Gastric Lap Band Aftercare

If you've had your gastric band placed through open surgery then you'll probably have to spend several days in hospital. If you've has it put in place using a laparoscopic procedure you may be out the same day if you're lucky, though it may be up to 48 hours before you can leave. You should be able to return to work within a week.

For the first 24 hours you'll only be allowed to drink clear fluids. For the next couple of days after this you'll probably be restricted to fluids and yogurt. Then over the next few days pureed food will be introduced into your diet. At first you probably won't have much of an appetite because of the general discomfort in the band area. Once your appetite starts to return it's important to stick to the pureed food and to take things slowly as your stomach has to adapt to the new set up. It'll be at least 4 weeks (and could be as much as 8 weeks) before you can start eating solids.

If you try to eat too much you will find yourself regurgitating or vomiting it back up. When eating you'll find that you need to eat more slowly. You'll also need to swallow smaller amounts at a time and the food will need to be well chewed, particularly meat. Take your time and you'll soon learn what you can or can't do.

It's possible that you will need to take vitamin supplements. At your check-ups you'll be checked to ensure that you're getting enough vitamins and iron from your diet.

If you need to swallow tablets at any time you will need to break big tablets to stop them getting stuck. You should avoid taking aspirin and other types of nonsteroidal pain relievers like Ibuprofen as they could irritate the stomach. Try and stick to paracetamol. If you need to take aspirin on a regular basis you may need to take extra medication to counteract the effect it has on the stomach.

Check-Ups

Having gastric banding means that you will need regular check-ups. To start off with this can be every 2 weeks though once everything seems to have settled down the checks will probably be every 2-3 months. After the first year expect to have to go for a check-up every 3-6 months. On average, expect six to eight adjustments of the band during the first 18 months following surgery.

Pregnancy And Banding

You should avoid becoming pregnant shortly after having a gastric or lap band fitted. Ideally you should wait 18 months before trying to conceive so that you and your stomach have settled down to your new eating regime. The 18 months is an ideal and you shouldn't worry if it happens before this. Your band may need to be deflated if you develop morning sickness. It may also be deflated if you need to eat more because of the pregnancy. The band can then be reinflated after the birth or after you've finished breast feeding so you can continue with your weight loss.