Hot tips – the road to success

  • Always write a shopping list.  This helps avoid unnecessary – unhealthy – purchases.
  • Never go grocery shopping when you’re hungry!
  • Always have an ample supply of low-sugar, low-fat foods at home.
  • Allocate certain times of the day as mealtimes and stick to these.
  • Do let yourself be distracted during meals (television, newspaper…).
  • Weigh yourself once a week, always at the same time under the same conditions.

Possible complications

Please understand that surgery is always associated with some risks, and there is no 100% guarantee that surgery will have the desired effect for each and every individual. It is also important for you to be aware of the complications, which should be explained to you in detail by your surgeon. He or she knows you and your personal situation best and is in a position to give you thorough, competent advice.

There are reports of some patients occasionally complaining of constipation after surgery. If necessary please ask your doctor to prescribe you a suitable form of laxatives. Constipation is generally improved by physical activity and sufficient intake of fluids!

Until your weight has stabilised, your body is in a starvation phase so falling pregnant is definitely not recommended. However should you become pregnant, it’s advisable to remove all fluid from the system. Once your weight has stabilised, pregnancy is no longer a problem!

Some patients report occasionally feeling pain or vomiting after consuming food. This is generally caused by eating too quickly and eating too much, however may also be due to a narrowing of the opening between the two gastric pouches after more fluid has been injected into system. To avoid vomiting, please eat slowly and chew your food carefully.  Regular vomiting is a danger signal and should be discussed with your doctor – it may be that the opening between the two gastric pouches requires adjusting.

All tablets (with the exception of capsules) should be broken up into small pieces or crushed before they are taken with liquid. Dosages of medication for high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma or other illnesses  may need to be altered during the phase of rapid weight loss, so please consult your doctor.

During the phase of rapid weight loss (6 – 12 months after surgery), it’s advisable to supplement your vitamin intake with vitamin drinks.

After any surgical procedure, you need to visit your doctor regularly. You’ll be informed by your doctor as to exactly how often, however it is normal that follow-up visits are scheduled for every four weeks in the initial post-operative phase and later gradually decrease.

During the first 18 months, the A.M.I. Soft Gastric Band is filled with liquid bit by bit via the small port under your skin and your corresponding weight loss monitored. After that, an annual check-up by your doctor is normally enough.

General guidelines which need to be followed

By doing this, you can lessen the risk of hunger pains and overeating and stop yourself from snacking.

One meal should equate to half a bread roll, or 3 – 4 dessert spoons. Eating meals with a teaspoon may help, as it seems as if the meal is lasting longer.

Food should only be swallowed once it has reached a semi-liquid state in your mouth. This prevents clogging of the stoma (the narrow area where the gastric band is placed).  Your tolerance for various foods will depend not only how much you eat, but also on how well you chew them.

Signs of having eaten enough:

  • Pressure or a feeling of fullness in the centre of the stomach directly under the chest
  • Pains in the shoulder or chest area
  • Feelings of revulsion
  • Nausea

It’s essential to stop eating at the slightest feeling of fullness, so the band can continue restricting the

intake of food. Repeated overeating may cause the stomach pouch to expand, which allows an increase in volume, and may result in nausea, prologned vomiting and heartburn.

Try to drink 15 to 30 minutes before or after a meal. Drinking liquid during the meal accelerates the passage of food and thereby increases the capacity for intake of food. This can lead to overfilling of the stomach.

Lying down results in partly digested food remaining for longer in the reservoir created by the band, which may promote the formation of more stomach lining and result in a feeling of pressure with subsequent vomiting

  • Avoid food that can does not agree with your stomach.
  • Take dietary fibre only in refined form (e.g. vollkorn pasta).
  • Under no circumstances buy inferior quality food.
  • Be aware that drinks such as fruit juices, lemonades and alcohol contain high amounts of calories.
  •  Be aware of the sugar and fat content of food. Do a calorie count.
  • Food should be cooked either low-fat or fat-free, so stay away from butter, olive and vegetable oil.