falcon

I'm due in July and I've gotten both fills and unfills during this pregnancy. First I got an unfill-in the beginning when I was losing what I thought was waaaay too much weight, then I gained a lot so I got a tiny fill, now I think I should probably get an unfill (feeling really tight) but am too lazy to get myself to the doctor. . . So, yes, in short, a fill during pregnancy is definitely not unheard of. . . Good luck and feel good!

Yes, even though of course I know that weight gain during pregnancy is "normal" and even healthy and desireable, it is very hard for me to watch the numbers, which I fought so hard to make go down, go up. I know what everyone will say, that now is not the time to diet (and I'm not) and that I should not be starving my baby (I'm not), but I just want to validate you, OP, it is very difficult for me to "enjoy" or even deal with this weight gain! Good luck!

The group I use (Fielding, Ren, etc in NYU) do not at all believe in automatically unfilling all pregnant bandsters. They only do so if there's a reason to believe the baby is not getting enough nutrients/growing enough. I am 11 weeks pregnant and had gained nothing and was throwing up a lot so they took out 1 cc BUT promised me they would put half of it back in a month if I felt it was necessary (I guess if I suddenly gained an insane amount of weight). At this point I feel very little restriction but am thrilled to not be throwing up all day anymore. I gained about 2 lbs since the unfill (around 2 weeks ago) and at this point am leaning towards leaving things as is (if only the heartburn would go away. . . ) I think if you are gaining too much and are constantly hungry, a small fill is not out of order.

So, I'm about 1.5 years post surgery, at my goal weight, and 11 weeks pregnant. The practice I use does NOT believe in taking out Fluid during pregnancy unless there's a reason. I have been throwing up a lot in early pregnancy and not gaining weight and went in to have a little bit of an unfill. I wanted to have .2 removed but the dr who saw me said I looked awful and proceeded to remove 1 cc. He promised to put back in half in a month if I felt it was necessary. Anyhow, he was totally right because I went from throwing up every day to throwing up not at all (it's 2+ weeks since the unfill). I feel much better and have gained 2 lbs which I know is what I am supposed to be doing. I do not feel like I have ANY restriction now but am doing okay. I went from having 5.6 in the band to 4.6. Anyhow. . . the story is, that I am suffering from TERRIBLE heartburn/stomach pains. It's embarassing that I'm not really sure it's heartburn but I've never really had it before. Some times it's just what people describe (burning up my esophugus), other times, my stomach just hurts (lower down) so I'm not 1000% sure. It's also much worse in the morning/early afternoon and lets up a bit as the day goes on. I know heartburn is common in pregnancy independant of the band. Zantac is not helping (nothing is). Should I take MORE out of the band (even though I don't even feel like I have much restriction etc so don't REALLY think it's because of the band) or should I just assume it's because of pregnancy and grin and bear it? I called the dr's office and spoke to some nurse who said to come in but I don't want the whole hassle (and expense) of going in again if it's probably nothing to do with the band. What do you think? TIA!

Hi, I know that being very underweight and/or doing excessive exercise can cause you not to get your period. I am not extremely underweight (as a matter of fact my BMI is still slightly overweight) and do not exercise excessively (3 hours/week, moderately). However, I do eat very few calories (which is how I lost close to 70 pounds in less than 6 months) and my period is late by several days. FOUR pregnancy tests say I am not pregnant so I assume that is not it and am now starting to worry that I am eating too few calories (900-1000/day) and this is somehow messing up my body? Has anyone here heard (preferably from a medical source) that eating too little (NOT being underweight, they are not the same thing) can cause you not to get your period? I know I can/should call my doctor but am don't really feel like doing so when I think in a day or two, I will wake up to a) my period or a positive pregnancy test. Meanwhile, in case that doesn't happen, I'm wondering what you guys think! Thanks!

