ThunderThighs

Please read my thread here..... http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f78/vacation-lap-band-flying-21102/

Okay, I am more of a lurker here, but I have learned so much from the others on the site, that I thought I would post my experience so that someone can learn from me too. Some of you may recall last summer I had complications of total blockage with my band while on vacation in Chicago. I had a hell of a time finding an emergency doctor to unfill me, just so I could drink water! I finally had to drive to Madison, WI and there was a doctor there that unfilled me, although he was very far from a lapband specialist! I think I could have unfilled myself better if I had the right tools! So, anyhow, fast forward to September 2006, I went back to Mexico and got my fill. I went with 1.7cc in a 4cc band. Felt great, before the complications in Chicago, I was at 1.9cc. About two weeks after my fill, I got so completely restricted, I was unable to drink Water again. So, back to Mexico we go. He took me down to 1.5cc. I felt great for about a month. Then I was completely restricted AGAIN! The doctor checked for slippage and everything else. Everything looked great. Dr. Romero said that he wanted me unfilled completely for 3 weeks to relax everything. So in three weeks, I go back and get 1.4cc and everything was great, AGAIN. Then between Christmas and New Years, I was completely restricted again. I suffered for about a week, thinking if I drink warm liquids and no mushies or solids, it will work itself out. New Years day, I was so dehydrated, hungry, weak, sick, I couldn't hold my head up. I called Dr. Romero in Mexico and he said to get down to Mexico ASAP. Now, mind you, I am on vacation in the desert with my family camping, so we have to pack up and get to Mexico and back out of Mexico on New Years day, YUCK. So we get there and Dr. Romero unfills me to 1.2 cc. Once again, great for about 6 weeks. This past week I started to get restricted to the point of barely even able to get water down. I went back to Mexico, and told him to take 1/2 out. So he didn't quite take 1/2, but took me down to .8cc in a 4cc band. I feel great right now. I feel like I am restricted when I lost all of my weight, which is a good restriction. So, hopefully this time it will work. What I don't understand is how come I had up to 1.9cc and did fine, and now I am all the way down to .8cc and feel like I have good restriction?? I watched what I did, what I ate, everything, and still had all these complications. I was so worried about slippage, but the band is perfectly in place! Dr. Romero has instructed me to take 2-3 teas. of Maalox 30 min after every meal to help this. Ew, yuck. But I am doing it, ha ha. I have lost 75 lbs and I am about 20 lbs from goal, and I feel that I will make it by the summer. I have no regrets about getting the band, I just wish that I knew why it is so different for me at different times. It drives me crazy sometimes! I just wanted to share my experience with all of you so that someone who is so confused with the same problems may relate.

Honesty is the best answer. Show them what the lapband is, explain how it works and tell them why you want it done. When you start losing weight, they will understand a little more. Little kids are very easily offended when the most important person in their life isn't honest with them. I know, I'm guilty of getting caught not being totally honest with my kids before. But, you know your kids, I don't. So, go with what you feel is best. And, good luck.

I can't eat anything in the morning! And in order to eat some lunch or dinner, I have to have a hot drink. But, sometimes, if I get up and drink a couple cups of coffee, I can eat a minimal amount for breakfast. If I do not start with a hot drink, I am doomed from drinking or eating all day.

I've been having the same problems! I went to Mexico twice last week and 4 times in the last month. I got a fill, and was fine, ate in Mexico, no problem. I got home and two days later, was so full I couldn't even hardly drink water. So, I went and got a little unfilled and things were fine, but I could eat as much and whatever I wanted. So, I went back and got more of a fill, and once again, ate and was drinking and everything was fine in Mexico. Two days later, I couldn't eat, drink or anything. The pain involved with being totally restricted is so awful! It's one of those type of experiences that nobody will understand the severity of the pain unless they actually experience it. So, yesterday I drove back down to Mexico and got a little unfilled. I was able to drink and eat brothy soups yesterday and today. So, I am hoping that things are good now. The good thing is I lost 5 more lbs, but a very bad way to lose those 5 lbs. Good luck and hope that you are doing better.

I try to get a minimum of 64 oz of water in me per day. However, I do not always get that. I know that dehydrated feeling. So, this is what I've done that helps me. I have a cup that I've measured how much water it holds. And I use the same cup every day and I know I have to drink 4 of those per day of water. When I finish the first one, I tell myself "3 more". So, I basically force myself somedays to drink the water necessary. Other days, I drink 8 or 9 of those cups of water. It is something I am very conscious about. I guess what I am trying to say is that if you have a problem getting the fluids, you will have to force yourself to be more aware of your fluid intake. You will also find your weight loss increase with increase of water intake. I read somewhere once, that a huge percentage of people are dehydrated and don't even know it. Good luck and hope that you are able to find a solution to increase your fluid intake.

Whew, I'm not alone! I was having the same problems of being able to eat the wrong foods, and I fell off my regimen diet. I just went to Mexico to get a fill and I told them I wanted a good restricted fill. So today, I've only been able to eat the portions that I was eating when I lost most of my weight. I know the things that I absolutely cannot eat, and those are mostly the "bad" foods, which always make me PB when I am restricted. By having good restricition, it makes me mentally make the right decisions with my food. I especially wanted the restriction with the holidays coming up!!

