Lap Band Nutrition and Adjustment

The lap band nutrition plan will involve a liquid diet for a few weeks, until the patient can tolerate soft foods, and later solid foods. A specific exercise program (see below), as well as behavioral-modification therapy, will likely also be recommended.

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 for the lap band device itself.

In Life Following Lap Band, patients on average will need six to eight adjustments of the band during the first 18 months following lap band surgery.

In most cases, a patient will get their initial band adjustment anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks after surgery. The adjustments are done in the doctor’s office minus surgery and take less than half an hour. As a patient sees a weight decline, added adjustments may be necessary.

The band, which is made to remain in a patient for the remainder of their lives, can be loosened or tightened to meet specific needs. Most importantly, the body has to adjust to the new band, and some swelling immediately following lap band surgery is not unheard of.

In the second year post-surgery the patient may only need one or two visits for the band adjustment. The third year may see no visits at all for adjusting the band.

For some patients who still see a weight gain years following lap band surgery, it is important to make an office visit with their doctor to discuss the options available to fix this matter.

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.