Ask Dr. Curry?

Hi Jay,

I was rebanded on Tuesday and had a hiatal hernia repaired at the same time. The surgery went well and I'm feeling fine.

Dr. Curry:

Thank you for the time you put in to this message board.  I had an esophageal manometry done this week as a follow up to an upper GI that showed poor peristalsis in my upper esophageus.  The results were: 

Comments:  LES: Severe incompetence with resting pressures of 4 mm Hg.  Esophagus:  Mostly simultaneous contractions, a few spontaneous and repetitive of normal amplitude and borderline duration.
Diagnostic Impression:  1. Severe lower esophageal sphincter incompetence.  2. Diffuse esophagal spasm.  3. Double respiratory reversal consistent with hiatus hernia.

If I were your patient, would I still be a candidate for lapband?  Would any further testing be required?

Dr. Curry,
I had the open rny.  My question is this:  I recently began taking the drug Chantix to quit smoking.  It is not working for me the same way everyone else I have spoken to said it worked for them.  Is it possible that because of my gastric bypass that I am not absorbing all of the medicine and therefore it is not as powerful?
Thank You,
Cindy

I am having my surgery March 30th. St. Joseph of Orange has put me on a high protien meal replacement (liquid only )diet. 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after. I can't keep these shakes in. Plus I have a cold.  Everyone else I know that's had the surgery has not had to do this. Is there any other high protein diet I can do? 

Thanks in advance

Sorry I haven't answered sooner, I just got banded myself, so I've been out of commission!

There are other products out there - Atkin's shakes, Slimfast, etc.

You have to think of it as medicine, not as food.  It's not easy, but you can do it!  Please talk to your surgeon before making any changes though.

Good luck!

Congratulations on your band. it is so good to read of an experienced bariatric surgeon having this surgery - for some reason the band seems to have so many detractors on the other wls boards! We know it works! Others seem to doubt us!

Kate

Thanks Trace and Congrats to you

Congratulations on your own banding.

I love my band. It really has been a tool in teaching me better eating habits.

That said... I may be loosing my band due to a bad slip. It seriously hurts to eat anything. At times to drink. I've been emptied, and it feels the same. I go for an UGI next wednesday to reevaluate it. Would it be worthwhile to go for another band? Or should I consider the only option my insurance allows, the RNY?

The band has been a blessing in so many ways. My GERD has been a ton better. So that's been great. I haven't had heartburn hardly at all, where it was such a normal part of my life it's been a great vacation from it. I have barrett's esophagus from the reflux. So I've had it a LONG time. Could that have anything to do with my band slipping?

thank you for your time.
Teri

If it's just a slip, then rebanding might be a good option.  If it's the kind of case where you've had problems tolerating your band from the beginning, I might think about sleeve or RNY.