What Is Lap Band Surgery?
Lap band surgery is the insertion of a gastric band which goes around the stomach, creating a pouch out of it. This controls the size of the stomach, making it smaller in order to prevent the consumption of a large amount of food.
The lap band is an adjustable band. It’s adjusted by the surgeon every so often in order to aid in weight loss and to make the entire experience as satisfactory as possible.
What’s The Cost of Lap Band Surgery?
The lap band surgery generally costs between $9,000 and $18,000, although it generally sits at an average of around $14,300. The wide variation is due to many factors, including who your surgeon is, your insurance, what state you live in, and what complications arise.
What’s the Lap Band Surgery Diet Post-Op Like?
The diet after lap band surgery is much like most bariatric surgeries, except the progression is carefully controlled by the doctor.
In the first few days post-op, you will only be allowed to drink clear liquids such as water, tea, and coffee. After this period, you will be allowed to eat real foods that are pureed in a liquid that’s easy to digest.
Past that stage, after a few weeks, you’ll have soft foods introduced into your diet. Foods like scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes… foods that don’t require much chewing, nor have any bits and pieces.
Over time, more and more foods will be allowed into your diet, however you will still be restricted from eating fried foods and foods with kernels in it.
Is Lap Band Removal Possible?
Yes, lap band removal is possible. It’s often recommended for patients who find that full gastric bypass is needed in order to allow for weight loss, and it can also be used in patients that no longer need the band.
How’s The Recovery Like?
Recovery post-op will take several months, however you will be right back to work within a few weeks. The lap band surgery is not nearly as hard to recover from as a full gastric bypass, and this is often a consideration for people choosing the lap band.