CandiceNC

I don't know the sex of my baby either. Only 3 more weeks to go. It is getting very exciting! I think there is nothing better than waiting to find out the sex at delivery. The anticipation and the surprise is something you just dont get very often these days! That is my opinion of course. My family is all excited, they have a baby pool going to see who guesses the sex and delivery date. The winner gets 1/2 the money and the rest goes to me for baby! Kinda fun.. its not a huge amount either probably enough for a bag of diapers! Its just the fun in guessing and not knowing I think. Anyways, I hope all is well with everyone! Candice

Hey bexleygal, How are you feeling. Are you off bed rest? Is the pre-eclapsia subsided? I am now almost 36 weeks along, I have gained over 50 lbs, but am also told my baby is very large.. if I go to term, it will be between 9 and 10 lbs at least.. kinda scares me but I am not going to be all macho and I am getting the epiduro! LOL I hope everyone has had a great holiday season, I know I ate too much! LOL so I am sure I have gained even more! However, just a couple more weeks and then I can start my weightloss journey again! I am suffering with the start of a cold today. My throat is swollen, and I am feeling really crappy. I just hope it doesnt get much worse! My doctor and I both think this baby could be coming a bit early however, where I live, small town in Manitoba Canada, we have a hospital shortage, and the Maternity ward is closed until January 1st at 8 am. I pray I dont go into labour between now and then! The next closest hospital is 2 hours away. Anyways, enough whining from me sorry ladies! I hope everyone is having a great week! It is getting close for me, so i will do my best to keep you all posted! Candice

I have 5 ccs in my 10 cc band, and I wish I had more! I was completely de-filled when I found out I was pregnant, however I gained so much weight in the first month, that I went back to a fill. I still dont fell much restriction, but as the baby gets bigger (34 weeks now) there isnt much room left to eat alot and my breathing is getting harder! Sleep is hard to come by these days too! I have decided to go on Maternity leave as of the end of next week. I can hardly wait! Anyways, speaking of sleep I am going back to bed for a nap! Sooo tired. Candice

OPPPs that was supposed to read 32 weeks 5 days!! NOT 35 weeks!

Hi Rayne and everyone! Well I am 35 weeks and 5 days today. I had another ultrasound yesterday, to check on the baby's bladder, I guess there was something on the last ultrasound so they were checking baby again.. but my doctor told me not to worry about it, it shows up on many ultrasounds and is likely nothing. At any rate, my doctor's appointment last week she said the baby's head was way down and bum up by my left breast. Well ultrasound showed it still in the exact same position! Maybe I will be early? I do have another appointment tomorrow (as I go weekly now for appointments) so I will find out hopefully the ultrasound results then. ON another note, I do NOT know the sex of my baby, we decided we wanted to wait till it was born. There are just so little surprises in life these days, and the anticipation is really starting to show in everyone's faces. I do however think I am having a girl! Just from all the old "wives tales" . We have a very fast heartbeat, carrying high, lots of acne which I was not prone to before... things like that. We are both hoping it is a girl anyways! (will be first girl on my husband's side and first grandchild for my side, not including the cousins babies of course) Oh and a side note, I am finally going to the "bathroom" but it is still NOT great! I get a BM every 2 days now at least.. not much but its better than NOTHING! Hope everyone else is doing great! Candice

From many other pregnant bandsters that I have talked to, the band has no issues and doesnt come into play at all with giving birth either natural, or by c-section. However I guess it would all depend on where the port has been placed as I do know some people now that have thier port placed in the lower abdomen. A friend of mine just had a baby and she is banded, she said to me " your not pushing with your stomach, your pushing your baby!" If you are really concered, I would speak to your band doctor or family doctor. Candice

Congrats on the baby! I am 32 weeks pregnant. My port doesn't stick out and I have gained quite a bit. I notice and feel it more, but no one else sees it! (I guess it all depends on where the placement of your port is too!) I wouldnt worry though.. Candice

