FAQ

Will I have to follow a special diet to lose weight, after the surgery?
After surgery, you will only need to make changes in your eating habits, not only to prevent complications, but also to produce the desired weight loss. It is very important to follow the eating and drinking instructions right from the start after the operation. This will prevent band slippage and obstruction of the stoma (the opening for foods leaving the upper stomach). It is important, especially in the early weeks, not to stretch the small stomach pouch above the band.

How should I eat, after the lap band surgery?
You should eat slowly and chew foods until they reach a mushy consistency.  Swallowing food in chunks may block the opening and prevent the passage of food. The following are hints to help you eat more slowly:

1. 1- Set aside 30 to 45 minutes to eat each food.
   2- Actually count the number of times you chew each bite. Aim for 30
   3- Make an EAT SLOWLY sign and place it on the table in front of you
   4- Explain to family members why you must eat slowly so they will not urge you to eat faster
   5- Take small bites of food. You may want to try eating with a baby spoon
   6- Pay attention to taste. Learn to savor each bite, noticing its flavor, texture
   7- Chew well. Ground or very soft foods may be necessary if you have dentures.

How will I know when to stop eating?
STOP EATING AS SOON AS YOU ARE “SATISFIED”. Once your stomach is full, your body receives a signal that you have eaten enough. It takes time, though for you to become aware of this signal. If you hurry your meal, you may eat more than you need.

What happens if I eat more food than necessary, to feel satisfied?

Besides causing you to vomit, extra food over a period of time may stretch your stomach. Try to recognize the feeling of fullness. Then stop eating at once. Indications of fullness may be:

1-A feeling of pressure of fullness in the center of your abdomen just below the rib cage
2-Feeling of nausea
3-Pain in your shoulder area, upper chest or jaw

If you start vomiting and it continues throughout the day, stop eating solid foods and just sip clear liquids. The vomiting may indicate that your outlet is blocked. If intermittent vomiting continues for more than 24 hours, contact your doctor. Most vomiting episodes can be prevented.

What is the cause of vomiting?

The causes of vomiting are:

1-Eating too fast and not chewing properly
2-Eating too much at meal
3-Drinking liquids right after eating
4-Eating foods that do are not right for you

How many meals should I have a day?
SET ASIDE THREE MEALTIMES PER DAY AND EAT SOLID FOODS ONLY AT THESE TIMES. The LAP-BAND creates a small stomach pouch that can only hold about half a cup (3 to 4 oz) of food. If you try to eat more than this at one time you may become nauseous. You may also want to vomit. If you routinely eat too much, the small stomach pouch may stretch. Frequent vomiting can also cause certain complications, such as stomach slippage. You may need to learn how much your stomach pouch can hold comfortably and then not exceed this amount. It is important to eat nourishing foods and to avoid the habit of snacking.

Can I eat between meals?
For a continuos and secure weight loss, it is important that you eat nutricious food and avoid eating between meals. Eating often throughout the day may keep you from losing weight because you will be able to eat enough calories to maintain that weight. Individuals who continuously munch on crackers, potato chips, or other foods have not only failed to lose but have even gained weight.

Eating snacks between meals is one of the major reasons for weight loss failure. It is very important to break this habit.

Can I drink between means?
DRINK FOUR TO SIX CUPS OF LIQUID PER DAY BETWEEN MEALS. Liquids are needed to replace normal body water losses and thus prevent dehydration. Individual needs will vary, but you should drink at least 6-8 glasses of water a day.

What happens if I drink while I’, having my meals?
If you drink at mealtimes, the food you have eaten becomes liquid. Then the effectiveness of the LAP-BAND system is greatly reduced. You should not eat anything for at least one hour after a meal. That way you can keep the feeling of fullness as long as possible.

Will I be able to drink liquids normally, as I used to before the weightloss surgery?
You will have to sip beverages slowly. One way to begin is by taking sips of beverages from a medicine cup or shot glass instead of drinking from a regular glass.

Can I have any type of beverage , after the weightloss surgery?
ELIMINATE HIGH CALORIE DRINKS. Milk shakes, soda pop, beer and other alcoholic beverages are very high in calories. By sipping on high-calorie liquids throughout the day, many calories are absorbed without creating the effect of fullness. This will result in a poor weight loss record. Avoid carbonated liquids because they could increase the size of the pouch creating discomfort.

What type of diet is recommended to follow, after the weightloss surgery?
Just eat a BALANCED DIET. Because the quantity of food you can consume at a meal is reduced, it is important that what you do eat is of good nutritional value. Do not fill your small stomach pouch with junk food that lacks vitamins and other important nutrients. Eating foods from each of the four food groups will provide adequate amounts of protein, vitamins and minerals for your needs.

Can I exercise after the recovery period?
Indeed. EXERCISE AT LEAST 30 MINUTES A DAY. Since physical activity consumes energy and burns calories, it is very important for successful weight loss. Exercise can help improve your general health. Start with simple activities such as walking and swimming. Gradually expand your program to include more vigorous forms of exercise such as cycling, jogging and aerobics. Increase your activity level in the course of daily living.

