Gastric banding is a type of surgery that can help an overweight person with weight loss. During this procedure, the surgeon inserts an adjustable band to create a small section in the upper portion of the stomach, as reported on Drugs.com. The surgeon can tighten the band to make your stomach pouch smaller, loosen it to make the pouch larger, or remove it altogether to return the stomach to normal. Because this segment of the stomach is so small, you will become full faster and eat less; over time, you should be able to lose weight. After a gastric banding procedure, you will have to follow different dietary rules for the rest of your life, as eating too much at once can cause abdominal pain or nausea, according to the University of California San Francisco Medical Center, or UCSF.
Clear Liquids
One or two days after gastric banding surgery, you will be allowed to start drinking clear liquids. Because your stomach is still healing, you should start with sips and gradually increase the amount of liquid that you drink at once; you can increase the amount as tolerated, as noted by UCSF. Examples of clear liquids include diluted fruit juices, water, clear broth and flat sodas, according to Nicole B. White, M.D, who is a gastric surgeon. The amount of time that you remain on this clear liquid diet will vary among medical centers and among different surgeons. Some health care practitioners may advance your diet to full liquids after one or two days, as noted on NicoleBWhiteMD.com; others may start full liquids after one week, as noted by the University of California San Diego Medical Center, or UCSD.
Full Liquids
Full liquids are typically the next type of diet after clear liquids for people who have had gastric banding surgery. Full liquids include skim milk, protein drinks, instant breakfast and low-fat soups, as noted on NicoleBWhiteMD.com. To increase the protein content of these drinks, you can add dry milk powder or egg substitute; if you are lactose intolerant, you can try lactose-free drinks or soy-based products, according to UCSF. This portion of the diet may last for one to two weeks.
Pureed Foods
Around two to three weeks after the surgery, you may start eating pureed or blended foods. The consistency of these meals should be like baby food, as noted by the British Obesity Surgery Patient Association. The easiest way to reach this thickness is with a blender or a food processer. When sitting down for a meal, you should eat the high protein foods first and then start on the fruits and vegetables because you need to eat enough protein before you get too full, according to UCSD. Examples of foods that can be pureed include scrambled eggs, tender poultry, shrimp, oatmeal, mashed potatoes, and pudding, as noted on NicoleBWhiteMD.com. You can eat actual baby food fruits, meats and vegetables as well.
Soft Foods
Most surgeons will advance your diet to soft foods by week five after the banding surgery. These are foods cooked until they are soft enough that they can easily be mashed, like turkey, fish, vegetables, canned fruits and canned meats, as noted on NicholeBWhiteMD.com. If you have problems with nausea or vomiting, you may need to restart the liquid diet and slowly advance again, according to UCSD.
Regular Foods
Around six to eight weeks after surgery, most patients have been advanced to a regular diet. You will have to be diligent with your new diet in order to maintain good nutrition while eating less. Liquids pass through your pouch faster and will not allow you to feel full for very long; chunks of poorly chewed food may block your pouch opening and cause problems, according to UCSD. Your new healthy diet will consist of at least 6 ounces of protein from meat or meat substitutes, four to five servings of vegetables and fruits, and three servings of dairy products each day, as noted by NicoleBWhiteMD.com. You can also include several servings of starches as tolerated, as noted by the British Obesity Surgery Patient Association. You should only eat three times a day and avoid eating in between meals.
References
- NicoleBWhiteMD.com: Post Adjustable Gastric Band Diet
- University of California San Francisco Medical Center: Dietary Guidelines After Laparoscopic Gastric Banding
- British Obesity Surgery Patient Association: Gastric Band Post-op Eating Plan
- University of California San Diego Medical Center: Lap Band Diet Guidelines
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