How much weight will I lose?
Weight loss results vary from patient to patient, and the amount of weight you lose depends on several things. You need to be committed to your new lifestyle and eating habits. Weight loss surgery is not a miracle cure, and the pounds won't come off by themselves. A weight loss of 2 to 3 pounds a week in the first year after the operation is possible, but 1 pound a week is more likely. Twelve to 18 months after the operation, weekly weight loss is usually less. Gradual yet steady weight loss with the LAP-BAND® System can be healthy for you. Losing weight too quickly creates a health risk and can lead to a number of problems. The main goal is to have weight loss that prevents, improves, or resolves health problems connected with severe obesity.
Will I feel hungry or deprived with the LAP-BAND® System?
The LAP-BAND® System helps you eat less and feel full in two ways-first by reducing the capacity of your stomach, and second, by increasing the time it takes food to get through the digestive system. After a small meal, the amount of which varies from person to person, you should feel full. If you follow the nutrition guidelines when you choose your food and then chew it well, you should not feel hungry or deprived. Remember that the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System is a tool to help you change your eating habits.
Can I eat anything in moderation?
After your stomach has healed, you may eat most foods that don't cause you discomfort. However, because you can only eat a little, it is important to include foods full of important vitamins and nutrients, such as those recommended in the nutrition section of this booklet and as advised by your surgeon and/or dietitian. If you eat foods that contain lots of sugar and fat or drink liquids full of "empty" calories, such as milkshakes, the effect of the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System may be greatly reduced or even cancelled.
One final point: It is important to ask your surgeon all the questions you have about weight loss surgery and the LAP-BAND® System. It is also essential that you follow his or her advice.
O'Brien PE, Dixon JB. Lap-Band®: outcomes and results. J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech A. 2003;13:265-270.
Clegg AJ, Colquitt J, Sidhu MK, et al. The clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of surgery for people with morbid obesity: a systematic review and economic evaluation. Health Technol Assess. 2002;6:1-153.
Dixon JB, Dixon AF, O'Brien PE. Light to moderate alcohol consumption: obesity and the metabolic syndrome. Am J Bariat Med. 2002;17:11-14
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