Adjusting your Gastric Band

By: Simon Hemmings

After you have completed your gastric banding surgery your band will be empty up to 6 weeks to allow the surgery to heal and the band to adhere firmly to the stomach. Some people will lose weight during this phase but some do not. So don’t worry in you do not.

Adjustments or fills to the gastric band are painless and take just a few minutes to perform. Some people are actually able to make it to their goal weight with no adjustments but they far and few. Most patients require 3 to 5 adjustments before they are losing weight at an expected pace. So again don’t worry if you require 6 adjustments to get it right. Gastric banding is unique for this reason that we can adjust the band to our requirements against other surgeries wheres there is no option.

How are the adjustments performed?
The area on top of the port is cleaned with betadine and then lidocaine is injected into the skin using a small needle to numb the skin. After this a larger needle is then placed through the skin and into the port. Fluid is then injected into the port at amounts decided on by the surgeon.

How Do I Know If I Need An Adjustment?
You will know if your weight loss is not averaging 1-2 pounds a week. We all want immediate results now but gastric banding doesn’t work in this way. Graph out your weight loss so you can actually chart your weight on a weekly basis, but don’t weigh yourself more than once a week. Remember they are just numbers, guidelines of how you are doing but not definitive of success.

Rules for Adjustments
No matter how much fluid you have in your band there are only three kinds of fills, too little, too much and just right, the actual number of cc’s is totally irrelevant.

If you are following the rules stated below and still are feeling very hungry or not losing weight, perhaps it is time to consult your surgeon for an adjustment.

Are you drinking a minimum of 2 liters of water per day?
Actually the recommendation is to take your body weight, divide in half and that is how many ounces of water you need to drink per day to keep your cells flushed and everything in working order. Please remember to stop drinking liquids 30 minutes prior to a meal and no drinking during the meal as you will wash food though the gastric band and end up eating more than you should.

Are you engaging in some type of exercise or physical activity on a daily basis?
Raking your yard, walking your dog, weeding the garden all count as do walking to shops nstead of driving. Swimming is also a great form of physical activity for those with joint problems, and it is something one can do with children or families. Exercise after gastric surgery is important and is cumulative and it all adds up so every little bit counts!

Are you eating 60 grams of protein per day?
60 grams is not so much really, thats approx 3 ounces servings each meal what works out to be around 21 grams of chicken. Protein is an essential building block for tissues and cells and protein helps turn off hunger and carbohydrates seem to turn it on. Try fitday they will help you track your diet. You may want look at healthy eating after gastric banding surgery.

Now you have greater understanding on Adjusting your Gastric Banding

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