You have just had your surgery and you are likely have lots of questions for your surgeon about the Post Gastric Banding Surgery and what your life will be like afterwards. Here are some typical questions that you may have.

1. Will I be sick a lot after the post gastric banding surgery ?
2. Will I feel hungry or deprived after the post gastric banding surgery ?
3. Can I eat anything in moderation?
4. Can I drink alcohol?
5. Can I go out to eat?
6. Am I allowed to have my gastric lap band opened for a special occasion?
7. Does the gastric lap band limit any physical activity?
8. Do I have to be careful with the access port just underneath my skin?

1. Will I be sick a lot after the post gastric banding surgery ?
The gastric banding will limit the amount of food you can eat at one time. If you always feeling nauseated on a regular basis, it probably means that you aren’t chewing your food well enough or that you aren’t following the gastric banding post-surgical diet properly, other reason could be that the placement of the gastrc band have a problem, so contact your doctor if you continue to get sick. You must avoid vomiting as much as possible because it can cause your small stomach pouch to stretch. It can also lead to slippage of the band which will offsetting the effectiveness of your surgery. In some severe cases, damage due to vomiting can mean another operation.

2. Will I feel hungry or deprived after the post gastric banding surgery ?
The gastric lap band makes you eat less and feel full in two ways:

• By reducing how much your stomach can hold at one time
• By increasing the time it takes food to get through your digestive system.

After a small meal, the amount of which varies from person to person, you should feel full and satisfied for some time. If you follow the nutrition guidelines when you choose your food and then chew it well, you shouldn’t feel hungry or deprived at all.
3. Can I eat anything in moderation?
After your stomach has healed, generally you may eat most foods that don’t cause you discomfort. Since you can only eat a small amount of food at a time, it is important that you choose nutritious, vitamin-rich foods. You may click here to find out some problem foods after you avoid after gastric banding.

4. Can I drink alcohol?
Alcohol has a lot of calories and breaks down vitamins. An occasional glass of wine or other alcoholic beverage is not considered harmful to weight loss.

5. Can I go out to eat?
Order only a small portion, such as an appetizer and try to eat slowly. It may help if you stop eating at the same time as your dinner companions too. Best to explain to your host or hostess know in advance that you cannot eat very much.
6. Am I allowed to have my gastric lap band opened for a special occasion?
While it is tempting and easy, your gastric lap band should not be opened to eat a big meal at a special occasion. However the gastric lap band can be opened for medical reasons such as pregnancy, when you will need to increase your nutritional intake.

7. Does the gastric lap band limit any physical activity?
It should not hamper any type of physical activity. You should be free to do aerobics, stretches, and any strenuous exercise you enjoy once you’ve completely recovered.

8. Do I have to be careful with the access port just underneath my skin?
The access port is placed under the skin in the abdominal wall, it should not cause discomfort or limit any physical exercise at all. The only sensation you may experience from the port occurs when you go in for adjustments. If you feel persistent discomfort in the port area, see your doctor.

Hope this explains better the questions on post gastric banding surgery .

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Certain foods are not tolerated very well after surgery and are called problem foods gastric banding surgery and may block the stomach which results in you vomiting. This can be very individual as not any two people are alike and some foods cause a problem for one gastric banding patient, but not the next.

Vegetables and fruits that contain stringy fibers are particularly problematic.

• Asparagus – cut up very small or blend into soup
• Broccoli – the stalks may be problematic
• Dried fruits – will swell inside you and should be avoided
• Pineapple – juice is fine, fruit may be difficult to digest
• Rhubarb – cut up very small or puree
• Oranges – juice is fine, flesh may be problematic
• Meat – needs to chopped very small and chewed thoroughly

Some food are sticky and difficult to digest such as coconut, crisps and soft white bread. Nuts (such as peanuts, almonds, walnuts) and popcorn may also cause obstruction unless they are well chewed to a paste, and are probably best avoided for this reason.

Problem foods gastric banding surgery

For the best diet results after your Gastric Banding Surgery you should limit the following foods as these might cause problem foods gastric banding surgery where possible:

• High calorie drinks (full milk, milkshakes, alcohol, fruit squashes, juice
• Fats and fatty foods – butter, oils, snacks foods (crisps, peanuts), chips
• Creamy soups
• Cakes, biscuits and desserts
• Cereals with added sugar

From time to time you will get food stuck in your stomach which can be quite uncomfortable especially if you have not followed your eating plan. Firstly don’t panic as it should dislodge again on its own. To help the food on , try taking tiny sips of hot drink over an hour and some people recommend coke as the gas and bubble encourage you stomach to digest.

If 24hrs has gone by and you still have something stuck and nothing else is going down (or its coming straight back up) you need to attend your hospital for a temporary de-fill of your gastric band to ease the problem.

Consider carefully these problem foods gastric banding surgery .

