Many people want and need to lose weight but can't seem to make any progress. Having surgery to lose weight is good for seriously overweight patients who have tried and failed other treatments. Studies have shown that weight-loss surgery such as lap band surgery has helped patients to sustain their weight loss longer than non-surgical therapies. By having this surgery, you will be on the road to better health and improving your quality of life.
What is Lap Band Surgery?
The safest and least invasive weight-loss surgery is the lap band surgery. There is no stomach cutting, stapling, or gastrointestinal re-routing involved in the lap band surgery. This reduces post-operative pain and hastens recovery. The name "lap-band' comes from the surgical technique, laparoscopic, and the name of the implanted device.
During the procedure, the lap band surgeon usually uses the laparoscopic technique. Instead of making a large incision, they make tiny incisions and use instruments to insert the lap band. There is less of a chance of side effects and nutritional deficiencies that are often associated with gastric surgeries.
Lap band surgery involves placing an adjustable gastric band around the upper stomach to create a smaller stomach pocket. This limits the amount of food a person can consume at one time. With a smaller stomach, you feel full faster, and the food moves more slowly between your upper and lower stomach. This helps you to eat less and lose weight.
Once the band is placed around the stomach, it is connected to an access port in the skin of your abdomen. The surgeon can then inject the inside of the stomach with saline solution. This adjusts the size of the stomach outlet to restrict the amount of food that can be moved through it. This process helps determine the rate of weight loss. It can be adjusted to individual needs as you lose weight or help speed up weight loss. It can be adjusted or removed without surgery.
Learning to Eat After Surgery
After surgery there are some dietary limitations that are advantageous for the patient. For the first three to four days following surgery, patients must have a clear liquid diet. This gives the patient time to adjust to the new stomach and avoid complications. For the first three months after surgery, no caffeine drinks such as coffee, tea, or soda are allowed. Carbonated drinks are not recommended because they can cause gas and bloating. They could also cause the stomach size to increase because of the carbonation.

The next phase is a modified liquid diet that helps you adjust to eating small meals. You will be given instructions on how much protein and vegetables to eat. The lap band diet does not include most bread, potatoes or starchy foods. You will be encouraged to eat a lot of protein to avoid a deficiency and side effects.
Lose Weight and Keep It Off
After lap band surgery, you will learn to eat small bites and eat slowly. There will be some foods that will be ruled out to avoid causing digestive problems. As you begin to lose weight these adjustments in diet will become a new way of life.
To save money, you can check on having the surgery in Mexico. There are websites that give information on doctors and clinics in both the U.S. and Mexico. There are new options available for people who cannot lose weight and keep it off. Find out if lapband surgery would work for you.