• How Will I Feel?
• Beginning Life with Your LAP-BAND^® System
• Long-Term Overview
• Adjustments

Please note that although the experience described below is typical, your experience may be different.

How Will I Feel?

After you get home from the hospital, you need to allow yourself enough time to recover properly. Get plenty of rest, but do try to walk as much as you can comfortably, to prevent blood clots. Do not lift anything heavy. You can expect some soreness the first few days after surgery, but your surgeon will prescribe medications to treat any pain.

You can most likely return to light work in a few days to a week, but if you have a physically demanding job, you may have to wait two to three weeks. You should also be able to return to normal activity and regular exercise within four to six weeks. Be sure to follow the specific instructions provided by your surgeon and medical team.

Beginning Life with Your LAP-BAND^® System

• For the first 24 hours after surgery, you can have an occasional sip of water or suck on an ice cube.
• For the first couple of weeks, you will be on a liquid diet as you gradually move toward pureed and soft foods.
• About six weeks after surgery, you should be able to eat solid food again. Click here to find out more.
• During recovery, it is important to drink plenty of water, although never with your meals.
• Remember that eating the wrong foods or eating too much can cause vomiting and interfere with your healing process.
• You also need to start engaging in physical activity and exercise within a few weeks after surgery. At first, it may be hard for you to exercise as much as you should, but it's important both physically and emotionally to get started. Click here to find out more.
• Taking it slow at first, try to walk as much as you comfortably can. It's a great way to regain strength and prevent blood clots.

Long-Term Overview

LAP-BAND^® System surgery is a big step on the road to your successful and sustained weight loss. However, you must take that crucial next step by adopting a lifelong program that will help you meet and continue your weight loss and maintenance goals. This multifaceted LAP-BAND^® System program may include:

• new nutrition and exercise plan
• routine check-ups with your surgeon and working with the rest of your weight-management team
• regular attendance at the LAP-BAND^® System support group meetings.
• ongoing LAP-BAND^® System adjustments if necessary

Nutrition:
After your surgery, you'll need a new nutrition and exercise plan. Since you will only be able to eat a small amount at any meal, you need to make good food choices. Click here for suggestions on managing your diet. It is recommended that you eat only when you are hungry and no more than three small meals a day. Make sure that these meals contain adequate nutrients. You will also need to learn to eat slowly and chew your food very thoroughly. Drinking high-calorie liquids (like milkshakes or soda), or drinking liquids during or immediately after meals can drastically reduce the effectiveness of the LAP-BAND^® System. However, it is important to stay hydrated and drink lots of water throughout the day.

Exercise:
You will also need an exercise program to help you lose weight. You can start with walking. The more weight you lose, the easier it should get. Gradually, you will be able to expand your program to include more active forms of exercise such as bicycling, jogging, and aerobics. For suggestions on exercises, click here. Also, check on the News and Resources section on this site. Our regular newsletters, which are archived, have helpful tips on exercise and diet suggestions.

Follow Up and Support Group Meetings:
In addition to these lifestyle changes, living with the LAP-BAND^® System means routine check-ups with your surgeon, ongoing LAP-BAND^® System adjustments if necessary, and regular attendance at support group meetings. Your weight-management team will have specific instructions for you - following them will keep you on track. Keep regular appointments with your healthcare providers so that they can monitor your progress. Sign up with My LAP-BAND^® and you will be able to track your own progress and celebrate milestones. You also need to promptly report any unusual symptoms you may experience to your surgeon.

Adjustments:

Adjustments are done during routine surgeon's office visits that generally only take 10 or 15 minutes. The adjustment is performed using a thin needle to inject or remove saline from the LAP-BAND^® System via the access port. This widens or narrows the band opening to control the rate of weight loss. The most common reasons for adjustments include:

• You're not able to eat very much without feeling uncomfortable and vomiting (your LAP-BAND^® System is too tight);
• You can eat without restriction, or you are not losing weight (your LAP-BAND^® System is too loose). Click here for more information on adjustments.

Only a clinician trained and authorized by Allergan can adjust your LAP-BAND^® System. Usually, this person will be your surgeon or nurse practitioner. Never let an untrained clinician or non-medical person adjust your LAP-BAND^® System -and never adjust it yourself. Doing so could cause serious problems and risks to your health and/or damage to your LAP-BAND^® System.

Following the LAP-BAND^® System placement procedure, it is usually left empty for about four to six weeks after surgery, although the exact time will vary from patient to patient. You and your surgeon will decide when the time is right for your first LAP-BAND^® System adjustment. To determine this, your surgeon will consider:

• Your weight loss so far
• The amount of food you can comfortably eat
• Your exercise routine
• The amount of fluid already in your band

Within the first year after surgery, many patients have between five and eight adjustments. Often, you might get only two to three small adjustments on an annual basis in later years.

To learn more about the LAP-BAND^® System and to ensure that you are well prepared for your surgery, it is recommended that you download and read the LAP-BAND^® System patient booklet.