Lap Band Adjustment Diet

Some people may wonder what happens when you have your band adjusted. What are you able to eat?  For how long must you be careful?   Well for me I have only had two fills in my band since my surgery.  My surgeon however has a very strict diet that he uses, and this is due to the inflammation that occurs after the saline is injected into the band. When I had just 1cc injected on the 5th I felt fine when I left the office but within four hours I felt the tightness and was very very tender.  It felt like I had this lump in my throat.  Of course you do not, that is the band you are feeling.

For those of you who are new to the Band I thought I would let you know what my Diet consisted up after my fill. So here goes:

Clear Liquids    3 days

Full Liquids       4 days

Soft                   1 week

Clear liquid choices include:  Clear broth, jello, Popsicles, clear fruit juice, apple, cranberry, fruit punch, grape and water.

Full liquid choices include: creamed or broth-based soup, strained, Pudding, Yogurt (no added fruit) Hot cereal, All fruit juice, as tolerated, milk, water

Soft food items include: applesauce, canned fruit, soft-cooked vegetables, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, Tuna, chicken, ham or egg salad made with low fat mayonnaise.

****May feel increase in tightness of band in the morning.  Try warm liquids to lessen discomfort such as heated protein drink, warm milk, or tea.******

Re-commit to weight loss by doing following:

     1.  Eat 3 meals per day

     2.  Limit meals to 2-3 ounces

     3.  Chew well

     4.  Do not drink with meals or 30 minutes before or after meal.

     5.  Eat slowly (20-30 minutes per meal.)

     6.  All foods need to be low fat, low sugar

     7.  Eat only solid, healthy foods high in protein and complex carbohydrate, such as lean meats, beans

          vegetables, and whole grains.  These food textures pass slowly through the banded area and keep

          feeling fuller longer.

     8.  No white bread

     9.  Protein Goal:  60 grams/day

   10.  Fluid Goal:    64 ounces/per day or more

   11.  Journal and measure food and fluid intake.

   12.  Resume daily multivitamin and calcium citrate supplements when on soft diet.

   13.  Attend a Lap Band Support Group every month

So that is my Dr's instructions when he does a fill for his lap band patients.

I have stuck to this religiously since my fill four weeks ago and am down 20 pounds.  I know this seems strict but you must allow the esophagus and stomach pouch to heal from the inflammation of the restriction.  I am glad I did as I have no pain and now tenderness and I am able to eat my small meals just fine right now.

July 5, 2011 First Fill In Two Years

This is the day I saw my surgeon for the first time in two years.  He was not happy with me at all.  He asked me why I had stopped coming and what on earth happened to me.  I was back on his scale at 275.  He said "I am here for you, to help you, we are a team".  Those words pierced me, I knew he was right.  I was angry with myself.  I told him all the excuses that I had for falling off the program.

He assured me that he would help me get back on track.  He gave me a fill in my band and added 1cc in my band and I have a total of 3cc's now.  I left his office feeling really good.  I sipped water for him and it just trickled through my band as in the days of old.

I knew that I was going to like the restriction.  I had been able to eat way too much food for a very long time.  I cannot even remember when that changed.  I had stopped logging my food long ago.  I had no idea what was going in my body anymore.  I had corrected my irritable bowel syndrome with the initial 80 pounds I lost and that had started up again.  I visited the gastroenterologist in April and he scheduled me for a endoscopy and colonoscopy.  He told me since I would be 50 this year that it was "time" to take a look and since I was having so many issues he thought it best.  I was having pain a burning in my stomach.  It was horrible.  It was not heartburn, I had not had any GERD symptoms since being banded.

I must tell you that I had no comorbidites before my surgery lest my nearly high blood pressure and BMI over 40.  I am a very healthy obese woman. I laugh at that statement.  I am trying to get back into weighing myself each and every day first thing in the AM after the "loo" and before my shower.  It is helping me to keep on track.

I weighed this morning and am at 257!  Woo Hoo

I am 20 pounds down since getting my fill......I am well on my way.

November 9, 2007

This was the day that changed my life.  I have  struggled with my weight since I had my first child.  I was not heavy until then.  I have yo-yo dieted most of my adult life.  I was tired of trying every diet imaginable.  I was lucky I had begun a new job with a fantastic Hospital and the insurance their would pay for my banding.


I went to a seminar along with my husband who supported me completely.  He does not have a weight problem and he stood beside me in the decision to stop the madness.  I saw The bariatric program through OSF is phenomenal.  Great instructions, nutritionist, and group support meetings.  I lost 80 pounds in the first 12 months.  I was on cloud nine.


I began leading the support group for Lap Band patients, and I was heading toward my goal.  I did not think anything could derail me.  Wrong Again!  Life interjects sometimes, and throws us a curve ball.


 My daughter went through a divorce and she and her two boys moved in.  My workouts that I was religious about doing came to a screeching halt.  I felt the increases of stress, and I began to eat around my band.  I had my first fill 12 months after getting my band.  I was one of the lucky ones, who had restriction from the get go.  I have a Allergan LapBand 4cc.  I had 2cc placed in it 12 months out.  I was tight, I had difficulty eating meat, and vegetables.  I did not want to have any removed I was scared to, so I began to eat things that were easy to get through my band.  Things I knew better about.  This went on for another 12 months, and slowly that "crap" came back into my diet.  Junk Food that I know better than to eat.  I stopped weighing, I stopped doing all the things that I knew that I should be doing. I stopped going to my surgeon, I was embarrassed I did not want him to see me fail. The weight started coming back on.


Then I looked at myself in the mirror and said WOW, Kristin how could you put back on that weight.  I had regained 50+ pounds. I was humiliated.  I felt like a failure.  I sought out a counselor, and began therapy.  I made the decision to get back on track with my band.  I knew the power of the tool that I had been given and I was determined this time to make it work and see it through.


Then I found this wonderful Blogger, Catherine55 and I read everyone of her posts and her success with her band and I got inspiration from her.  She is an amazing woman and I have never even met her.  She gave me the confidence in her blog to dust off and begin a new.


So here I am.....ready to hit head on this weight loss for the last time in my life.  I have removed the triggers from my house.  I have gotten back into the gym and walking.  I have set some goals, both short term and long term ones.

This is me before I hit my heaviest weight in 1997.

This is me before my surgery still not at my heaviest though I am heading there quickly

This is me still not at my heaviest but close I packed on additional 25 pounds after my second grandson Cole was born in October 2006.  I would be banded one year later.

I hate pictures of myself and I will try and make sure that I take many pictures on my journey this time.  I have my day of surgery picture and I carry it with me in my purse.  It is suppose to remind me of where I was and that I do not want to go back there again.


I know that I can do this and I will succeed.