Unfill before Trip??

[kells0802 0]

Going on a Trip first week of June and seeing a bunch of people I have not seen since my lb sugery. This weekend is going to be lot a lot of eating and drinking and I really don't want to risk getting stuck or sick while I am there and still want to be able to have a few things that I normally would not be able to eat sooooooo.......My question is has anyone ever asked for an unfill before they have gone on vacation or a trip just to be able to enjoy themselves and how did your surgeon/nurse react if you asked them???

[chicalynn 0]

I have heard the opposite with my dr's nurse saying she has many people come in FOR a fill prior to holiday or vacation. I know personally I want more restriction during these times otherwise I won't have the will power to "just say no" to that extra hot dog with the bun.

[toqu 0]

I have unfilled before thanksgiving once. I just wanted to actually enjoy the holidays and I had already lost 40lbs so I thought it would be ok. I told him I was having reflux and he conceded. He didn't want to do it before I said that and he was right. I got used to being able to eat again and didn't go right back to start getting fills again. The only thing was that he took it all out instead of just loosening it a bit. I thought that was a bit extreme but he would have it no other way. I think that was his way of punishing me for my bad decision.

[kells0802 0]

lol chicalynn that probably would be the smart choice but I have not told many of these people that will be there about the band and don't feel like making excuses for why I am not eating much plus I can stick on my plan the rest of the year but this weekend I don't want to worry about it anyway just pondering the idea now but probably won't have the nerve to ask anyway LOL I can imagine nurses/doctors probably wouldn't think it was the best idea anyway :biggrin:

[MrsCabes 2]

Honestly, I wouldn't get unfilled - I think we work too hard training ourselves to take smaller bites, to eat slower and to not drink while we eat. Why would you undo all of that hard work just because people might look at you?

We've had a lifetime of overeating - it hasn't gotten us very far. :biggrin:

[getnthere 0]

lol chicalynn that probably would be the smart choice but I have not told many of these people that will be there about the band and don't feel like making excuses for why I am not eating much plus I can stick on my plan the rest of the year but this weekend I don't want to worry about it anyway just pondering the idea now but probably won't have the nerve to ask anyway LOL I can imagine nurses/doctors probably wouldn't think it was the best idea anyway :biggrin:

I had just started losing really fast at Christmas and we took a trip to Mexico. I wanted to have a slight unfill but opted not to because things wrer finally going well with the weight loss. The day we left things wrer great but when we went to dinner I noticed my band seemed alot tighter. About 1 hr later we had to stop on the side of the interstate so I could Throw up.It only got worse from there. The first 4 days of our trip I could not eat anything sometimes Water would even come back up.I was miserable. I sipped cofee in the mornings and water the rest of the day but just had to sit and watch the rest of the family eat when we went for meals. I wish I would have unfilled I would havw gained Im sure but it couldnt have been so much I would have been to discouraged. I lost 10lbs in 7 days but i would have enjoyed my self more if I could have eaten something. Next trip I plan on getting a unfill I know I can Start Over when I get home. If you decide to stay filled just make sure you stay on top of the water drinking I think that is what started my ordeal.

[Jachut 487]

I wouldnt even consider it personally.

Maybe because i've never been so tight that I cant handle any social eating situation fairly well, yes, there's a *slight* risk of a pb if I eat too fast but I can eat most foods and eat a reasonable amount.

I would fear two things. One, once youv'e done this well, how long before you start filling and unfilling for every little excuse? And two, what if you never get your restriction back properly? You could start a whole fill/unfill cycle, I've seen it happen on here sooooo many times over the years, when people have been unfilled, not always for this reason but because of reflux etc.

I feel very strongly that learning that holidays and celebrations are not solely about food is a major goal. You can enjoy them, try out the various foods on offer but not overeat. There's no need to unfill to enjoy your holiday eating - unless you're VERY tight to begin with.

I always take my running shoes and keep exercising on holidays too.