Rice is my big no no food. If I eat rice in any form, plain, with sauce, anyway, I regret it. I will pay with severe pain for at least an hour, sometimes a few hours. I cannot drink, eat or anything after eating rice, it's horrible!

I had a fill, my third fill 5 1/2 months prior to my trip to Chicago. That is why it was so strange. I wasn't having any problems or complications, my restriction was perfect! I requested the unfill and it was granted. Although it wasn't encouraged, it wasn't discouraged either. I was advised to watch what I ate and to remember that the band was still in place and I needed to remember that.

Funny that I ran across this thread. I just got back from Hawaii. A week before I left, I got a complete unfill. Now, before everyone gets upset, let me explain why. Some of you may have read my story in the lapband complication forum about how I went on vacation to Chicago and after I flew there, I was completely restricted. So restricted, I could not drink Water at all. I spent 2 days trying to find a doctor who could unfill me, much less knew anything about the band. This was very scary for me, for my family and made our vacation very stressful. Needless to say, I had to drive to Wisconsin and found a doctor to unfill me, but he was horrible at the procedure! I was severely dehydrated, I hadn't eaten for 4 days and I lost 6 pounds in 4 days. Thank goodness for insurance because this whole ordeal was almost $4000 in medical bills, I paid $50 co-pay!!!! I didn't eat, so it wasn't something that I ate that made me completely restricted. I've been told sometimes the pressure from flying can do this. So, move ahead 2 months. My son was playing high school football in Hawaii (We live in California). What an opportunity for the whole family to go to Hawaii. I was scared to death that this would happen again, where I would become completely restricted. So, I made the decision to get unfilled. Not so I could enjoy food while in Hawaii, but so I wouldn't experience something again like I did in Chicago. I wasn't willing to risk it again. I am fortunate enough to be able to drive to Mexico and back home in a few hours and I went today 2 weeks after getting unfilled and got my fill back. I feel much better. Being unfilled, I felt like I was missing something, I was constantly thinking about it. Now, did I enjoy food? Yes. Was it worth it? Yes and No. Yes because I had no scary episodes of being completely restricted. No, because I did gain weight and the food wasn't all that great anyhow. Would I unfill for vacation? No, never, not unless I am flying. I don't fly hardly ever, it just so happens I went on two trips this summer. I would never get unfilled for a cruise, for a vacation, etc. just so I could enjoy my food. That isn't the purpose, as I think most have expressed here already.

I will be going in a few weeks, PM sent to you.....

I don't burp as much as I used to, but if I can't burp now, it's a sign of a pb coming on. So I am always proud when I can burp while eating or drinking!

Ok, I can't remember who posted about the 'skinny girl in the mirror', but I, too, can't picture myself skinnier. Although everything and everyone around me tells me different! A little background..... Well, today, I went to Mexico for an unfill. To make a long story short, some of you may have read my complications while on vacation in Chicago and having a hard time finding a doctor to unfill me. Well anyways, I don't want to experience the same situation while I am flying to Hawaii for my son's first football game. So I went for an unfill and will get a fill upon my return. I don't fly much ever, so this won't become a habit, but I am taking the safe side. While in the office, Dr. Ortiz walked in and he gave me a hug, asked how I was doing, blah blah. He asked how much weight I had lost and how much more I want to lose. I told him 30-40 more lbs. He said "Why? You look fantastic right now!" That boosted my self esteem up so high, I was walking out of the office after that with my head up so high! It was just nice hearing such positive words from a doctor! I really do need to lose more lbs, I know, but just wanted to share with everyone and tell everyone once again what a nice man Dr. Ortiz is!!!

I've had this odd craving since being banded, I crave chewing ice. Before, when people chewed ice around me, it would give me the chills. Now, I crave chewing ice myself! It is just so weird to me. Anyone else out there with strange cravings?

No tortillas for me! Flour, Never ever ever ever ever. I think I might die when I eat them. Very rarely, but sometimes I can eat a corn tortilla, if it is cooked, but I avoid them also, the pain is not worth it.

I am the same way, has to be a hot drink in the morning and then in the afternoon I can chug a lug Water, but have to sip anything else.

I was banded September 29, 2005

all my tests are normal last time they were checked. I think I just like to chew ice!!

My doctor said 160 lbs for me to be in the healthy BMI range. I am 10 lbs from that now, and I know I won't be happy. I want to lose more, probably be in 140-150 range. I think it's where you feel most comfortable at.

