The gastric banding procedure became very popular because it’s safe, moderately effective and the least invasive of all the weight loss surgeries. The lap band is used to control hunger and portion sizes because the small gastric pouch gets full and sends signals to your brain that your hunger is satisfied. This means that you get fuller from smaller portions than you were previously used to. With the band, most patients lose their excess weight slowly and steadily, seeing the weight shed off one to two pounds per week. There are many benefits to this procedure, but many people still have a lot of questions about it. The lap band is meant to remain in place indefinitely, not just until you hit your target weight loss goal. However, there is a chance that the band may need to be removed, replaced or repositioned at some point in your life.

The lap band surgery procedure has been effectively helping people lose weight and live healthier lifestyles for nearly 20 years. It consists of implanting an inflatable band around the upper stomach, creating a small pouch that is filled with saline. This results in greater control over portion size and hunger. After eating a small amount of food, you feel full so that you don’t go back for seconds. Portion control is a critical component in losing weight because so many people eat way too much, often to the point of bloatedness. The laparoscopic adjustable gastric band is meant to control that problem and help people eat less, but still feel satisfied.

There’s no question that undergoing lap band surgery has been a life-altering, amazing experience for many people. Many patients say that this decision was one of the best that they’ve ever made because it gave them the tool and the strength they needed to live a better, healthier lifestyle. Because this surgery involves placing a belt around part of the stomach, in order to decrease hunger feelings and satisfy your body off of smaller portions, there are some complications or side effects that may be present. Although complications are minimal and treatable in most patients, the side effects are sometimes long-term. The side effects are realistically just things that happen because of having a gastric band. Depending on how you cope with the lap band surgery side effects and turn them into everyday parts of your new life, determines how successful you are at adopting the band as a weight loss tool and using it as part of your journey to shedding the pounds.

The lap band procedure has become common place in the world of weight loss surgeries. It involves placing an adjustable band around the top part of the stomach to make the patient feel fuller, quicker. Although this surgery is relatively safe and effective, there is one common side effect among many lap band patients --lap band slippage.

Lap band slippage is one of the most common side effects of a lap band surgery. This occurs when the band slips up or down from its original position around the stomach, causing a laundry list of symptoms or even effecting your weight loss results. If you’re planning to have lap band surgery, or have already had it, you should know the signs of lap band slippage. Knowing what to watch for will help you decide when it’s time to contact your bariatric surgeon.

If you’ve had the lap band, suffered complications, and had to have it removed, you’re probably left with no surgery and doubts that you’ll be able to lose the weight. Not to worry, there are other weight loss surgery options available to you if your lap band needs to be removed, like converting from a gastric band to gastric sleeve. Going through surgery might not be something you want to think about again, but if it could potentially improve your health and reach a healthy BMI, it’s worth considering.

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery is commonly recognized as a safe and effective procedure for weight loss. The level of risk for a serious or fatal complication is low, but the prevalence of minor complications should be considered among prospective patients. With complications ranging from annoyances to lap band ‘failure’ and band removal, it’s important to be informed before deciding if lap band surgery is right for you.