[kells0802 0]

Well the reason I am debating this is right now it is so touch and go for me anyway I mean one day I can eat chicken the next day I am puking it back up like this morning I got sick on a Protein Bar but last week I could eat anything and everything so if I felt that I even knew at this point what I could eat and what I couldn't it wouldn't even be an issue ya know?? Plus I have heard from people that the band tightens up while flying so if that is the case then I would get there and wouldn't be able to eat anything and be miserable. I really don't think it would be starting a trend cuz I have made it through Xmas. New Years Valentines Day Easter and never even thought of having an unfill for any of those occasions just want to be able to go on this trip and not have that in the back of my mind the entire time!

[adagray 1]

I wouldn't do it just for a trip. But, if you think you are too tight in general, then that's different. With my last fill, I've gone back and forth between being too tight and too loose. I think I'm finally ready for another fill, though, cause I've been more hungry than not for the past couple weeks. For me, its taken awhile to get good restriction so I guess that's why its not tempting at all to unfill just for a trip or occasion. Its taken so long to get this band really working for me and I just don't want to give that up and have to start over just so I can eat more for a trip.

And, I did actually get too tight during my trip to Vegas a couple weekends ago. I probably did it to myself due to dehydration (drinking more alcohol than normal which is a diuretic). I ended up hardly being able to eat during the trip, but it didn't really bother me much. When I am too tight, the good thing is that I'm also not hungry. So, it doesn't phase me if everyone around me is eating. I even went to the Paris Buffet w/all my friends and used my lapband card for the first time so they would only charge me the child's price. Trust me, nobody really even notices what YOU are eating when they are going back over and over and over for more heaping plates of food. LOL

I should also add, for my Vegas trip, I brought a bunch of Protein shots w/me and was so thankful I had them. It made it so much easier to just be able to eat whatever sounded good or that I knew would go down easy and then supplement w/the Protein Shots between meals.

Edited May 10, 2010 by adagray

[mominkansas 2]

If your not flying don't unfill.

Play it safe and only eat what you know you can without pushing the envelope.

[lauragshsu 6]

Should you get unfilled if you're flying??? Why? I'm curious because I'm flying on the 18th (flying for the first time with the band).

[onenuttynurse 0]

I am with the girls that are saying DON'T UNFILL. Again, you seem to be setting yourself up right there. If you consistently unfill with every "vacation" or "get together", I think you are setting yourself up to fail. Don't make the get together all about food food food. Be wise with your choices. I had a family reunion recently. I ate before I went, and was only able to takes a few bites of this and that. The comments I got were "Jeeezzz I wish i could do that intead of wolfing down all of this food". I just smiled and kept nibbling......Good Luck with your choice. I just think we work way to hard to cheat ourselves.....

[elcee 3,341]

I think if you ask for this unfil you are on the start of a very slippery slide.the band is to modify your eating and to help you lose weight is it not for filling unfilling at whim so you can overeat when you feel like it!

I know of people who have had an unfil before a holiday and are still stuck with the extra weight they gained.

You need to be able to enjoy a social occasion without solely focusing on food. that is one of the behaviours that made most of us need the band in the first place. It is possible to eat smaller amounts and still have fun.

I went away with friends over Easter. None of them knew that I had a band and theys till don't. I ate the same as everyone else but in smaller portions. When you are sitting with a large group of people around a table eating they also don't notice that you are eating a lot slower than they are. Enjoy the company and the conversation and enjoy the sensation of being satisfied but not STUFFED!

[elcee 3,341]

And no it is not necessary to unfill before a flight. If you are newly banded with little fill then the air in the band may expand. If you have fill the saline itself can't expand. My Dr also told me that if a problem occurs when you fly which it shouldn't then you will be fine once you touch the ground again.

I had a marathon trip in Dec/Jan( 3 flights total 24 hours travelling each way) and there were no problems whatsoever.

Staying hydrated is important and yes that means Water not alcohol.

[Jachut 487]

Flying doesnt make me tighter, it doesnt happen to everyone.

But if you're touch and go anyway, then you need an unfill, period. Not for the vacation, but becuase you're too tight. In that case I *would* unfill slightly. Being too tight and especially being really unable to eat for weeks would be miserable.

And I think we need to remember, we need to eat to live! Being sort of pleased b