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Many Surgeons recommend that people go for psychotherapy after gastric banding surgery and also if necessary before to ensure the patient is mentally and emotionally prepared. As life after will have drastic change but still many people still undergo gastric banding surgery without addressing their emotional problems. Especially the issues related to the surgery and the conditions leading up to the choice to go for surgery like food addiction, eating disorders and other mental health problems.

Consulting with a therapist to tackle difficult emotional issues can make weight loss surgery more rewarding and lay the foundation for a healthy lifestyle for the long-term.

Stress Management and psychotherapy after gastric banding surgery

Psychotherapy after Gastric Banding Surgery

Managing stress without turning to food can be a challenge for any individual and after gastric banding surgery it is no different. Any underlying stress triggers that are causing you to eat for comfort may require you seeking professional help. There are ways to manage stress effectively without drugs, medication or a treatment plan, and these can include some simple lifestyle changes such as:

• Massage therapy
• Acupuncture
• Yoga or deep breathing exercises
• Meditation
• Pursuing a hobby
• Support groups

Managing the psychotherapy after gastric banding surgery  can prevent you turning to food for emotional support. Working with a therapist and engaging in a exercise routine after gastric banding are just a few ways to implement a post-surgery weight management plan. Learn more about weight loss from your gastric banding surgeon and the procedures involved.

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Understanding a diet after Gastric Banding Surgery

Healthy Eating after Gastric Banding Surgery

We have now successfully got to the end of week four of our diet after gastric banding surgery , so we can continue eating much about the same sort of food you were for the last four weeks, but this time the food does not need to be pureed, instead mashing it to the consistency of “toddler food”. It should be still fairly soft though and keep to the same small quantities and eating 4–5 times per day. Make sure you chew each small mouthful well.

Now its been six weeks since we had our Surgery and we are now ready to continue on your long term eating plan with the diet after gastric banding surgery . By this time our gastric band is usually done and you will start to feel the restriction your gastric band is making around the top of your stomach. You are now eating small amounts of food and have reduced your calorie intake and losing weight, but we are aiming for a healthy nutritious eating plan as well.

We all have different in the foods we can eat, but we need to follow the eating plan to gain maximum benefit from your diet after  gastric banding surgery :

• Eat three meals per day – your new pouch at the top of your stomach empties slowly throughout the day and you should be satisfied eating three meals a day without getting hungry in between meals.
• Eat healthy, solid food – soft food slips down easily and while this is good as it wont bock our stomach, you will tend to eat more though the day. Choose solid foods without lots of sauce (e.g. small meal of chicken and vegetables) and you will eat less overall and stay full for longer.
• Eat slowly and stop as soon as you feel full – Most obese people are used to rushing their meals and as there is a time lag from stretching the wall of your stomach and telling your brain you are full, you need to be careful with this one or risk blockage, pain or vomiting. Take tiny bites and chew each piece 10–25 times.
• Do not eat between meals – you should not need to eat between meals if you are eating three sensible meals per day.
• Do not drink at meal times – Liquids will speed up the passage of food through the stomach and ruin the beneficial effect of slow emptying of food from your new stomach pouch. If you have a drink immediately before your meal you may also find that your stomach is still full and you can’t eat your meal. So avoid fluids half an hour before your meals, and for one hour afterwards.
• All drinks should be zero calories – As liquids do pass through your stomach so easily, calorie laden drinks, including alcohol, will simply add calories to your daily intake. Women need calcium, and this can be obtained from skimmed milk, but avoid juice, fizzy drinks (the gas can also cause considerable pain), squashes and milkshakes.

For maximum weight loss after gastric banding surgery we suggest limiting the food mentioned below:

• High calorie drinks like full milk, milkshakes, alcohol, fruit squashes, juice
• Cakes, biscuits and desserts
• Cereals with added sugar
• Fats and fatty foods – butter, oils, snacks foods (crisps, peanuts), chips
• Creamy soups

You may be wondering if diet after gastric banding surgery means that you will be required to take multivitamins, generally speaking you do not need to as your healthy diet should be adequate. If you still feel you want too then choose one that can be broken up into smaller pieces to swallow so that it does not become stuck in your gastric band.

Always maintain a health diet after gastric banding surgery.

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Diet after Gastric Banding Surgery

Immediately after your surgery you needs consider your diet after Gastric Banding surgery has been completed, it is important to let it sit and rest so that scar tissue can form around it which is crucial to helping it fix in the correct position. If you were to eat a normal solid diet immediately after the operation your stomach muscles squeeze and churn to break down the food and put stress and pressure on the band and any stitches holding it in position.

The Gastric banding idea is to limit how much food your stomach pouch can contain, so you need to get to grips with your diet after Gastric Banding Surgery if you are going to get the best results. Whilst individual surgery centres do vary in their specific eating plan advice, here is general information and guidance for Gastric banding patients.

Your food will alter as time goes by and can be broken into two different time frames, the first being within the first four weeks and the other being beyond four weeks.

The first four weeks

You will start taking sips of water the day after the gastric band surgery and following day you will probably be able to take free fluids. Once you are taking fluids easily the next step is moving to puree.

