic under Flouroscopy X-ray or in an AfterCare program setting.

  Back to Top

• Do I have to be careful with the access port just underneath my skin?

  There are no restrictions based on the access port. It is placed under the skin and stitched in place to the abdominal wall muscle. Once the incisions have healed, it should not cause discomfort or limit your movements or any physical exercise. The only sensation you may have from the port is when you go in for adjustments. If you feel persistent discomfort in the port area, please let us know .

  Back to Top

• Can the band be removed?

  Although the LAP-BAND^® System is not meant to be removed, it can be. In most cases, this can be done laparoscopically. The stomach generally returns to its original shape once the band is removed. After the removal, though, you may soon go back to your old eating habits and regain your weight or even more. You always want to keep your band in place and well adjusted to keep you accountable.

  Back to Top

• Will I need plastic surgery for the surplus skin when I have lost a lot of weight?

  That is not always the case. As a rule, plastic surgery will not be considered for at least a year or two after the operation. Sometimes the skin will contract and mold itself around the new body tissue. You should give the skin the time it needs to adjust before you decide to have more surgery.

  Back to Top

• Is it true that the LAP-BAND^® seems “tighter” in the morning?

  This is a fairly common feeling. During the day the water content in the body changes and this may cause the band to feel “tighter” some of the time. Some women have also noticed that the LAP-BAND^® feels tighter during menstruation.

  Back to Top

• Will I feel hungry or deprived with the LAP-BAND^®?

  The LAP-BAND^® makes you eat less and feel full in two ways – by reducing the capacity of your stomach and increasing the time it takes food to get through the band channel and into the digestive system. After a small meal, the amount of which varies from person to person, you should feel full. If you follow the nutrition guidelines when you choose your food and then chew it well, you should not feel hungry or deprived. Remember that the LAP-BAND^® is a tool to help you change your eating habits.

  Back to Top

• What will happen if I become ill?

  One of the major advantages of the LAP-BAND^® System is that it can be adjusted. If your illness requires you to eat more, the band can be loosened by removing saline from it. When you have recovered from your illness and want to lose weight again, the band can be tightened by increasing the amount of saline.

  Back to Top

• What about pregnancy?

  Becoming pregnant can be easier as you lose weight. Your menstrual cycle may become more regular. If you need to eat more while you are pregnant, the band can be loosened. After the pregnancy, the band may be made tighter again, and you can resume losing weight.

  Back to Top

• Will I need to take vitamin supplements?

  You may. It’s possible you may not get enough vitamins from three small meals a day. It is recommended to take a daily chewable multiple vitamin and calcium supplement.

  Back to Top

• What about other medication?

  You should be able to take prescribed medication. You may need to use capsules, break big tablets in half or dissolve them in water so they do not get stuck in the band opening and make you sick.

  Back to Top

• What if I go out to eat?

  Order only a small amount of food, such as an appetizer or share a meal. Eat slowly. Take small bites and chew well. Finish at the same time as your table companions. You might want to let your host or hostess know in advance that you cannot eat very much.

  Back to Top

• What about alcohol?

  Alcohol has a high number of empty calories. It also breaks down vitamins. An occasional glass of wine or other alcoholic beverage, though, is not considered harmful to weight loss.

  Back to Top

• Can I eat anything in moderation?

  After your stomach has healed, you may eat most foods that don’t cause you discomfort. However, because you can only eat a little, it is important to include foods full of important vitamins and nutrients (as advised by your surgeon and/or dietitian). If you eat foods that contain lots of sugar and fat or drink liquids full of “empty” calories, such as milkshakes, the effect of the LAP-BAND^® may be greatly reduced or cancelled. Some foods, such as bread or carbonation, may not be “band friendly” and should be avoided.

  Back to Top

• Will I suffer from constipation?

  Not likely. There may be some reduction in the volume of your stools initially, which is normal after a decrease in food intake. This should not cause you severe problems. An occasional over the counter laxative may be necessary, e.g., milk of magnesia. Fiber supplements should be in the powder form only!!

  Back to Top