Recovering from LAP-BAND® System Surgery By info on September 26, 2016

At Tijuana Bariatrics, we are proud to offer a full range of bariatric surgery procedures, including state-of-the-art LAP-BAND® System surgery, to our valued patients. We also provide exceptional support to our patients, including full education about what to expect after their LAP-BAND® System procedures. We want our patients to understand precisely what they are committing to and what is required of them before they undergo surgery so that they can make the most informed and confident decisions possible.

In describing the LAP-BAND® System recovery period to patients during consultations at our Tijuana, BC bariatric surgery practice, our skilled network of weight loss surgeons are always detailed and specific. The following article provides just a general overview of the recovery period after LAP-BAND® System surgery. For a full education about what the LAP-BAND® System procedure entails, including the recovery process, please schedule your initial consultation with the weight loss surgery specialists at Tijuana Bariatrics today.

The LAP-BAND® System Recovery Period

When you wake up from your surgery, you will be extremely groggy, but you should not feel any pain thanks to the lingering effects of the anesthesia. As you become more alert, you may be asked to get out of bed and take a few steps. Over the course of your recovery period, light walking will be essential to your recovery. It will help to relieve the pain from the CO2 that may have accumulated in your abdomen during the procedure and to reduce swelling at the surgical site. You will be restricted to clear liquids on your first day.

During the second and third days after your surgery, you will begin to feel some pain, especially in the abdominal region. Prescription pain medication will help to curb this pain; however, some soreness will still inevitably be felt. You will not likely have much of an appetite at this point, but you may be permitted to add other liquids to the clear liquids you were allowed on day one.

During the first week after your surgery, you should be doing as much light walking as you can stand, but otherwise avoiding strenuous, getting sufficient rest, and keeping your head elevated. When our surgeons give you the clearance, you may take a shower, but you must avoid baths at this point, as you may not soak the incision points. Continue to take your pain medication as needed. Your appetite will begin to return as the week progresses, but you must be careful to follow the dietary instructions provided to you by our surgeons to the letter.

By the second week after your surgery, your pain should be minor, and you should feel more like your old self, albeit with less energy due to your dietary changes. At this point, you may be allowed to introduce soft foods into your diet and return to a more normal routine, although strenuous exercise and other activities must be avoided until our surgeons advise otherwise.