Ask Dr. Curry

Hi Dr. C!  Thanks so much for answering our questions?  I just found out a few days ago that my insurance has approved for me to have a low profile port placed.  I am about 11.5 months out from band surgery.  I am going to my surgeon in a few days, but I was just wondering how you do your port surgeries?  Is the patient awake?  What is your general estimate on recovery time/time needed off work? Thanks So Much! Elizabeth

I would do a procedure like this with the patient under sedation and local anesthetic.  You'll still have to avoid lifting and contact to the area, but overall pain should be a lot less than your original band placement.  Congrats, this is the first I've ever heard of insurance covering a port downsizing!

My question is to you gave some advise for  band patient s who are three years out, d and can not seem to loss weight.   I still have 40 lb to loss and cannot seen to loss them.

We have a great program here in Cincinnati that consists of a nutrition and exercise center for band patients with metabolic rate testing and all sorts of stuff, but you may not have that option around you.   It's all about good old fashioned diet and exercise when it comes down to it.   You can try Alli if you can follow a very low fat diet, otherwise the results are unpleasant.

I'm not sure if I'm doing this right but here goes... I don't seem to know how to eat with the band.  My dr says eat almost only meat which I don't think is very healthy.  Food seems to go immediately through the pouch.  I thought it was supposed to stay in the pouch for a while.  I chew my food well but it kind of scrapes and hurts going down and some things just don't go down at all.  I'm eating a lot of soft stuff which I know is wrong.  I can usually swallow pills so I don't  think the band is too tight.  I've had the band for 2 years and have lost over 100 pounds.  I'm not eating correctly but just can't figure out what to do.

If you are eating mostly soft stuff, this is definitely the wrong thing.  Your band may indeed be too tight.  I'm afraid this goes beyond the scope of being able to answer here - does your surgeon have a dietitian you can consult with?

Hi Dr. Curry, I have IBS syndrome and always have loose stool etc. Will this be a problem with the lapband? I had my gallbladder taken out in 2002 and I've been this way ever since. Food seems to just go right through me.

Most of my patients with IBS seem to improve after banding, but this is just not proven by any means.

Dr. Curry - I believe I am too tight (again).  The reflux I experience at night (I wake up coughing and choking, even if I stop eating several hours before bed time) has me convinced.  My surgeon's office is very tough to get an appt. with, though I believe they will take me if I let them know what I am experiencing.  My question is, until I can get to my surgeon for a slight unfill, what can I do (besides eating as far a head of bedtime as possible) to safely stop this darn reflux???  Thanks in advance Dr. Curry.  ~~A sad bandster  

If you are waking up coughing and choking, you are definitely too tight.  Call Dr. Ren's office for sure. You can take OTC prilosec in the meantime but it probably won't help a lot if you're too tight.