Trace Curry

A 3cc fill is a pretty small one in my book for a VG. I usually do 4cc. Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

Karina, Either your band is slipped or it is too tight and you need a VG (which is a larger band) Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

Why don't you email my fabulous dietitian Erin, she has a band herself and can probably give you some tips - erin@thebanddoctor.com Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

If you had an early slip and never really had any trouble vomiting, it could be surgical technique. If you, like many bandsters, have had your share of PB'ing, there is no way to know. The bottom line is - slips are rare in patients who don't PB. Proper eating techniques are very important! Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

Pars flaccida makes posterior slips almost impossible, meaning the back wall of the stomach. The anterior (front) wall can still slip. Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

There is nothing better than Nexium. What is your surgeon's plan? You're between a rock and a hard place I guess but sitting on a slipped band with reflux like you are having makes me nervous... Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

I think a weekend off would be enough. C

It's very easy, you have to have local anesthesia with some sedation. Takes about 30 minutes. Can't speculate on cost, depends on your center. Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

Julissa, It's hard to say, you might still have a little swelling but 10 weeks later that should pretty much be gone. Have you had an upper GI? Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

I usually hang out over on the complications forum, but we just got this cool "mini-Emmi" education program that Inamed set up for us. Check it out and let me know what you think: http://www.thebanddoctor.com/procedure_education.html It's kind of a watered-down version of the full Emmi, for people just looking into the band. Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

The short answer is yes, I probably would prescribe an appetite suppressant if asked. As far as complications 3 years out, you can slip a band or dilate a pouch any time, the risk really doesn't go down with time. Good luck, Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

I don't have any other explanation other than there is more than one way to skin a cat...of course my way is the right way! I'm not even going to comment on cheating on your surgeon's diet...I'm not goin' there! Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

Cincinnati

If I don't mind saying so myself, I am the fill guru in Ohio! Go to my site - www.TheBandDoctor.com Dr. C

Kay, I would think every surgeon would use this technique, and should have been for at least the last couple of years. Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

Tracy, When you say stomach flu do you mean you are having a problem unrelated to your band that is causing vomiting, or do you think the vomiting is caused by your band? Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

Michelle, Multiple alternating fills/unfills is often times a sign of either a slip or a hiatal hernia. Hope you get it straightened out, Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

Lots of fills and unfills is one of the hallmarks of a slipped band - have you had an upper GI to check the position of the band? Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

I wouldn't expect too much out of the first fill - it takes 2-3 to get decent restriction usually. Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

Nancy, I don't know anything about your surgeons per se so this has nothing to do with them personally... There are surgeons out there who are not "believers" in the band who do it every now and then anyway rather than losing patients who refuse to have a bypass. You want to make sure that is not the situation wherever you choose to go. As far as how to figure that out, that's up to you! Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

Certainly concerning that there might be a leak, but until you have 2 consecutive fills where there is zero aspirated, I wouldn't say for sure that's what it is. If you were my patient I'd say come back in a month, if there is zero in there again then inject some dye in the port and see if there is a leak. Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

Also PPI's do take a while to work sometimes, maybe a week or two. C

Hiatal hernias can sometimes develop after banding, and sometimes are there at the time of banding but very small and not really noticed. It would take a tremendous force, like a serious car accident, to cause a hiatal hernia all at once, usually they happen gradually over a period of time. It can be very difficult to diagnose a hiatal hernia once a band has been placed, sometimes it can only be done by doing a laparoscopy and looking in there. Hope that helps! Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

If it's slipped whenever you're properly restricted, it's slipped. You can probably keep it if it stays unfilled, but it won't do you much good I'm afraid. Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

Chelley, This is pretty common and no big deal if it's fill #2 especially. The VG probably takes about 3cc's to "prime" it and sometimes in the OR it doesn't get done. It doesn't hurt anything, but the first fill then some of the Fluid goes to the priming. I see it all the time and it's not a bad thing unless it keeps happening every time. Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!