What Is a Lap Band?: Requirements and Alternatives

Have you thought about having bariatric surgery, but you’re not entirely sure? Learn more about this reversible procedure.

Bariatric surgery is one of the options available to lose weight when you are faced with the fact that the diets you have tried have not worked. However, most of these procedures are permanent, so making a big decision is complicated.

Unlike gastric bypass or gastric sleeve, the lap band is reversible, which is usually the most friendly option. In this article, we will explain what it consists of, what requirements you need to meet, and what the average weight you can lose with it is.

What Is a Lap Band?

Lap band surgery is a procedure performed laparoscopically, where this device is inserted to divide the stomach and reduce its size without having to cut it, as in the case of other types of bariatric surgery.

This band is placed around the upper part of the stomach, which causes the food you eat to be stored in this new pouch, simulating a smaller stomach, which leads to you feeling full by consuming less food than you were used to. This band is adjustable, and the device was approved in 2001 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

To carry out this procedure, you must undergo general anesthesia, and it lasts between 30 and 60 minutes in total. Before the surgery, your doctor should perform blood tests and a physical exam, and if you are a regular smoker, stop smoking for several weeks before the surgery, as it affects the recovery process and increases the likelihood of problems arising after the surgery.

What Are the Requirements for Lap Band Surgery?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, to be eligible for a lap band, you must be overweight or obese, as well as have other medical conditions that have developed due to excess body weight. Specifically, it is recommended for people who have a BMI of 40 or higher and other weight loss methods have not worked or people with a BMI of 35 or higher who have a medical condition that has developed due to obesity.

What Is the Average Weight Loss with Lap Band Surgery?

After the procedure, you are expected to lose around 40% of your excess weight over the next two years. However, the amount of weight loss depends on your post-operative care, which will allow you to eat regular foods after about six weeks. Therefore, you need to change your eating habits to ensure you get the expected results.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Lap Band Surgery

Now that we have answered the question “What is a lap band?”, it is time to discuss the benefits and risks of this procedure.

Advantages

• It helps to lose excess weight in people who are obese or overweight.
• It improves health conditions such as high cholesterol levels, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.
• The lap band has a lower risk of complications than the gastric sleeve and gastric bypass since no part of the stomach is cut.
• The surgical procedure is quick, and the hospitalization period does not exceed one day.
• It is a reversible procedure.
• The lap band is adjustable.
• It takes around six weeks to be able to eat solid foods regularly, whereas in other bariatric surgeries, it is at least eight weeks.

Disadvantages

• As a foreign object lodges in your stomach, it can cause infections or erosion around it, increasing this risk in the long term.
• Losing excess weight is slower compared to other bariatric surgeries.
• This procedure requires more medical monitoring during the first year after surgery, as the band must be adjusted at least three times.
• If the band is too tight, it can cause vomiting.

3 Non-Surgical Alternatives to Lap Band Surgery

Bariatric surgeries are complex procedures that, as we have just reviewed, have advantages and disadvantages that it is best to consider more than once before making a decision. If you still have doubts about whether the lap band is your best option, we invite you to consider these three alternatives:

Identify the Cause of your Overweight or Obesity

These medical conditions are caused by various factors, not just by unhealthy eating habits. Sleeping fewer hours than necessary, doing little or no physical activity, living with high levels of stress, taking medications whose side effect is weight gain, having other metabolic conditions, or even living in an unfavorable environment can cause you to gain weight to levels that are considered obesity. For this reason, finding the cause, if possible with the help of a professional, will allow you to treat the triggering factor and achieve a healthy weight with the appropriate treatment.

Improve your Eating Habits

Although it is not the triggering factor in all cases of overweight and obesity, it is one of the most frequent. Excess added sugars, saturated fats, and calories cause weight gain, which can lead to other long-term conditions such as increased risk of stroke and type 2 diabetes, among others. Improving your eating habits will help you lose weight and notice a change in your overall health.

Follow a Comprehensive Plan to Lose Weight

Following a comprehensive weight loss plan is also an excellent option to avoid having to go into surgery. The Yes You Can! program is a low-calorie diet that aims to help you reach a healthy weight without restricting any food groups. By following this program, you will go through three phases, each designed to meet a specific goal: detoxification, weight loss, and maintenance. In addition, you will have the support of our natural food supplements that will achieve a visible change in just a few days.

Avoid a Surgical Procedure and Change your Lifestyle with Yes You Can!

Now that you know what a lap band is, its advantages and disadvantages, and its alternatives, you can make an informed decision before undergoing this surgical procedure. Alejandro Chaban’s program has numerous success stories that support its results.

Do you want to know more? Continue exploring our blog, visit our online store, or call us at 1-888-988-5515.