In answer to how long I've had my band, I've had it a bit less than six months (and been regular before and after it-up until now) and have maintained the same calorie intake/lifestyle more or less since I had it so I don't know things would change now. I have NEVER been this late before but I guess it happens sometimes!

Hi, I had surgery about 4.5 months ago and have already lost close to 70 pounds with 15 more to go. Obviously, I am thrilled with this surgery. My question for long term lapbanders is, 2+ years out, do you still throw up and how often, and how long did it take you to change your eating habits? I am working very hard at slowing down, not eating too much, chewing well, etc but even four and half months later, I still feel that I am in the learning stage. I am hoping I will still get there (to where eating slowly, chewing well etc are more natural to me) so I guess I am looking to hear from other people that also had a hard time at the beginning and eventually did better. I still throw up about once/week and when I mentioned that to the RN at my dr's office she said "once a week in the beginning is totally fine/normal" which did make me feel a bit better that I am not a "hopeless cause." Please let me know what I can look forward to in terms of my eating habits which I am working desperately to change but is slow in happening! Thanks so much!

Honk, why do you think I am way too tight-because I throw up once a week? Marci is two years out and she says she is still throwing up 2-3 times/week and is pretty much at goal and doing well (it seemed to me My doctor's office also thinks the throwing up once a week is fine although they do feel I am losing weight too quickly. They still gave me a .4 cc fill last time I went (for a grand total of 5.4 ccs) because what I am finding is that in the two weeks following a fill (I've had three), I lose about 10 lbs and then in the next three weeks only about 1-2 lbs/week so by the time I go back, even though I have lost a lot of weight, I still feel ready (by then) for another fill. I don't feel the one time/week that I throw up is because of being too tight but it's my eating too quickly/too much/not chewing the food small enough. . .so, forget the whole too tight/not too tight question, my main issue is, will I ever learn to slow down and change my eating habits? How long has it taken you to accomplish that behavior change?

Hi, I am having a hard time figuring out if what I am feeling is normal restriction or if my band is too tight. I had surgery about three months ago and have lost 50+ lbs so far (since the day of surgery). I have felt some restriction (in the sense that I could not eat large quantities without pain in my left shoulder and or pbing/stuck episodes) since my surgery. I had my second fill (4 ccs first time, 1 cc the second time) about a month ago and am having a harder time than ever getting food down. The thing is, when I read posts from people who have had the band for a while and lost tons of weight (my ultimate goal), it seems like some of the things I am experiencing are normal for a bandster. Is this what I should anticipate-that I will never be able to eat in the morning, that I will never be able to tolerate certain foods, etc? If the answer is yes, I'm fine with that, I just want to make sure I am not too tight. Also, even when I get stuck (which is happening now more than it happened pre the second fill), I always think "well, I could have eaten smaller bites, chewed more times, taken longer between bites, etc" which are probably all true so how do I know if it's the band's fault (ie being too tight) or mine (eating the wrong food or the wrong way)? I tend to eat a Protein Shake in the morning (if anything), greek yogurt (easy food!) for lunch and three bites of Protein such as chicken, fish, meatballs etc for dinner (because I generally can't get past three bites). Of course if I am obsessively careful (with bite sizes, length of time chewing etc), I can get through almost any food. Pre surgery, I loved vegetable salads but I rarely eat them now because I find it exhausting (chewing those cucumbers a million times. . .) So. . . is what I am describing normal? If it is, it's fine-I am thrilled with my weight loss and can live like this forever (I think) but I just want to make sure I am not filled too much. I am scheduled for a third fill this week which I am definitely cancelling. The question is whether I should go in anyhow just to get some Fluid taken out of my band? I am a little intoxicated by my weight loss and the thought of slowing it down is (by taking some fluid out/not getting a fill) is a downer for me. Any advice/insight is appreciated!

Hi, I'm an observant Jew and I have to agree with everyone else. It will be tough but there is no time to start like this very second (or the first slot they have available for you). I think fasting post band will be very easy and the rest (all the meals, guests for Succos etc) will be hard and you should be prepared for that. Best of luck and Shana Tova U'Mesuka!

