Loosening the Band

[Tasha B 0]

Hi, I'm considering getting the band but I'd like to know about some of the long-term options. For those of you who have gotten it, can you loosen it when you know there's a special occasion--like getting pregnant or Christmas or your wedding? Can you take a break for a month or so and then re-fill?

Also, what about once you've hit your goal? Do you start to loosen and work back to normal slowly? Is your metabolism shot from eating so little that it's an all or nothing scenario with the band? I'm just concerned because I've seen a lot of post where people have had issues with eating certain foods. If that happens to me, I'd like to know that I'd have to deal with that until I hit my goal and then slowly work things back into my diet.

Thanks for your advice and sharing your experiences.

[Jenlo 3]

Hi, I'm considering getting the band but I'd like to know about some of the long-term options. For those of you who have gotten it, can you loosen it when you know there's a special occasion--like getting pregnant or Christmas or your wedding? Can you take a break for a month or so and then re-fill?

Also, what about once you've hit your goal? Do you start to loosen and work back to normal slowly? Is your metabolism shot from eating so little that it's an all or nothing scenario with the band? I'm just concerned because I've seen a lot of post where people have had issues with eating certain foods. If that happens to me, I'd like to know that I'd have to deal with that until I hit my goal and then slowly work things back into my diet.

Thanks for your advice and sharing your experiences.

I know for sure that you do let the Fluid out when you become pregnant. However, letting the Fluid out just so you can eat more for occassions is not a good idea and I do not think a doctor would do that. I am not sure what your insurance plan requires but they may not pay for it unless is medically necessary. I have to pay 150.00 each time I get a band adjustment, thanks includes letting the fluid out. Hope this helps.

Jenny

[Phranp 46]

Hi, I'm considering getting the band but I'd like to know about some of the long-term options. For those of you who have gotten it, can you loosen it when you know there's a special occasion--like getting pregnant or Christmas or your wedding? Can you take a break for a month or so and then re-fill?

Also, what about once you've hit your goal? Do you start to loosen and work back to normal slowly? Is your metabolism shot from eating so little that it's an all or nothing scenario with the band? I'm just concerned because I've seen a lot of post where people have had issues with eating certain foods. If that happens to me, I'd like to know that I'd have to deal with that until I hit my goal and then slowly work things back into my diet.

Thanks for your advice and sharing your experiences.

Tasha,

Congratulations! You are asking really good questions BEFORE gettting the band. Smart, smart, smart! This forum is full of good info.

To begin, the band is not really a "special occasion" tool. It is meant to be a lifestyle change. That said, if you can get your doc (and you are willing to pay your doc) to unfill you for Christmas, etc., have at it. But, the idea is to change your life, the way you eat, the way you think about food, etc., so that you never have to be obese again. Pregnancy is a different story, of course. I think most people get an unfill when they are pregnant. There are posts about it on this forum. I would ask that you think about this: what point would there be in having surgery (and this is serious surgery) for weight loss if what you really wanted was to yo-yo diet just as you (and the vast majority of us) probably have done in the past? Again I say, GOOD questions you are asking because you will have a much better understanding than many by the time this thread is done. It may take months before you reach your "sweet spot" and by the time you get there taking a "break for a month or so" will be the last thing on your mind. LOL

Another thing about unfilling your band so you can "take a break" has to do with your doctor. Many doctors depend on their "success rate" to bolster their numbers in the bariatric surgery community. A high success rate will increase their patient roster and make them more $$$. So, they would prefer you NOT take "breaks" because when you take a break you are likely to gain back weight that you've lost and possibly more. Get the picture?

I am not at goal yet so I can't speak from experience about whether I will get an unfill. But, based on my food issues, I likely will not unfill. Some people do, others don't. It's a personal decision.

Keep reading this forum. Take what you can use and leave the rest. KUDOS to you for asking these particular questions BEFORE surgery.

All the best to you.

~Fran

[Kalipso2 25]

if you're already thinking of reasons to have the band loosened, it's not the right tool for you (other than becoming pregnant). for me, i consider it a lifetime deal. i'm almost at my goal weight and when that happens i may have just a little fill taken out but i doubt i'll ever have it taken all out... it's just a part of me now.

[Tasha B 0]

Thanks for your input. I get the "life long/life time" thing. Ultimately, all diets do work that way. Changing a lifestyle is one thing, but I've seen posts where people can't eat steak or rice or potatoes EVER. That scares me. Cutting back on portions and cutting out fatty/high sugar foods is one thing. Never eating certain kinds of healthy foods again is different. I've also seen posts were appetites were forever changed and the desire to eat changed too--fingers crossed for me. I just want to know all my options.

I live in Canada and the surgery is not covered. I would have to pay out of pocket. But refills are free and life-time, so cost in that respect would not be an issue--although whether or not they would do that upon request is a good question for me to ask.

[honk 780]

I do think it's great that you are asking a lot of questions now. There are people that post on here after the surgery who are unhappy and I feel bad for them. Some doctors are clearly better than others teaching people about the band.

Okay, that said the band does'nt have a beginning or end. It's a tool to help you loose and maintain weight. It does not however operate in a vacuum. You need to do a lot of the work physically and mentally.

