Blog Archives
PPIs for Chronic Reflux – Understanding the Risks and Considerations
GERD is very common in modern-day American society. Many millions, by some estimations 20-25% of Americans, suffer from chronic reflux. The prevalence and significant increase over the past decade or two are best explained by the explosion in overweight and obesity in the United States during that time. Ultimately, one of the most common reasons for gastric reflux is intra-abdominal pressure caused by excess belly fat pushing on the stomach and forcing caustic gastric juices into the esophagus, essentially burning its sensitive lining.
Can I Have More Than One Hernia, and Can They Both Be Repaired?
Most patients will realize they have a hernia from the pain and physical bulge associated with the abdominal tissue protruding through the hernia defect. For many, this manifests in a single area of the abdomen, so is it possible to have more than one hernia? The answer is yes, and this is particularly true for inguinal or groin hernias, which affect men far more often than women. As the name suggests, inguinal hernias involve the inguinal canal. We have one on each side of the body. We also know people genetically predisposed to getting an inguinal hernia are more likely to get one in the future – either on one or both sides.
In the past, when hernias were repaired using open techniques, it was comparatively more difficult to repair two hernias on either side of the abdomen. Because of the surgical technology, or lack thereof, we would have to correct one hernia on one side and then move on with new incisions to repair the other. With the advent of laparoscopy, or minimally invasive surgery, and now robotic techniques, we access the abdomen through three small incisions across the abdomen. This allows us to access either side of the abdomen or both, as appropriate.
Easing Into Exercise After Bariatric Surgery
If you’ve just had surgery to lose weight, why do you need to exercise?
You’ve signed up for a life-altering experience, but the surgery is just one piece of the puzzle. Consider it a “tool” to improve and accelerate your weight loss efforts, but it will not be the singular solution.
If you’re still asking why you need to exercise. Here are a few good reasons. By exercising you:
- Develop lean muscle mass and strength.
- Promote the stability of your joints and enhance bone strength.
- Improve your skin’s elasticity and fill out your body, making excess skin less noticeable.
- Help sustain long-term weight loss.
The Downside of Fructose and Why It Matters
There are several ways that sugar is added and ultimately labeled in the products we eat and drink every day. For this reason, it’s essential to discuss how sugar is metabolized in the body and if certain sugars are better than others. For this discussion, we will limit our analysis to the two most ubiquitous forms of sugar: glucose and fructose. Glucose is what you find in granulated sugar, honey, and many other products. It is the traditional sweetener you think of. Fructose, on the other hand, is typically found in fruits and vegetables but is also added to many products in the form of high-fructose corn syrup. You often find these in sodas, processed foods, and even bread products to sweeten them.
Gastric Sleeve Patients – An Important Consideration Around 2 Years
It’s no secret bariatric surgery, including the gastric sleeve, offers an excellent long-term weight loss option for qualifying patients that is more long-lasting and effective than diet, exercise, or even weight loss medications alone. However, you will have heard repeatedly bariatric surgery is not magic, and weight loss and the consequent disease improvement or resolution do not come without hard work on the patient’s part. Further, you may have heard stories from friends or loved ones about someone gaining their weight back, which is certainly possible if you don’t follow your post-op directions, including changing your diet and exercise. Let’s discuss why gastric sleeve patients tend to gain weight a few years after surgery and what to do about it.
My First Consultation With Dr. Ringold
By Chad Reott, SADI Patient
The decision to get weight loss surgery came to me in an instant. It was a flash. I was sitting in a work meeting where colleagues were discussing a Duodenal Switch (DS) patient who had tremendous results in just three months. When I heard his story, I knew I was getting the surgery. And I was getting the same surgery – DS. I was even going to use the same surgeon – Dr. Forrest Ringold, at SAMPA in Mobile.
Does Everyone With a Hernia Need Surgery?
When we discuss hernias, one thing that often stands out in patients’ minds is that hernias do not heal or go away on their own. The nature of the abdominal fascia does not repair itself as many other organs and bodily structures can with time, lifestyle change, or conservative treatment. Instead, hernias are progressive and tend to worsen by slowly (or quickly) getting larger over time.
It’s also important to remember that hernias themselves are not inherently dangerous. This hole or tear in the fascia does not necessarily compromise your health. However, it does create the possibility of incarceration, where the hernia contents cannot be reduced back into the abdomen, or strangulation, where the incarcerated hernia contents (like fat, small or large intestine, or another organ) get pinched and lose blood flow. These emergencies require immediate care and surgery to avoid the possibility of tissue death. Should the incarcerated and especially strangulated hernia go untreated, the eventual surgical procedure may be far more complicated with less predictable results, and there is a genuine risk of dysfunction or even death.
SAMPA’S Surgeons are 2023 Nappie’s Finalists
It’s that time of year again, NAPPIE TIME! With great excitement, we are happy to share that Dr. Barry Ballard Jr., Dr. Daniel Lane, and Dr. Forrest Ringold have been nominated for Best General Surgeon, and Dr. Barry Ballard Jr. and Dr. Forrest Ringold are nominated as Best Weight Loss Doc-Surgical! We are so proud of our doctors who have been nominated.
We invite you all to vote and help spread the word about this excellent team of care providers. We appreciate all of your votes, each one truly does make a difference.
Does When You Eat Your Food Matter for Weight Loss?
If you’ve spent any time researching dietary techniques, you’ve certainly come across intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting has existed for millennia but has been refined a great deal because of our more current scientific understanding of the metabolic system. Intermittent fasting is not a single way to eat but encompasses several possible options. Some may fast every other day or follow a 5/2 program where you eat a typical day’s worth of food five days a week, but significantly reduce or eliminate caloric intake for the remaining two days. There are virtually unlimited permutations of intermittent fasting. However, today, the most discussed form of intermittent fasting does not involve caloric restriction but time-restricted fasting. We are talking about 8/16 fasting, where you may eat what you like for eight hours and then fast for 16 hours, and permutations thereof.
Intermittent fasting has shown metabolic health benefits. Many studies have demonstrated potential weight loss and longevity benefits. With that said, is there really a benefit to eating at consistent times each day? The short answer is, yes. Let’s dig a little deeper.
Three Myths About Controlling Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Because of the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux, disease, or GERD, there has been an explosion in advice regarding controlling and treating it. Unfortunately, this advice often promotes using products and supplements that don’t work. Trying these remedies only extends the time during which a patient suffers from GERD ultimately increasing the risk of follow-on conditions.
To understand the myths surrounding the treatment of GERD, it’s also essential to understand exactly what GERD is. Gastroesophageal reflux disease occurs when gastric juices reflux into the esophagus more than a few times a week for an extended period. It is typically associated with excess weight and obesity due to the intra-abdominal pressure that excess fat accumulation around the abdomen causes. GERD symptoms can run the gamut from none, known as silent GERD, to debilitating, in which a patient may find themselves in the ER thinking they are having a heart attack. Most often, the cause of GERD is due to a weakened Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) – the one-way valve that allows food and drinks into the stomach but prevents gastric juices from refluxing back into the esophagus.