Tasha B

Hi, I'm considering getting the band but I'd like to know about some of the long-term options. For those of you who have gotten it, can you loosen it when you know there's a special occasion--like getting pregnant or Christmas or your wedding? Can you take a break for a month or so and then re-fill? Also, what about once you've hit your goal? Do you start to loosen and work back to normal slowly? Is your metabolism shot from eating so little that it's an all or nothing scenario with the band? I'm just concerned because I've seen a lot of post where people have had issues with eating certain foods. If that happens to me, I'd like to know that I'd have to deal with that until I hit my goal and then slowly work things back into my diet. Thanks for your advice and sharing your experiences.

Thanks for your input. I get the "life long/life time" thing. Ultimately, all diets do work that way. Changing a lifestyle is one thing, but I've seen posts where people can't eat steak or rice or potatoes EVER. That scares me. Cutting back on portions and cutting out fatty/high sugar foods is one thing. Never eating certain kinds of healthy foods again is different. I've also seen posts were appetites were forever changed and the desire to eat changed too--fingers crossed for me. I just want to know all my options. I live in Canada and the surgery is not covered. I would have to pay out of pocket. But refills are free and life-time, so cost in that respect would not be an issue--although whether or not they would do that upon request is a good question for me to ask.