Ask Dr. Curry?

No - this type of bloating is not in the upper part of the stomach, I've never heard of pouch dilation from this.

Hi Dr. Curry,

I am approx 1.5 years post op lapband, and I have lost 98 pounds and still have about 50-60 to lose. I have plateaued and my weight loss has slowed down. I have been tracking my intake on fitday and noted that I am taking in too many calories, so am trying to consciously cut back again. I think i have developed some new bad habits that I am trying to identify. Do you have any suggestions for a good-lapbander-turned-bad to get us back on track? I haven't fallen off too badly, just always in a hurry and eats stuff that goes down too easy.

thanks in advance.

Hi, Dr. Curry.  Thanks so much for all your help.

I've been diagnosed with a port leak.   Bummer.  I'm told that it can be replaced with local anesthesia (in hospital of course).  Should I insist that the band be checked for a leak as well?  What causes ports to leak anyway?  I asked if I had done something to cause it, and the surgeon assured me that I had not.

In over 2000 bands, I have never seen an actual band leak, but it could be possible.  What I would do is check the port, if there is clearly a leak there, you don't need to check the band.  Also, just know that you can't check the band under local anesthesia, it'd have to be a general (unless they just check it under Xray, which could really be even done preop but it's not 100% accurate).

This is tough - this is exactly the reason we developed our Fast Track center!  You are probably going to have to journal religiously and follow up regularly with your dietary team.  This is the best way to get back on track.

Note that lapband.com now has a FitDay type portal integrated into the site for LapBand patients - might want to check it out!

Thanks, thats what I thought you would say, about the journaling and being accountable. By the way, what is the Fast Track Center?

Fast Track is a comprehensive fitness and nutrition center with specialized equipment, two dietitians, and two exercise physiologists.  It's freakin' awesome.

Dr. Curry -

PLEASE help me!!  I am not a patient of yours but I heard about Fast Track and joined right before I had surgery in August 2008.  I was so excited and felt really great about the program.
I was nervous about signing a contract because of some uncertainty at work, but was told that it was just a "formality" and that the membership is really month-to-month.  I was told I could cancel any time.  I didn't think I would ever want to cancel but I felt better about it then and went ahead and signed up.

Unforturnately, shortly after my surgery I got a 20% cut in my pay.  I was thankful that I still had a job when so many people were losing their jobs altogether but I had to cut some corners.  I didn't want to quit Fast Track so I called to see if I could pay a reduced rate if I agreed to come on a limited schedule.  I talked to two different people - both said that they could probably help me because they didn't want me to have to quit.  No one ever contacted me about it again.

About a month later, I did lose my job.  I was depressed and struggling.  I knew I had to cancel my membership.  I called several times but every time I called I was told I had to talk to someone else and that they were not available so I had to call back later.  I couldn't stop crying because I knew I was going to fail for sure if I had to quit.  I asked my mom to call for me.  She said she didn't know if it was cancelled or not and that the person she spoke to was "very rude".  I called the next day to try to explain my situation.  I was again told that I had to talk to someone else but they weren't available.  I asked if I could leave a message.  The person took the message that I had to cancel my membership.  That was in early December.

Today, February 9, I recieved a call from Megan.  She said she was turning me in to a collection agency because I hadn't paid my membership dues.  I explained that I had cancelled in December and that I had not been there or used the facilities at all.  She said that was impossible because "we never let people out of their contracts".  She said that I have to pay all of the money from the months I have not been there or she will turn me in.  She said I have to keep paying for it until the end of July even if I never come back.  She said there was no way out of the contract and nothing I could do except pay the money.  I don't have the money.  I thought my membership was cancelled.  I haven't been using the gym at all. 

Dr. Curry, please let me out of this contract.  I don't know what to do.  Even if I could afford to pay all of this money, I would never feel comfortable going in there again.  I feel like I was misinformed in the beginning and now I am being threatened with collections on something I haven't been using.  If I would have known what a nightmare this was going to turn out to be I never would have signed up that day.    

Please, if there is anything you can do to help - will you send me a message?

Thanks               

 

Hi Dr. Curry!! I am schedued to be banded on the 19th of this month. My question is that my mother passed away from Scleroderma. I have read where that may not make me a canidate but my surgeon has not said otherwise. It is my understanding that this disease is not hereditary in nature. I do have hypothyroid condition, if that is considered an auto-immune disease. What are your thoughts??

Thank you!!

I wouldn't sweat it, especially if you have no signs of it.  Worst case scenario would be that you would develop it, have band issues, and have to have it removed.  Not a great thing, but not the end of the world as far as the band goes.