Patient Information - Adjustment Schedule

The adjustability of the Lap-Band is one of its great advantages. After a period of 6 weeks following Lap-Band placement, a patient may require an adjustment, also known as a "fill".

Three main factors are used to determine whether or not to add fluid to the Lap-Band:

• Weight Loss
• Level of hunger
• Degree of restriction

If a patient is not losing adequate weight (less than 1 - 2 lbs. per week), is ravenous, and seems to be able to eat more at meals, then it is time to do a fill.

Most adjustments can be done in the office in less than 15 minutes. Fluoroscopy or X-ray is only necessary if the adjustment port cannot be accessed in the office. The first adjustment is to be done no sooner than 6 weeks after the initial procedure.

Subsequent adjustments are done at 4 - 6 week intervals based on the aforementioned criteria.

It is also important to look out for negative symptoms after an adjustment. Symptoms include:

• Chest pains after eating and drinking
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Reflux

Any of the above symptoms can mean that the Lap-Band is overly tight. More subtle signs can be nighttime coughing, choking and an inability to eat a range of foods. It is important that patients remember that weight loss should be gentle and gradual. Patients must resist the temptation for their band to be too tight, too fast. This can lead to dysfunctional eating habits, in which patients convert their diet to liquid calories. If obstructive symptoms are present, then the band should be loosened.

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