The key point to your eating plan for the four weeks after gastric banding is to make sure all your food is pureed and that you eat small quantities (4–5 small meals per day).Here’s the key points to take note when preparing your diet:

• The texture should be something like smooth baby food and this can be achieved by using a food processor or hand–held blender, or push though a sieve to remove any lumps and remember to add a little water to make a smoother consistency.
• The size of your meals should be about 100g, or 5–6 tablespoons is the correct amount. Ensure you eat this slowly and eat in small mouthfuls.
• Stop eating as soon as you start to feel full as your pouch is at the top of your stomach, the feeling of fullness you will get is different from the feeling before and has been explained as a tightness in your chest not your stomach.
• Drink 1.5 litres of water (2 1/2 pints) every day in 100-200ml portions which is too be taken between meals and not with the meal as it could fill you up fast.

Example meals during this stage:

By controlling your diet after Gastric Banding Surgery you will gain the maximum comfort and results, combine this with a exercise after gastric banding surgery routine and your gastric surgery recovery process will be improved.

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Exercise after gastric banding surgery

Any calories that we absorb and are unable to burn will turn into fat, the principle of losing weight is that we need to burn my calories than we intake, we need to diet as well as look at exercise after Gastric Banding Surgery to increase the calories we burn.

We need not join a gym straight after we finish our gastric banding surgery, we only need to start exercising very gently as not to damage your joints and muscles. However, as your excess weight comes off, physical exercise will become easier and you will also have a lot more energy and natural desire to be more active. You ultimate goal should be to take 30 minutes’ exercise per day. Start with small steps and short term goals and build on it from there.

When considering your exercise after you completed your gastric banding, it will be important to choose activities you like and which you will enjoy doing (swimming, walking, cycling etc.). Start slowly and gradually increase the pace of the exercise and the duration you are doing it.

For those who have had gastric banding and are not used to taking much exercise, walking is the best exercise of all and you may find it useful to purchase a pedometer or stepometer, which measures the distance you walk each day. The aim is to walk at least 10,000 steps per day, Sounds alt right? but this is the average person will be approximate five miles distance. The reason for using the pedometer for exercise is it will feedback if your under your required distance throughout the day, so you be able to adjust as the day goes by.

Here’s a list of simple activities that you can take in your normal routine:

• When you only have a short distance to go, try walking or cycling rather than using the car.
• Get off the bus one stop before your destination and walk the rest.
• Do not use remote control for your TV, music system, etc. (take the batteries out if needs be!) — get up out of your chair to do it instead.
• Get yourself a dog or offer to take a neighbours dog for a walk each day
• Use the stairs rather than using the lift or escalator.
• Walk to the shop for you newspaper or milk rather than having it delivered.
• Don’t stockpile things at the bottom of the stairs to take up with you in the evening, up and down the stairs in your home as often as possible during the day
• Get a Swiss ball (also called a ‘Fit ball’) and sit on it when you use the telephone — keeping your balance will help to tone your bottom, tummy and thigh muscles!

Exercise whether its after gastric banding surgery or not is good for both body and soul. Your joints will become firmer and more flexible, your muscles become stronger, your lungs are better able to take in oxygen, your circulation is stimulated and your digestive system works better. Exercise after gastric banding surgery will also stimulates a feeling of well-being, you will feel less tired and weak, less stressed, more alert and you will have a sense of being in control of things.

You will realize that exercise after Gastric Banding Surgery will change your life for ever.

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Losing Weight with adjustable Gastric Band Surgery

The secret to losing weight after adjustable gastric band surgery is in the hands of the surgeon, in how he places the band and in the adjustment.

During the adjustable lap band surgery the surgeon will not fill the gastric band or if he does only slightly filled to allow for any swelling of the stomach. Therefore during the first few weeks after surgery you will be able to eat quite large portions of food until the adjustment is done.

The idea of the adjustable gastric band is to allow the doctor to gradually fill the band until there is a point that your food intake decreases to allow weight loss yet enough to remain healthy.

After the surgery is completed, the doctor will need to check if the gastric band is positioned correctly. For this he will ask you to drink a small amount of water and then he will take a series of x-rays. These x-rays are to see the liquid flow into the newly created pouch and then though the restriction and into the normal stomach pouch.

For a small percentage of patients the initial setting or fill for the adjustable gastric band surgery will be enough, but for most they will need to adjust the setting with additional fills.

The first fill will be normally be 6 to 8 weeks after the surgery for the adjustable gastric band surgery to ensure proper healing and then subsequent fills 2 to 4 weeks apart.

Different surgeons will have different speeds of filling the adjustable gastric band, in terms of both the amount of  fill and time between fills. There is no true and hard fast speed but comes down to their experience and if they are aggressive or not.

Before you have your operation it is good for you to discuss with your doctor on post operation gastric banding diets and care. Selecting a good post operation team that will ensure that you get maximum benefit out of your surgery.

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