Dr. C

Hi there. I had talked to you about using you as my surgeon due to problems I am having. I have to ask ... yesterday you read the post from the lady who had just switched to the DS. I just read her profile (below) and I think that's me!!! Self diagnosis of course. What do I do about this? Kari Cripe I am post-op Lap-Banding, October 15, 2002, awaiting insurance approval for revision to BPD/DS. I did well with the band for the first few months. Went from a BMI of around 46 to a 39. And then the reflux began. Each time we loosened the band to relieve reflux, I gained weight. Each time we tightend the band to relieve weight gain, I had reflux. About three years later, I have esophageal dilatation and esophageal dysmotility. That is, the lower portion of the esophagus is stretched out of shape. That did not happen from "packing food," which generally refers to eating more than the new "upper" part of the stomach ****asionally, incorrectly called a "pouch,") with more food than the stomach could hold. It happened because of the dysmotility...my esophagus stopped doing one of its jobs, (peristalsis) the "massaging" of food down the esophagus. I'm scheduled for endoscopy and hoping the band has not eroded into the stomach because that might compromise the revision to DS. So, I'd take a bite and wait. But waiting doesn't help when the food is also waiting, just sitting in the esophagus. Banded people are supposed to pay attention to signs that their new little stomach is full. Of course there was no sensation of "fullness" because the food never got to the stomach in a timely fashion, so I never felt "full" while eating. When I was banded, there was no information available about how much trouble the band could cause. There is now, but most people who know they don't want the RnY really do not want to hear the bad news about what they think is the only other choice. And most of us who have ANY weight loss surgery, tend to vehemently defend our choice of surgery.

Kari, See my response to you via email. C