I've slowly been telling family and friends about my plans to have lap band surgery, and thought it might be helpful for me to talk about what it is. First, it is not gastric bypass surgery -- that is a riskier procedure that involves changing your anatomy so that the stomach is made smaller and the food one eats bypasses part of the small intestine.
Lap band surgery is a procedure that is reversable (though not intended to be temporary). It involves placing a band around the top part of the stomach to make a small pouch. It basically partitions your stomach, but without staples. The band has a tube attached to it with a "port" at the end. About 6-8 weeks after surgery, you can have your first "fill" -- a quick procedure during which saline is injected into the port (which is attached just under the skin) to tighten the band.
1 comment:
Congrats on your band! The general public usually lumps WLS into one category and think that is is all dangerous and that everyone looks malnourished. Not the case, at all. I love the lap band and believe that it is the best choice for those struggling with weight. :)
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