Qvrfullmidwife

I have read several references to varied foods causing a blockage or making someone get 'clogged'. What are they talking about? How serious is this? What causes this? How is it treated?

Has anyone here successfully breasted with a band in place? Did you have any restriction while nursing? When I asked the surgeon about pregnancy and b-feeding he just said "we will unfill it while you are pregnant and refill when you are done breastfeeding." I nurse for well over a year and nursing is when I gain lots of weight, far more than when I am pregnant, even, because I am SO hungry ALL the time. In fact I usually go from nursing one to pregnant again. Has anyone else successfully nursed with some restriction in place?

We had finally gotten together the money (self-pay) and were looking at getting it done within the next couple of weeks... and then found out that there is a new baby on the way. Absolutely thrilled about a new baby. So disappointed about having to delay lapband. Oh well. Good thing that I rarely gain weight while pregnant, huh? Oh well, see you in a year, I guess.

ah...just read your update...good!

You would be OK with it if your husband hid something as important and life changing as this from you? Sounds to me that if you cannot trust your husband with this information that maybe your marriage needs the attention first. Hope you get all worked out.

balderdash! I agree with the suggestions already given. I have a ring, a simple gold band that was originally bought from Sam's club for me to wear when pregnant and my fingers were swollen. Unfortunately I am now wearing that ring fulltime, but when I have lost my weight and I am down to my "real" size I will have my rings resized. So...having your rings resized is badluck but having to wear a different ring due to fingers too large or small isnt? How convoluted. I guess having to have your rings cut off your finger as some that I know have had to do isnt the best of luck, either...

Please keep in mind that if your insurance is through your workplace that it is probably not the insurance company that decided not to cover this but that your employer decided not to pay for this to be a covered service. Companies may chose to have exclusions, things that they exclude from coverage, usually in an attemt to keep the cost of health coverage as low as possible. Smaller companies are more prone to do this from my experience due to their obvious need to pennypinch. One option is to go talk to the powers that be at your employer and request that they change this when the policy is up for renewal, most likely in January. And no, there is no point in appealing. This is not a matter that they have decided that in their estimation you do not meet the requirements...this is a matter that you could have the highest BMI on earth with every comorbidity known to man and you would still not be covered for the proceedure. We will be paying for it by taking out a home equity loan.

" my current response to the "OMG you are getting so pretty!" is "I've always been pretty, you just haven't been able to see it"" how about "...you've just been too shallow to see it"

Juli I am so in awe that you are confident in a bathing suit! That is fantastic! And I like you idea of speaking to little kids..."What I want to do is say something to these kids who just stare like, "I can't help but notice you looking at my fat. It's really soft and squishy. Do you want to touch it?" So they don't stare at the next fat woman who crosses their paths." ...up until the "do you want to touch it?" If someone asked my child if hey wanted to touch their body...well...it may be closed-minded of me but I would be quite alarmed! So if it were me...I'd leave that part out. Hmmm..my story...senior in highschool. Always been a bit "plump", as my 100-lbs-dripping-wet mother bemoaned constantly. I had, however, always been a cheerleader, ever since jr high. While practicing for try-outs sr yr one of the other girls heard that I would be trying out with the same guy who she was trying out with...and I was trying out first. She threw a fit, saying that he would never be able to do a good job with her lifts and throws "after having to handle a cow like you"...she said later that day "not that I meant anything mean or anything, but you know..." She was *maybe* 15 lbs less than I. *Maybe*. And I was between 145-150...really huge, you know.

Can't comment on the stress, but "I cannot stand bad manners on kids - they are not born that way - they need to be directed to learn what is appropriate. I blame the parents." Mother of ten children and breeder pf Great pyrenees dogs, here and I agree...on both--to a degree. I think to a large degree children..and puppies..are born self-centered and both need to be trained to consider the needs of others whoch is the base of good manners.

oh no! I am so sorry!

I have heard several people say that a part of the psych evaluation was the question of what would replace food for you, esp if food is a crutch or addiction for you pre-band. I guess the answers will be as varied as hepeople who answer but I am curious, what did you say? And has post-band reality match to what you said?

I asked a similar question a few weeks ago...we raise dairy goats and I make and sell cheese...not banded yet so cant answer the 'how will it all work out' type of questions. Will be watching this thread with great interest...

So, Lotsofkids...the first post stated that this was caused by a virus but then I think that I saw that your sig line read (I think it's been changed) that it was caused by the band? What caused this? (SO glad that you are apparently well on the road to recovery...I bet those lots of kids are feeling very blessed)

LOL Jack!!!!!!!!

I was wondering if anyone found themselves panicking when a food gets stuck or they feel like they cant swallow. I havent been banded, but I started trying to imagine last night what that might feel like and started me wondering... Even if I did start to freak out over having something 'stuck' I am pretty sure I could talk myself down, after all, I have done it every birth lol, but I was wondering if this is a common or even nonexistent problem...

Very passionate about it here, too, it is a big part of my midwifery practice not to mention the fact that I have now nursed ten children, but I have gained 40lbs while nursing this last one and enough is enough! Given that apparently my body makes rather efficient use of calories while nursing I just didnt see why we shouldnt at least CONSIDER somewhat of a fill, playing it by ear as long as baby/supply continued to do well. Of course getting banded might be the first step, hmm?

not to be facetious, but.. step 1--make appt step 2--go to appt step 3--discuss my concerns (prob diabetes) step 4--say "I have been researching weight loss surgery, whatdo you think?" step 5 when he says the only one he cold recommend for me wodl be lapband was--sigh in elief over not having to fight! (I really worried abot it but it was really very simple)

If a midwifery client of mine came to me with a band in place I would not immediately say to unfill unless they so desired. Instead I would ask that they do a week or so of diet recall sheets (probably continue on and off throughout the pregnancy) and watch her...is weight OK, able to eat enough protein to nourish a growing baby? If all continues well and they are able to eat a good diet then I would just wait until a need presents itself before removing the fill.

Curious, where are you going for follow up/fills?

Nume God willing sometime in August. We are working on a home equity loan to do it, so whenever that gets wrapped up...

But I will admit to wincing everytime I use the phrase 'banding' as that is what it is called when we castrate goats...

LOL I am a wee bit scared that it may cause problems once I am banded due to the fact that each batch gets tweaked as it is made according to taste. I guess that I will just have to work on standardizing the recipes now and let the chips fall where they may.

Given the option they are better at getting rid of brush and small trees than grass...they are not grazers and much as browsers. The boys clear underbrush for us, the girls dont get to because we want to avoid any plants that might make the milk taste funny...good goats milk tastes like sl sweet half and half. If you ever get 'goat-y" tasting milk it is due to not being handled properly.

I was told that the port will end up resting above where the uterus is at full term pregnancy. When pushing you dont do anything with your stomach itself, you take a deep breath, fil your lungs with air and you are using the diaphragm, not your actual stomach. *Most* (but by no means ALL) mornig sickness involves just nausea not actual vomiting, when you get in to see an OB they may be able to direct you regarding who you can see locally regarding unfills. While they might not want to see you under 'normal' circumstances, when referred by an OB they likely would. The nutritional needs in the first trimester are not caloric but just that, nutritional. A good prenatal will help but if you cannot get the horse pills down then look into a liquid Multivitamin such as floradix brand. Regarding miscarriages...many causes but often we never know. It is believed as many as one in 4 preg ends in miscarriage but there will always be those women who sail through 8 preg with no losses and those of us who lose 3 or 4 before having a successful pregnancy. (Not yet banded, hope to before the next pregnancy, fully hope to go through a pregnacy or two banded before we stop having children. )