Hi, I am four days post op and while my insicion site gets better every day, the gas pains (I think it's that) get worse and worse. I can barely drink anything and am wondering how long I can survive on 100 calories of protein shake/day plus a few sips of water. The pain is mainly along my esophagus/back/bit of the shoulders. . . . Sometimes I feel like I have to burp but, and I hope this is not TMI, I start to burp and then it just sort of ends in a verrrrrrry painful spasm/hiccup of my esophagus (I think that's what it is)? Is this normal? What can I do about it? And should I worry about the fact that I have consumed maybe 500 calories over the last 4 days combined? Thanks!

Thanks for weighing in everyone! I checked with my hospital (NYU) and they said it is okay to come in myself as long as my husband (or someone else) takes me home (which has always been the plan). So. . . I think that is what I am going to do. As far as my son's school play-I guess I will take it as it comes and not make any decisions until I have to. I do realize (from all the responses!) that it is unlikely that I will feel up to going. 2 more days to go. . .

I'm having surgery next week (June 1st) and my husband is going to get the (4) kids out in the morning and then come to the hospital. Is there any reason why I can't drive myself to the hospital and get started on my own? My hospital (NYU) didn't say otherwise but on the lap band site it says someone needs to come with you . Are they not going to let me do the surgery without a person there? I realllllly can't have anyone come (until later). Also, this is probably unrealistic, but is there any way I can go to my 7 year old son's school play the day after my surgery? I had my appendix and gall bladder out (separately) and did pretty well after those surgeries. Am I being unrealistic? Please let me know what you think about these two issues!

Hi, I am on day 9 of a tortuous12 day pre op diet (3 shakes a day and 2 cups of vegetables). Surgery is scheduled for 5/25/11 (3 days) but I have not received approval from insurance yet. I spoke with my surgical coordinator (Aja, from NYU, she's been a nightmare to deal with from the start) on Friday morning and she said even though it is still "pending", I should continue with the liquid pre op diet and not worry, approval would come through on time for surgery. Later that day I called Aetna and they said the reason it's still pending is because she didn't send any information at all in (other than the request). I left a message for Aja on Friday but of course didn't get through or hear back from her. Assuming she sends the info in on Monday what are the chances I'll be approved the next day? Should I drop this realllllly difficult pre op diet? I don't see how I'll be approved on time but Aja told me to do this diet, rearrange my life for the 25th and not to worry, that she's sure I'll be approved on time. What do you think?!!?

I wish someone would have prepared me for dealing with Aja. She is, believe it or not, extremely courteous (if and when you ever get her on the phone) but the most incompetent, unprofessional person I have ever met. Everyone else at the office is lovely but many things they say can only go through Aja and when you call her, she doesn't pick up the phone and her mail box is always full. It took FOUR WEEKS of incessant calling to find out if she got a fax from my PCP before she finally called back and said "no, I haven't received it yet". She couldn't have called after a couple of days? That was just the tip of the iceberg. In the end, because of her, it a) took me longer to schedule my surgery and I am on this nightmare of a liquid diet for 3 (instead of 2) weeks. I am excited to be operated on by Dr Fielding but if I had to do it again, or advise other people, I would say to do anything to avoid dealing with Aja. Anyhow. . . surgery in 6 days (if I am not pushed off again). . .

To update you, my insurance ended up coming though in two hours! Believe it or not, I still didn't have the surgery today (it's pushed off until next Wed, June 1st) because I didn't have my medical clearance completed-which no one mentioned to me until less than 24 hours before the surgery! So. . . it's on to week #3 of the liquid diet! I have heard wonderful things about the NYU team but have so far had nothing but grief from their surgical coordinator. Hope this is not an omen for the surgery!

Having surgery also at NYU (Dr Fielding) on June 1st! It's my first time though and I am nervously excited