OK.. so I saw my doctor. Turns out other than upping the dosage of the lactalose, and the docusate sodium, there is not much they can do for me. I did get a "little BM" but other than physically going up there and scouping, which uh not gonna happen.. they can't do anything! How horrible is that! Anyways.. even the little movement has helped how I feel! Turns out my baby is head down bum up by my left breast! So I will be going back to the doctor weekly now. She also said I am carrying a big baby for 31.5 weeks! (I already knew that). As for back pain Bexlaygal.. I had some, but nothing major. I took a tylenol and usually went to sleep. However, if this is persistant back pain, I would definatly go to your doctor ASAP. It can be just the way the baby is sitting, but then it could also mean you may have a bladder infection, it could be a number of different things. I know I had a bladder infection a few weeks back, and I get back pain and lower abdominal pain, but no "burning or anything when I pee" It could also just be muscle pain from all the weight being carried in the front now. Good luck! Let me know how it goes?

Ok, I am off to my doctors appt this morning! Wish me luck! I am due January 27th. 61 more days! Candice

OK, so I went for the dreaded Enema, and guess what even that DIDN'T work!! The doctors and nurses couldn't believe it! They sent me home with the same dang things I was taking before, and said give it a day and see if anything works. I have my regular doctors appointment tomorrow morning. I guess if I dont go by then, I will find out what they are going to do with me tomorrow. I am now up 40 lbs!! This I am sure is 10 due to blockage!! (I hope anyways!) I do plan on going on maternity leave by December 21 (last day my school is open before holidays) But officially it will be December 31st. This way I can start going to aquafit at the local pool and hope the exercise will help me some. I certainly can not go outside to walk.. its -40 with the windchill today (that is celcius) -7 F but add in windchill factor I am guessing that would be around -15 F. (No matter it is freakin cold!) Candice

Hey Nikki, I suffered really bad with heartburn/stomach acid. My doctor told me to cut out chocolate and chocolate milk (that is all I drink, cant stand the taste of milk) orange juice and tomato/juice. I was drinking Malox like it was milk for a while there! The minute I stopped the above I have not had any sypmtoms of heartburn or acid since! Hope that helps some! As for tired.. I STILL am tired! I am a tummy sleeper and of course this not being able to sleep on my tummy sucks, and not to mention the fact that this baby loves to be awake most of the night I swear! I know I wont be sleeping much those first few weeks! My biggest issue now is constipation! I have had two different prescriptions, a supository, and senekot, STILL NO BM! I just got the 2nd prescription yesterday so I am going to give it one more day to work and if not.. this weekend I am going to go to hospital for the dreaded ENEMA!! I am in so much pain! Hope everyone is doing great! Candice

Hey Raynie, and all the other pregnant ladies!! it has been quite some time since I posted, I appologise! I am now 30 weeks today. My baby is growing, and kicking like crazy! I have gained 38 lbs already, and am devistated! I still have 10 weeks to go and this is usually when we gain the most! I thought after losing 113 lbs, I would not gain like this. I was completely de-filled but since had 3 fills to take me up to 5 ccs in my 10 cc band. I still feel like I can eat a whole lot of foods, like nothing is in my band at all. I was fortunate enough to not have any morning sickness at all. My only discomfort was severe acid indigestion/heartburn. I am finally out of that and just tired. I havent even started the nursery yet! LOL my parents are actually in the US right now looking for baby furniture for me. (as I am in Canada) and with our dollar at par.. it is WAYYY cheaper for us to get it all there. So in about 1.5 weeks I will know what "grandma and grandpa" have spoiled this baby with! Anyways, I am so sorry I havent posted in months! I wish each and every one of you the best in your pregnancy! Candice banded March 6, 2006

Hi Cherry, I live in Central Manitoba, (Dauphin to be exact) I have my own personal GP do my fills, and she is willing to do fills for others as well. (She doesnt charge 100$ per fill like most do either!!) I believe if you contact your own clinic they have lists of fill doctors accross the country. I know TLBC, and Dr. Coubourn's office's have lists, not sure where you had your band done, but I am positive they can give you more information. If you want more info on my doctor let me know! Candice

Hi Cherry, Where in Canada are you needing a fill doctor? There are some across the country, just depends where you are. Candice

