1) The "Lap" in Lap-Band stands for "laparoscopically." That means doctors use long, thin cameras (called laparoscopes), to insert the band through small incisions in the abdomen.
2) The Lap-Band works by making your stomach smaller, restricting food, making you feel full faster so you eat less.
3) If you have a Lap-Band and eat too much, too fast- you will likely throw up.
4) If all goes well, you can go often go home the same day after the surgery.
5) Lap-Band was first approved by the FDA back in 2001- the approval was expanded in 2011 to include obese individuals with a BMI of 30 to 34 who also have a medical condition related to their obesity
6) There are risks of the Lap-Band procedure: infection, reflux, and dilation of the esophagus. And although rare, the band can erode into the stomach and slip out of place (requiring more surgery)
7) For the band to really help with long term weight loss, you have to be consistent and change your lifestyle—eat small, HEALTHY meals and exercise.
