There are a bunch of questions that patients usually ask before their procedure regarding sex and the lap-band. Patients not only ask about the recovery time after the procedure itself, but also about changes in the following months after their weight loss surgery. Answers for this DayOne Health blog were collected from lap-band forums, and experience with patients in our Chicago clinic.

When can I have sex after surgery?

As soon as you feel comfortable! I will say that most of the patients can start having sex within five days after their lap-band procedure. There are no specific guidelines saying when you can resume your sexual activity. Despite the fact that the lap-band procedure is considered a minimally invasive procedure it is still considered a surgery. With this in mind, you should always listen to your body and give yourself time to recover. Definitely you need to watch yourself with heavy lifting, and within the first days after lap-band procedure you may feel sore on the side where the port is. Nevertheless, if you’re up to some action, go for it!

Does your sex drive increases after a lap-band procedure?

It’s not that appetite for sex increases from the lap-band itself, but definitely as you lose weight you gain more self-confidence. The more comfortable you feel with your own body the higher your libido gets. In men, considerable weight loss contributes to the increase in the levels of testosterone, which results in a better sexual life. Since in women, sex drive is less dependent on hormonal levels, the increased libido is more ascribed to the improved body image than to the chemical balance. One of the lap-band forums did a poll to assess whether their sex drive increased after getting a lap-band. Needless to say, 72% of responders said that their libido increased, out of which 42% indicated significant jump in their appetite for sex.

Is sex after weight loss surgery better than before?

There are different opinions about this one. Many say that after losing much of their weight, they’re more fit and can do more in the bedroom. Not only can they try new positions that they wouldn’t think of before, but they can have sex longer – no more shortness of breath or simply getting tired after five minutes. According to bandsters from online forums, sex without “extra padding” became more personal and more sensual. The downside of losing extra fluff very fast is the loose skin. Many patients say that despite feeling very attractive with their clothes on, the leftover skin is not letting them fully enjoy their sexual lives. This problem pertains more so to gastric bypass patients who lose weight very fast after surgery, leading to excess skin.

I must say that we, at DayOne Health, don’t have many lap-band patients experiencing the loose skin problem. Lap-band procedure allows you to lose weight slower and in a healthier manner. This in return gives your skin time to retract, and your body to adjust to your new weight. In fact, exercising after lap-band helps skin retract and build muscles which often decreases the amount or severity of sagging skin. I know that “slower” is not the adjective you guys are looking for, but believe me that in this particular case more stable weight loss will guarantee long term results as well as the most optimal effect.

If you have any questions concerning the subject of this blog, or you would like to hear more about the lap-band procedure call our Chicago clinic at 312.291.7501. To schedule your one-on-one consultation with a surgeon click here.

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