I am currently 7 months pregnant (29.5 weeks) I personally have had absolutely NO issues with the band and being pregnant. The only thing was my doctor de-filled me, and I gained too much too fast in the beginning, so I am now with a small fill and although I still feel I am gaining too much weight, my baby is healthy and so am I! I have had NO morning sickness at all, the only complication I have had was stomach acid/acid reflux really bad. I cut out chocolate milk, orange juice and tomatoes and that solved that problem! There are tons of pregnant or past pregnant bandsters! No worries! Candice

I had my surgery doctor refer me to TLBC. Here in Manitoba, because there is no weightloss surgery here, I had my airfare paid for by MB health, along with a small portion of my surgery. I kept every single recipt and what MB health didnt cover, I claimed in my taxes. MB Health didn t cover airfare taxes, so that was claimed on my income taxes.. Keep EVERYTHING! Candice March 6, 2006 TLBC

I was audited, I went through H&R block, revenue canada had me send in all the recipts to confirm, took an extra 8 weeks, but I did get approx 3000 back, because of claiming the surgery. If I could have split it up into a couple years I would have gotten more back but dangit, they wont let you.. oh well 3000 is better than nothing! Candice

Hi Carey, I am a pregnant Bandster. The reason I chose the lap band was because I had planned on getting pregnant! I did not have any morning sickness in my first trimester, and I only got a slight de-fill just to eat a touch more. I am now into my second trimester, have gained a touch mroe than I think I should for how far along I am, however, no complications what so ever with my band. I think the only time there is complications is if you have excessive vomiting, that can cause the band to slip possibly and a complete de-fill is recommended. Candice

Hi Ladies, I am pregnant 11.5 weeks today. I have my first doctors appointment in 20 minutes actually. I was Banded March 6, 2006 and went from 305 lbs to 193 lbs. Not quite to goal but now being pregnant that is being put off of course. I am thrilled to be pregnant. My doctors told me that I would have a hard time getting pregnant and our first try we succeeded! Wohoo!:clap2: I know of another banded lady, not sure if she is on this board or not, that is 6 months along now.. and doing great. So Congrats to you and your pregnancy! I am due approx end of January. You? Candice

I have found that if I am stuck, I drink some Water, while in the bathroom. It either immediatly sends it back out along with the stuck food, or pushes it through the band, and no more being stuck. I too have never had to put my fingers down my throat! Candice 305/196/160:biggrin1:

Hi Ladies, I have had my band for just over a year now and have lost over 100 lbs. Only 40 more to goal. I have never had a baby. I am getting married in June, and I do hope to get pregnant ASAP. My question is .. do you have to get a de-fill? Can you keep some saline in the band? Or would it depend if you get morning sickness or not. I do not want to regain all this weight and I have been losing VERY slowly the last 3 months. (10 lbs in 3 months UGH!) Another question is Vitamins, were you on a big Vitamin regieme or just watching what you ate? I plan on starting on Materna soon, to get my body ready for pregnancy (my doctor recommended) and was just curious as I have never had a baby what others do or have done being a banded person. I am the only banded person in my area, and my doctors really dont know much about it. Thanks, Candice

Hi Karey, First off, thank you. What I have done to lose the weight. Well the biggest thing for me, was cutting out all sugars. I use only splenda or splenda products. I read all labels. I refuse to buy "fat free" as it has more sugar. I drink tons of water, no pop, no juice or punces, I have One piece of fruit in my breakfast shake, I don t have any chips, pop, or any other junk foods in the house. I do however eat popcorn. I try my best not to eat after 7 pm as well, unless it is the popcorn. I dont eat bread, rice, or pasta. I usually take a small plate for my meals, eat my meat or chicken or fish first, then my veggies and then I will try to eat some potatos if I have room. I have been very lax with exercise, and I have plateaued or slowed down big time in the weightloss for the past 3 months. I will have to get back on the treadmill and hopefully back swimming again soon! Candice

Hi everyone, I am new to this site. I was banded March 6, 2006. I have lost a total of 104 lbs, 101 under one year post op. I have stalled the last few weeks, so thinking it is time for a slight fill. Congrats to everyone!! Candice:)