How will my diet be during my stay in the Hospital?
After surgery, in addition to water you will be offered clear liquids. In time, your diet will include blended and pureed foods. You may be tempted to restrict your diet to liquids or blended foods, but this will prevent you from developing the habit of chewing your food properly. Many things may cause discomfort and vomiting. Sometimes it may be specific food. However, you should be careful not to avoid a food just because you vomited once after eating it. You may wish to wait for a day or two, but then you should try the specific food again.

How will my diet be, once I am back home?
You will be on a special diet for a periodo f 4 to 6 weeks, in which the diet will gradually change, therefore helping your new stomach to “learn” to eat the right way and the right foods. Next, the diet by the week:

            FIRST WEEK AFTER SURGERY. You will be on a clear liquid diet. Clear liquids include clear broth or soup (with no vegetables nor meat and not creamy), jell-o, fruit juice (no nectars), water, tea, coffee.

            SECOND WEEK AFTER SURGERY. You will continue on liquids but adding liquids that have a thicker consistency, such as skim milk, low fat yogurt, cream of wheat, oatmeal, creamy soups, fruit smoothies (nothing that you have to chew). Begin taking protein supplements this week. Make sure that the protein supplement you choose is pure protein… not just a meal replacement.

            THIRD WEEK AFTER SURGERY. In addition, add pureed foods such as blended meat, meat paste, liverwurst, yogurt (no berries or other type containing seeds); you may begin adding cottage cheese, sliced cheese, cheese dishes, scrambled and hard boiled eggs and fish. You may also slowly add soft canned fruits and vegetables. Baked potatoes (without the skin), rice, macaroni, noodles, rice, cereal, etc.

            FOURTH TO SIX WEEKS AFTER SURGERY. You may begin to add meats that are ground after cooking, such as pork, veal, chicken, turkey and beef. After checking you can begin to experiment more with food. Sliced meats as well as raw fruits and vegetables may be tried. Remember to chew them very well. If you feel hungry between meals you may sip a low calorie drink. You may substitute one meal for a protein shake.

How important are proteins, after the weightloss surgery?
It is very important that you eat food high in protein at each of your three meals and drink 1-2 cups of milk between meals. Protein is needed for wound healing and to renew your body cells. The recommended daily dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is: 56 gr/day for men; 46 gr/day for women. You should try to eat 50-70 gr of protein each day

Will I be able to eat any type of food, after the weightloss surgery?

Certain food may be difficult to tolerate. Since toleration for these foods varies from individual to individual, use your own discretion as to whether to include them in your diet. Through trial and error you may find that you are able to tolerate some of the food items, but there may be other which your digestive system cannot handle as well.

- Tough meats, specially hamburger (even after grinding, the gristle in hamburger is difficult to digest)
- Membranes of oranges and grapefruit
- Core, seeds or skins of fruits and vegetables
- Fibrous vegetables such as corn, celery or sweet potatoes
- Bread
- Chili or other highly spiced foods
- Fried foods
- Milk

Will there be any food that I must avoid?
Definitively, some foods must be avoided, such as concentrated sweets. Most of the foods and beverages that contain concentrated sweets are filled with “empty” calories in the form of sugar. These products provide a concentrated supply or calories with limited nutritional value, which means they often do not contain a good amount of vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber. These nutrients are essential after weight loss surgery to help you recover and receive the nutrition that you need. After surgery, every bite counts. Filling up on these “concentrated sweets” can prevent weight loss and and replace healthier foods in your diet with high calorie, high sugary foods.

For example, which are some of the foods that I should avoid?
Empty calorie foods should be left out of your healthy diet. Sugar and foodstuffs containing large quantities of sugar such as: regular soft drinks, syrups, cakes, biscuits, sweets, jams, jellies, marmalade, honey, kool aid, sugared iced tea, dried fruits, fruit drinks,  canned or frozen fruits in syrup, table sugar, sugar coated cereal, candy, donuts, regular jell-o, sugar gum, molasses, cookies, sherbet/sorbet, regular pudding, sweeteners, fruited or frozen yogurt. High fat foods including whole milk, chocolate, chocolate milk, chips, pies, pastries and ice cream and alcoholic drinks such as beer, wine, liquors, port, sherry, cocktails and champagne should be avoided as much as possible.

Note: Artificial sweeteners such as NutraSweet, Equal, Saccharine, Sweet & Low and sucralose Splenda, may be used.

REMEMBER:

- Eat Slowly
- Chew food well
- Don’t drink during meals
- Drink liquids 30 minutes before or at least 60 minutes after meals
- Stop eating when you are satisfied
- Three meals a day and avoid snacking
- Sip low calorie beverages between meals
- Select a balanced diet
- Exercise regularly

For successful weight loss after Adjustable Gastric Banding Surgery, a change in your eating habits is necessary. The operation alone is not a cure, it is not magical. You will not be able to lose as much weight as you like if you continuously eat or if you stretch your stomach by eating large amounts of food at one time. You will achieve your desired weight loss only if you are willing to control what you can eat and the way in which you eat it.

Phone: 619-730-0948

Address:
Paseo de los Heroes 10999, Oficina 905, Noveno Piso, Zona del Rio, 22010 Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico