• 1/2 cup fruit juice or skim milk (reduce nectars with 50% water)
• 1/3 cup Jello

Lunch

• 1/2 cup clear chicken broth
• 1/3 cup Jello

Dinner

• 1/3 cup non fat plain yogurt
• 1/3 cup pureed bananas or pureed fruits

Weeks Three and Four

• 1/3 cup non-fat yogurt
• 1/2 cup fruit juice or skim Milk
• 1/3 cup pureed fruit

Lunch

• 1/3 cup pureed vegetables
• 1/2 cup clear chicken broth
• 1/3 cup jello

Dinner

• 1/3 cup non-fat yogurt
• 1/2 cup fruit juice or skim milk
• 1/3 cup pureed fruit

Common Problems

Vomiting
 

Vomiting is a common problem with lap band patients. It is usually caused by patients not following their diets, not chewing well enough, eating too fast or overeating. To prevent vomiting chew foods very well so that they pass easily through your stomach, eat very slowly taking up to 45 minutes to finish your meal, and learn to recognize when your stomach is full. This may be indicated by a feeling of fullness in the center of your abdomen, feelings of nausea, or pain in your shoulder area or upper chest. You should also not drink fluids after a meal and avoid lying down.

If you find that you can not keep food down and continuously vomit for more than 24 hours, please contact Dr. Zapata – it might mean that your passage is blocked.

Dehydration

You must learn to manage your drinking habits. You should not drink during or right after a meal, but you must make sure that you drink at least 8 cups of water every day. One way to make sure is to set aside a full pitcher of water every day and make it a task to finish it.

You may drink skim milk, water, tea, coffee and low calorie drinks. Avoid milk shakes, soda pop, beer and other alcoholic beverages. Avoid carbonated drinks.

Constipation

Constipation is a common problem in lap band patients. Don't be scared, when you are first banded you reduce the amount of food that you eat by such a large percent that you stop having bowel movements because there are no solids in your intestines to move. Be patient, if the problem persists, your doctor might recommend a mild laxative. Contact Dr. Zapata to find out what is appropriate for you.

Back to Solids

After four weeks your stomach should have lost all inflammation and gotten used to your lap band. It is time to begin to eat solids again. It is also a gradual process that you must not abuse. Your stomach has not had any solids for a month, that should remind you to be gentle and eat only good quality, easy to digest foods in small amounts.

Remember to chew thoroughly, up to twenty times per bite, this will help your stomach digest the solids. You must not drink any liquids while you eat, they will liquefy your food and you will soon again feel hungry. To maintain the sensation of fullness you must drink your liquids between meals.

Foods to Avoid

You should stay away from all foods that are highly caloric and provide little nutritional value, especially liquid foods that pass through your lap band without restraint. Some of the foods you must avoid are high calorie soft drinks, syrups, cakes, biscuits, sweets, jam, marmalade, honey , ice cream, chocolate, chips, pies, nuts and pastries. All of these foods contain high amounts of fat or sugars and do not contribute to your healthy diet.

There are some foods that you must avoid to reduce the possibility of having problems with your lap band. Fibrous foods, like asparagus, can block the passage from your new stomach above the band. If you would eventually like to eat asparagus, once in a while, you must cut them into small pieces and cook them very well.

You must also avoid alcoholic drinks, not only are they very caloric foods, but they irritate your stomach. In time you might be able to drink a glass of wine, but it should be done sparingly and with moderation.

Menu Suggestions Four to Six Weeks

Common Problems

Snacking and Cheating

You must remember that the reason you decided to have your stomach banded was to encounter a new life, a new you. It is important that you keep this in mind so that you don't cheat around your meals and snack. If you munch on crackers, potato chips or sweets, you may even gain weight. Avoid snacking, and eat a balanced diet.

Not Losing Weight

If you are not losing weight there may be several causes. One is that you have reached a plateau, which means that even if you follow your meal plan, you don't lose weight or inches. Then it might be time for another adjustment. Another is that you are not following your meal plan. Make a list of all the foods that you eat in a day and see if they match the recommended allowance or if you are eating forbidden foods.

Malnutrition

Lap band surgery is not a malabsorbtion procedure, which means that you absorb all the nutrients present in the food that you eat. Still if you don't eat the adequate foods, you may under nourish yourself. You must eat a balanced diet, and if your doctor recommends it, sometimes vitamins and supplements may be indicated. If you eat healthy there should be no problems with nutrition.

Counseling

Our goal is to guide you to better overall health. We believe that you need to be informed, you need to understand how you feel, how others might feel about you. Lap band surgery is a revolutionary procedure that will change your life, and you need to be prepared for that.

You will feel better both physically and emotionally, you will approach your life in a whole different way. Still, there might be times when you need to know that someone understands you, that someone cares about how you feel.

My goal is to help you make the right decision, decide if you want to have lap band surgery, leading you through every step of the process, from the point where you first contact us thinking that this might be the procedure that can help you, to the moment when you reach your ideal weight.

We will be in constant contact. From the time you fill out the qualification form, to the time you come to Monterrey and even back home. Phone and e-mail communication is constant and welcome.