Gastric Band Adjustment

Lap-Band or Gastric Band surgery is a highly effective procedure for weight loss. Successful lap band surgery is greatly dependent on self-awareness as to when you require the addition or removal of fluid from your band.

The quantity of food that is needed for you to feel satisfied and comfortable is determined by the amount of fluid present in your band. This generally determines your total weight loss.

The addition and removal of fluid is the duty of your care team, however, you will play a crucial role in determining the adjustments and modifications to your band.

Six weeks after your lap band surgery, you will have an appointment with your nurse in clinic for your initial adjustments, usually regarded as a ‘FILL’. Thereafter, during the surgical operation, your nurse will locate the port which was initially placed underneath your skin (Subcutaneously). Following this, a slim needle will be inserted to inject saline solution into the port.

Ensure to drink a glass of water should you have had an adjustment (fill) of your lap band during your appointment before leaving the clinic. You should encounter no difficulties drinking water immediately after your adjustment has been made. If perhaps you do feel slight discomfort after consuming water, it’s a sign that the band may be too tight. The nurse will have to extract some amount of fluid via your port.

Assume your lap band to be in either of three zones: the yellow zone, the green zone, or the red zone.

• Green Zone: You’re easily satisfied with small meals. You don’t feel hungry between meals You’re glad about your significant rate of weight loss. If you’re in the green zone, your gastric band is properly fitted and you experience optimum weight loss with no further adjustments to your band.
• Yellow Zone: You’re frequently hungry between meals. You’re not satisfied (filled) after consuming moderate meals. You’re struggling to drop weight. If you’re in the yellow zone, your doctor will probably increase the fluid content of your lap band.
• Red Zone: It’s difficult to eat more than a few bites Discomfort while eating and swallowing. You experience regurgitation, reflux, and heartburn. You have a night-time cough regularly. If you’re in the red zone, your lap band may be too tight and need fluid removed.

In most cases, you spend a majority or mostly all of your time in the green zone. Your lap band is adjusted for you to eat a healthy portion of your meal about every 4hours. This enables your body to receive the needed nutrients without you having to feel hungry between meals. Since you’re consuming fewer amounts of calories than you’re burning, you’re steadily losing weight.

Contact your nurse if you’re not in the green zone. It is not abnormal to require various adjustments during the first year post-surgery. Do not assume that you are probably doing something wrong if you require an adjustment, despite being in the green zone before.

The success determinant of lap band surgery is self-awareness and honest communication of your personal needs with your care team.

Keep in mind that you ought not to experience significant reflux (Heartburn) and swallowing difficulties. You must contact your doctor should you be experiencing persistent abdominal or chest pain and difficulty swallowing fluids. You can also contact the emergency department.

In very rare cases, patients do experience life-threatening complications after lap band surgery. It is vital to be sensitive to such possible problems, because the band is too tightly fitted may result in adverse outcomes. Thus, recognizing these problems earlier minimizes the possibility of any unfavourable results.