Is Lap-Band Surgery the Solution If You Have Less Than 100 Pounds to Lose?

The decision to have lap-band surgery should not be taken lightly or made without researching as much information as possible about this procedure. Everywhere you look, especially here in the USA, you'll notice there are billboards popping up all over the place touting lap-band surgery as a "fix" for everyone. These ads are even encouraging lap-band surgery for people with as little to lose as 50 pounds.

Lap-band surgery is and was designed to help people who are severely overweight reach long-term weight loss goals. There are many factors involved to decide if you're a good candidate for this procedure. Typically a person considering this type of surgery should either be twice their recommended weight or at least 100 pounds over their ideal weight. The person should also be between the ages of 18 and 60, and he or should be overweight for 5 or more years.

Also, if you are considering lap-band surgery you have to be prepared to make some very radical changes to your current lifestyle, mainly where your attitude about food is concerned. Please realize that after you have lap-band surgery you will never be able to sit down and eat a "normal" meal again. Yes, you'll be able to eat solid foods, but a meal for you will consist of a few ounces.

This isn't to say that it's healthier for you to sit down and eat everything in sight. This would be unhealthy, as well. However, you won't have the option to "pig out" at Thanksgiving because that second helping (or even one normal helping) of anything will cause you physical discomfort, including but not limited to nausea, vomiting, and possibly stretching the lap-band pouch.

You and your physician will be creating a whole new diet plan for you. If you've tried diets in the past and were unable to stick to them for any length of time, be sure you understand what you're undertaking when deciding to have lap-band surgery. You are making not only a physical change to your body, but you are embarking on a whole new lifestyle.

There is a whole list of foods you'll need to either avoid or limit your intake of if you have lap-band surgery. Food you'll want to avoid as much as possible include (though this list is not all-inclusive):

Sugary foods and drinks like: syrups, honey, sugar-sweetened beverages (like soda), cookies and candies
Foods high in fat: chocolate, cream sauces, ice cream, sausage (and other processed foods like cold cuts)

Starchy foods: rice, pasta, potatoes

Other fats and oils like butter should be restricted to 4 teaspoons or less per day.

Other foods that need to be avoided because they can cause problems in people who have had lap-band surgery are:

Any carbonated beverages (these can cause gas to build up in the pouch and create discomfort)

Fibrous foods: Asparagus, celery, sweet potatoes, etc. These can actually clog the stomach opening and get stuck.

Meats: Steak, hamburger, pork

Keep in mind the above is not an all-inclusive list of what you cannot have once you've had lap-band surgery. It's a list of some of the more common items to avoid; your physician will go over all the foods to eliminate from your new diet.

If you enjoy having cocktails or wine, this is another beverage that's frowned upon once you have lap-band surgery. You may enjoy an occasional glass of wine, but not with every dinner like you might be enjoying right now.

Another component of lap-band surgery is the healing time. The process can take 6 to 8 weeks and you'll be monitored by your doctor during this recovery process. The first 2 weeks or so after your surgery you'll be unable to eat any solid foods. Slowly you'll be allowed to reintroduce solid food into your diet. In week 3 or 4 you'll be able to eat pureed foods or perhaps oatmeal, and then after about 4 to 8 weeks you should be able to start eating some "real" food again. It all depends on how your body is healing.

So, before making any decisions one way or the other about lap-band surgery please do your research and some soul-searching to decide if this surgery is really what you need to deal with your particular weight issue.