I don't know about girls, as I only have boys, ages 15 and 12. I chose to tell my kids because prior to my lapband surgery, I chose to not tell them about something I had done, that is permanent but not relative to weight issues. My then 10 yr old found out and was devastated that I didn't tell him and felt I was lying to him. I learned the hard way that honesty is best in situations like these. I tell them everything that happens with the lapband, the pb'ing, the weight loss. They have even gone for fills and in an emergency, unfills, with me. They understand what the lapband does and why. On a side note, I've also explained that it's not too late to start a healthier lifestyle of eating and have been an example to them in our home by buying, eating and cooking healthier meals. So, as to answer your question, I think the girls are old enough to comprehend what is going to happen and will be hurt in the long run when they find out you had not told them the truth. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that they will more likely find out through some other source that you had the surgery, then never find out. But, they are your girls and you need to go with your feeling on whether or not to tell them. Good luck.

Here is me pre op.... and here is me after, minus 60 lbs....

I'm a closet bandster, my kids, my husband know and that's it! I chose to be this way so to avoid confrontation. If someone were to ask me right out if I had weight loss surgery, I would tell them and not lie. As for when people ask me how I lost the weight, I just tell them no bread, sugars, and portion control. Along with not drinking at meal time and eating sensible meals.

I will repeat what a few have said, listen to your gut feelings. I was walking around downtown Tijuana the next day after my surgery. I bounced back very easily. I never got tired, although I could tell I had the surgery. I drove myself home the day after my surgery also. So, once again, listen to your body. If you are tired, rest, if you aren't walk around and do normal things. Don't think you have to do more than you feel you should.

I read about a study done on alcohol mixed with diet drinks and alcohol mixed with regular drinks and studies showed that there is something in the diet drinks that makes a body absorb the alcohol faster than the regular drinks. That was enough evidence to me to explain why when I drank Propel and Vodka, I was drunk way faster than everyone else. Dasani now makes a sugar free flavored Water that is uncarbonated and goes very well with Vodka! As for beer, I love beer, it's my choice of drink. I have on occassion just drank beer, but it makes me unable to eat well for a few days. I think maybe the carbonation affects the band by making it swell or something, so I stay away from beer!!!

This is kind of long, but please read....... I have been a lurker on lapbandtalk for awhile now, I don't post much. I had something happen to me while on vacation that was very scary, so I thought I should share. I know a lot of us who have been banded have experienced the restriction when we eat something we know we shouldn't. I did, I ate nachos and I got inflamed, or whatever you want to call it. A few days of liquids, I was back to normal. Then my family and I flew from California to Illinois for a 2 week vacation to visit relatives. I got a coffee in the airport before boarding the plane and all was good. As soon as I got in the air, I was experiencing more restriction just drinking coffee! Got to Illinois, and I just couldn't eat, I just put it off, thinking, great, this is the first vacation where I won't gain weight!!!:eek: Well then I started to barely be able to drink Water, but I was getting water down. The way I felt it didn't feel like it was related to the LapBand, my stomach really hurt everytime I ate, so thought it was stomach related. We rented a car and drove to Ohio to visit friends. Got to Ohio, and I was sick. I was very lethargic, but I'm on vacation, I refuse to be sick! Standing by the pool, I just passed out, right into the pool. Thank goodness my friend was there to save me! So, off to the doctor in Ohio, I go. They diagnosed me with a UTI and heartburn and gave me antibiotics and zantac and sent me on my way. I told them I had the LapBand and the doctor said my symptoms were not related to the LapBand. Okay, but now I can't even get water down, how in the hell am I supposed to get a pill down? I called Dr. Martinez in Mexico and he said I need to get unfilled ASAP. I had my LapBand surgery in Mexico, self pay, and I am 2500 miles from home, what do I do? We drove back to Illinois and I told my husband, I am getting scared. I need to go to the ER when we get back to Illinois. We still had another week full of activities and things to do! So I went to the ER, told them my situation and the doctor looked at me like I was an alien! He had never heard of the LapBand and was asking me all sorts of questions. At this point, I hadn't eaten for 8 days, and barely taking in any water. So they did the normal, blood testing, IV, xrays, etc. The doctor comes back and said I have bad news. We cannot do the unfill here, nobody is experienced to do it and they are unwilling to do it. Give me some time, I will call around. The doctor comes back a few hours later and said "I have good news, and bad news". He said that he found a doctor that is willing and able to unfill me, but I have to go to Madison, WI!! At this point, I'm willing to go to the North Pole, I was miserable, grouchy, hungry, thirsty, etc. So, off to Madison we go. The doctor there was very late and a little testy. This was fourth of July weekend and he had the weekend off and had to come in on his time off to unfill my LapBand, so he took his time. Which is understandable now, but not then ha ha. 14 hours in the hospital, about 20 attempts at finding the port (I am not sure how experienced he was) and 100's of miles of traveling, I got unfilled. I drank a whole bottle of water immediately upon being unfilled! I felt so much better! A week later, I went to Mexico to get a fill. I asked why this happened, and the tech said sometimes, not always, the pressure of going up and down in an airplane can affect the lapband. I am not sure I understand why, but it does. This is what happened to me. So, my point in this long story??? Be prepared when you go on vacation. Do some homework. Next time I go anywhere, I will make sure if it's far away from home, that I will find a specialist nearby to help in a case of emergency like I experienced. Looking back, I was very anemic, very dehydrated and could have died, had I not been able to get help! Learn from my experience and be prepared for these types of emergencies!