Recovering from Lap Band Surgery
September 8, 2008 by Terry
Filed under Weight Loss Surgery
Life for many has changed in recent years, weight loss surgery has been saturated with glitz and glamour – convincing people that undergoing such a procedure is really no big deal. Forgetting that complications do exist, many care only about the final outcome: weight loss. A new body, a second start and a time to celebrate. Sadly, the concept of recovery is rarely on the mind.
Though Lap Band surgery, which consists of placing a reversible band around ones stomach to decrease its size, is one of the safer surgeries, there are still risks involved. Recovering from this procedure could be more difficult than you think. Complications include hair loss, infection, nausea, gallstones and hernias. However, since the organs are left alone, the chance of a serious side effect is minimal.
Recovery can be painful, but it should only take three weeks before you’re back on your feet. For the first several weeks, you should only be drinking liquids. At this point, you can then move onto pureed foods until you have reintroduced solid meals. Since you are just beginning to adjust to the new pouch, it is critical that you allow your body to rest. Therefore, even if you feel fine after one week, you don’t want to push it. You never know what the situation is internally.
The beauty of this procedure is that it can be reversed. If your body is rejecting the band and complications arise, it can be easily removed. In most cases, it can be successfully taken out with little damage. Nevertheless, slowly adjusting to your new lifestyle should be the most important step in the process. No matter how excited you are to begin a new life, you have to pace yourself and be smart about what you’re putting in your mouth. It’ll be a learning experience, but worth every minute of it. Once the weight comes off and you’re back to a routine, you’ll forget that it was such a lengthy recovery.
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Hey Big Brother!
How are things going? Isn’t it about time for a new update? Would love to see some pictures?
Hope all is well!
Love ya,
Melinda