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What to expect after surgery



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Please note that although the experience described below is typical, your experience may be different.

How Will I Feel?

After you get home from the hospital, you need to allow yourself enough time to recover properly. Get plenty of rest, but do try to walk as much as you can comfortably, to prevent blood clots. Do not lift anything heavy. You can expect some soreness the first few days after surgery, but your surgeon will prescribe medications to treat any pain.

You can most likely return to light work in a few days to a week, but if you have a physically demanding job, you may have to wait two to three weeks. You should also be able to return to normal activity and regular exercise within four to six weeks. Be sure to follow the specific instructions provided by your surgeon and medical team.

Beginning Life with Your LAP-BAND

Your weight-management team will help you with your new lifestyle and eating habits. It is very important to follow their instructions immediately after the operation to allow your new stomach structure to heal completely, allowing your LAP-BAND® System to sit in the right position. This is very important to your weight loss surgery success, so stay focused on allowing your body to recover from surgery, and feeling good.

  • For the first 24 hours after surgery, you can have an occasional sip of Water or suck on an ice cube.
  • For the first couple of weeks, you will be on a liquid diet as you gradually move toward pureed and soft foods.
  • About six weeks after surgery, you should be able to eat solid food again.
  • During recovery, it is important to drink plenty of Water, although never with your meals.
  • Remember that eating the wrong foods or eating too much can cause vomiting and interfere with your healing process.
  • You also need to start engaging in physical activity and exercise within a few weeks after surgery. At first, it may be hard for you to exercise as much as you should, but it's important both physically and emotionally to get started.
  • Taking it slow at first, try to walk as much as you comfortably can. It's a great way to regain strength and prevent blood clots.

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You know I have a whole folder hear of info. I certainly did alot of research. We need to know what to expect and what we are getting ourselves into and the more info we know prior to surgery the better we are at ensuring that we are successful in loosing weight......Keep a look out I have plenty more to provide you all....Happy Reading......:):thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::frown::thumbup:

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Please note that although the experience described below is typical, your experience may be different.

How Will I Feel?

After you get home from the hospital, you need to allow yourself enough time to recover properly. Get plenty of rest, but do try to walk as much as you can comfortably, to prevent blood clots. Do not lift anything heavy. You can expect some soreness the first few days after surgery, but your surgeon will prescribe medications to treat any pain.

You can most likely return to light work in a few days to a week, but if you have a physically demanding job, you may have to wait two to three weeks. You should also be able to return to normal activity and regular exercise within four to six weeks. Be sure to follow the specific instructions provided by your surgeon and medical team.

Beginning Life with Your LAP-BAND

Your weight-management team will help you with your new lifestyle and eating habits. It is very important to follow their instructions immediately after the operation to allow your new stomach structure to heal completely, allowing your LAP-BAND® System to sit in the right position. This is very important to your weight loss surgery success, so stay focused on allowing your body to recover from surgery, and feeling good.

  • For the first 24 hours after surgery, you can have an occasional sip of Water or suck on an ice cube.
  • For the first couple of weeks, you will be on a liquid diet as you gradually move toward pureed and soft foods.
  • About six weeks after surgery, you should be able to eat solid food again.
  • During recovery, it is important to drink plenty of Water, although never with your meals.
  • Remember that eating the wrong foods or eating too much can cause vomiting and interfere with your healing process.
  • You also need to start engaging in physical activity and exercise within a few weeks after surgery. At first, it may be hard for you to exercise as much as you should, but it's important both physically and emotionally to get started.
  • Taking it slow at first, try to walk as much as you comfortably can. It's a great way to regain strength and prevent blood clots.

You forgot P A I N !

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Naturally, everyones recovery will be different. Some may find it a breeze and some might struggle with the pain and the fact that your have just had lap band surgery and how much your life will change. Our experiences will be different from each other. My note was a guide that I had found whilst doing some research about the lap band..:):smile::tongue2::smile:

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Yeah but you're a freak Megsy! I had shocking pain in recovery but I cant have morphine so maybe thats why. You're a bit wobbly for a few days but the recovery is SUPER quick and I was at the shops 3 days later and driving about 4 days after. Back on full motherhood duties (not easy) on day 6 all by myself with husband away for work. Eating pretty normally now at 3 weeks later (only small amounts though) still a little discomfort around port scar and if I eat too much but lower abdominally not around band. And I cannot say enough how BRILLIANT it has all been and I would do it all again even despite the hideous pain straight after. U walk within the hour after op. Gas pain is shocking but manageable. pain killers knock you around so you learn to live without or stick to panadol. All up, totally fabulous!!

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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