Ask Dr. Curry

Without knowing your detailed medical history I can say that most patients with a BMI of 39 do well with the band if they are compliant with diet and exercise.

Hi Doc~ Just a quick question....I am 2.5 years out and my port starting hurting out of nowhere.  I did not lift or strain anything...as I have been having disc issues and been extremely careful with most of my time being spent on the floor.  Sometimes it is a dull pain....sometimes sharp....so I am confused....I have had zero complications to date.  I do have a slight toothache....could the infection travel?  I've had a series of bad migraines lately and have been grinding my teeth terribly.  Any advice would be apprectiated.

It's possible for a suture to rip through the muscle, if that's the case it'll hurt for a month or so and then get better. If it persists I'd definitely see your surgeon.

Hi, I am going to ask you a question that has been asked on the lapband forum here. Leanne613 had posted that she is two weeks out and wanted to know if she could have Arby's roast beef, her doctor has said she could have deli meat and she wanted to know if Arbys roast beef would be included as deli meat. Well the response was that just about everyone was shocked that she could even have solids so soon after surgery. Needless to say she felt attacked and others were not very nice. So here is my question to you, my doctor is the same as hers so when I have my surgery I want to make sure I'am doing the right thing. What do you think of having deli meats in  the second week? Should we be concerned that our doctor isn't following the right guidelines? What are your post op diet guidelines that you tell your patients? Thank you, Tracey

We allow solid food beginning 14 days after surgery.  Every surgeon does the band a little differently, may have different protocols for using the larger band, etc.  I would never say that another surgeon's protocol is right or wrong, if it's working for them then it's right. 

Hey there, it's me again, hope you have some advice for me again :) I threw up a couple times in the couple days before my last scheduled fill but I knew I was still able to eat too much. I had 7.somethingcc in my 14cc band. I told my doc I had vomited the day before and the day before that but could still eat too much so he gave me 1cc. I felt nothing. I was starving. My doc comes to my town the first Wednesday and the first Sunday of every month so I went back on Sunday and he said fine let's give you more and he gave me another 1cc. He also measured that it was all there. I still feel nothing. I know it sometimes takes a couple days to kick in, but my first fill definitely should have kicked in by now! I threw up at just over 7cc and now I feel nothing at over 9cc. Is this something to be concerned about? Is it worth bothering my doc again or is it nothing and I just need to patiently wait to get restriction again? (Also, if it were an erosion (please tell me it's not!!!) is there anyway to replace the band or convert to another surgery so I don't get morbidly obese again?) Thanks so much for your time!

It's tough to say Julie, I would do an upper GI and if no conclusive answer then a scope.  I personally would not reband an eroded patient, I think it's rolling the dice which I don't like to do.

Dr. Curry, I had a 3rd fill on 5/21. I have the restriction that I was looking for. About a week after the fill I got a slight cold and I have had a cough ever since. I have seen previous post about coughing and being too tight. I have 2.5 cc's in  a 10 cc band....I pb'd at least one meal every day for the first week or so after the fill...but I wasn't listening to my band...I've got that under control now. But I'm just noticing little things: 1) the cough, 2) I can't swallow as quickly as I used to when drinking, I can really feel the food moving through my stoma now (am I chewing it enuf???) 3) the other night I ate a little piece of a soft cookie before going to bed (PUHLEEZE DON"T BLAST ME FOR THIS, YES I KNOW BETTER). When I woke up the next morning and began coughing, like I tend to do to get rid of the phlegm...some of the cookie was mixed up with it...as if is hadn't gone down.... Am I too tight....I hope not cuz I hate to give up the restriction I'm at...it almost seems I've found my sweet spot....waaaaaaaaaa Thanx in advance,

If you are coughing up cookies the next morning then you are too tight.  Sorry!

Hey Dr. C! Someone posted on the boards today that a general Doc told her that he had heard of people "popping open their band" because they ate too much.  Can this really happen?? Thanks! Tami