Trace Curry

Sorry, I was responding to DCPrincess. The lack of threading on this board makes this process very confusing. Dr. C

Stretching your pouch happens when band patients are too tight (meaning lots of PB's and reflux) for a long time, or if you stuff yourself to the overfull point all the time. If it happens, it's a problem, so take it seriously. However, if your aren't losing weight and you can eat too much, you shouldn't be too tight. Make sense? Dr. C

I have had a couple of slips, and no erosions (knock on wood), so I guess the answer is that major problems are pretty rare in my experience. I think it's normal to be apprehensive and worry about complications or whether the band will really work. Everybody goes through this, just try to focus on the long-term benefits! Dr. C

I would echo this post. You aren't supposed to be restricted now. Your surgeon should have told you this a million times by now! Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio 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!

This probably is better addressed by my dietitian, I'll have her come on and answer. Good luck! Dr. C

Signs of a slip are usually worsening heartburn, inability to keep anything down, pain when you eat anything, etc. Dr. C

No problem Dody. Looks like we both work for the same guy! Dr. C

My dietitian (who is banded) calls chicken Satan's meat. She can't eat a bite of it. It's probably overall the highest rate of intolerance for band patients. Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio 877.442.BAND

All I can tell you is that we have these rules for a reason, when you break the rules you are jeopardizing your health. But you know this already - you'll probably be ok but I seriously want to emphasize the fact that you need to follow the rules. A slipped band really sucks. It might help to call and talk to my dietitian, Erin. Even though you aren't a patient of ours, she'd be happy to help you, and since she's a band patient herself she really knows how to counsel people through things like this. Feel free to call her tomorrow - 513.559.1222 Stay the course! Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio 877.442.BAND

Lap RNY is a laparoscopic gastric bypass. Dr. C

Julie, In bandsters who have reflux right after surgery it usually is due to swelling like you said, which goes away within a couple weeks. You're just like anyone else when it comes to antireflux meds - take whatever works for you. Make sure you follow up with your surgeon to get it checked out though. Good luck, Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio 877.442.BAND

I wish I could tell you but I'm stumped on that one... Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio 877.442.BAND

The most important thing in this type of situation would be to rule out a slip. If you were my patient I'd probably try filling you again a little bit, and if no symptoms occur then all is well. If symptoms again, then probably I'd do another upper GI and possibly a scope as well. I've seen this a fair amount though, where you just unfill for awhile and all is well. Good luck, Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio 877.442.BAND

Becky, Cases like yours are difficult to figure out over the net, but I think it's common for patients to lose restriction between fills early on. I attribute it to early weight loss that occurs causing the fat within the band to shrink. Certainly can't rule out a port leak, but usually that's not the case. Good luck, Dr. C

I find the ports very hard to anchor down, the sutures we put in at surgery just don't hold up under much stress. I have a few patients with flipped ports, but I can usually still access them with fluoro. Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio 877.442.BAND

As long as you have restriction, if you have stretched your pouch it will remained enlarged. If you take away the restriction, sometimes everything goes back to normal, sometimes not. It's kind of a wait-and-see game. Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio 877.442.BAND

What you do is mix an antibiotic into joint cement, and you make little beads about the size of a pea, and you make them around a piece of suture, sort of like a shishkabob. You leave the beads in and pull them out one-by-one. I'm attaching a PDF of an abstract from the article. Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio 877.442.BAND Port infections.pdf

I thought you all might like to know there was a recent article published about port infections. For years with infected joint replacements, orthopedic surgeons have been utilizing antibiotic beads to cure infection. Some surgeons much smarter than me had the idea to try it with infected ports and it worked in almost all cases. I tried it once a couple of months ago and it worked like a charm. The reason I'm bringing this up is that I don't think a lot of band surgeons are aware of this, and it could save you the hassle of having to have your port removed and then go back later for a port replacement! Spread the word bandsters! Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio 877.442.BAND

Basically anything that irritates the stomach can cause gurgling. Plus a tight band from something stuck causes a little swelling. Just a guess I don't think anyone knows the real answer. C

A surgeon who has done 1600 lap RNY's and 90 bands has plenty of experience, and probably would be the equivalent of a surgeon who has done no lap RNY's and 200 bands. Dr. C

That is correct, there is no latex at all in the Lap Band system. As far as stretching the actual band, that's impossible too. It's way to durable. Dr. C

You might be able to talk me into that, but my wife...that's another story. Dr. C

I don't like the looks of that at all... Dr. C

If you had 2.8cc + 1.2cc in a 4cc band, that would mean you have 4cc's total, which is very unusual. Most people would not be able to swallow at that fill. The answer to your question is that, if you go forever without a fill, yes you will eventually be unrestricted because of the slight continual leak of Fluid. Hope that answers your questions! Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio 877.442.BAND

I see that a lot where I don't get out as much as I put in, especially early on in the fill process. I think what happens is that some of the Fluid stays in the tubing and you never get back out everything you put in. I would say the basic premise is: if you don't feel full and you aren't losing weight, you need a fill! Good luck, Dr. C