There are people that have their band loosened for vacations. Do I agree? NO. This is how I look at it. Most thin people eat A LOT less than I did presurgery. However, they still enjoy food. They like pizza, cake, Nachos. The difference is they don't eat them daily; and their serving sizes are MUCH smaller. While some bandsters say when they hit restriction they can't eat certain foods; I don't have that problem. The one food that I've had a problem with? Baby Carrots! Carrots? Are you serious?!

Presurgery I read posts that people did'nt go out to eat much anymore because food was just not that important to them. I thought that was pretty dumb but I can really relate now. You develop a new relationship with food.

Regarding fills it can take a long time to hit restriction; for me 6 months! Would I get an unfill and have to take another 6 months to hit restriction? Ummmmm NO. Not to mention the cost depending on you insurance.

The band is not a magic fix. Some people refer to the weight falling off. I should be so lucky. If you're planning on that happening. Don't. Some people don't have to exercise. Don't plan on that either. They say people loose 1-2 pounds a week. I have lost an average off 1 pound and I eat very conservatively and exercise 7 days a week.

I would evaluate your expectations and address them with either your doctor or the nurse to see if they feel those expectations

accurate.

[vlp1968 83]

I agree with the above posts. I wouldn't go into the surgery thinking you will get it loosened anytime you want to be able to eat more. I reached goal in Sept. In january I decided to get a big unfill. I wanted to be able to eat Breakfast and to eat bread and Pasta. I also didn't want to have to eat as carefully as I did when I was tight. So far it has worked for me. I monitor my weight very carefully, weighing in every day. I pretty much base what I will eat (or not eat) during that day on how much I weighed. Hope this helps and good luck in your decision.

[Jachut 487]

I think loosening it for an overseas trip, where care may not be available is a valid option, but not one you should be doing thinking that you can eat heaps on the trip and really enjoy yourself - that is the kind of dysfunctional thinking that made us fat in the first place. You can actually indulge in unusual or out of the ordinary foods on holidays without loosening your band, and you can enjoy it thoroughly. I think yo'[d find most doctors are willing to unfill for travel becuase it ensures band safety.

To think you can unfill for one special occasion, that's not a very healthy way of thinking of life with the band. You need to be committed to a lifestyle change and that means your life no longer revolves around food - the whole point of a holiday or a wedding is not how much you can eat. And with a properly adjusted band, you can eat sensibly and enjoy special meals anyway- if you cant, you're too tight.

When you get to goal, you can unfill. I never did, I stayed the same weight for years with the same fill, but recently, I had to be completely unfilled for cancer treatment. Amazingly it has not caused weight gain, over time on maintenance, you do learn to eat your caloric needs one way or another - and in hindsight, I was doing a fair bit of eating around my band - sweet treats, alcohol, Snacks, they made up the gap between the caloric values of the size meals I was able to eat and what my body needed, and they were the "extras' that I wasnt eating during the losing phase. When I was unfilled, i got straight onto tracking calories and have moved onto a three meals but bigger meals and healthier foods (all the fruit, vegies and salad I couldnt eat in real quantity while restricted) and I've actually lost about 20lb more (that I really didnt need to lose). I'm finding my balance over time, but am amazed that I need well over 2000 calories a day to maintain my 135lb - so my metabolism, given all the running and circuit training I do, is definitely not shot, its actually very healthy. But I exercised vigorously all the way through my loss and never dipped below 1500 calories, I think very low calorie diets are going to set you up for having quite a deal of trouble in the longer term maintaining your weight loss.

Like the poster above me, I monitor my weight, and adjust if it goes up a little - had a big weekend away with a once in a lifetime gourmet dinner with wines matched to each course for our 20th anniversary. Ate breakfast, lunch and dinner in restaurants and cafes - yeah, got home with 3 extra pounds. So its back to 1400 calroies a day and right back on the exercise regime for the next week or so to shift it. If you remain aware, know what you're eating and are sensible, it is indeed possible to live unfilld once you've lost.

[HeatherinCA 10]

Hi, I'm considering getting the band but I'd like to know about some of the long-term options. For those of you who have gotten it, can you loosen it when you know there's a special occasion--like getting pregnant or Christmas or your wedding? Can you take a break for a month or so and then re-fill? Also, what about once you've hit your goal? Do you start to loosen and work back to normal slowly? Is your metabolism shot from eating so little that it's an all or nothing scenario with the band? I'm just concerned because I've seen a lot of post where people have had issues with eating certain foods. If that happens to me, I'd like to know that I'd have to deal with that until I hit my goal and then slowly work things back into my diet. Thanks for your advice and sharing your experiences.

You only take Fluid out if you get pregnant, which you can't do for like a year after you get the band.

The band is your new LIFE! It's not a diet. You can certainly cheat. If I wanted a cupcake now I could eat it. Or if I wanted nachos or something fatty I could eat it. I don't because I'm losing weight. Actually that is why a lot of people don't lose weight. Realistically the band doesn't stop you from eating anything. It just keeps you satisfied longer. For me, nothing get stuck, and I can eat any type of food. I can eat rice, bread and potatos. Some people have trouble with things, and some people get their bands adjusted so tightly it causes problems.

Besides, even with my band empty I can't eat everything I want (I couldn't go back to eating 5 slices of pizza), I would get sick.. the band still restricts you some what. It wouldn't be worth it to me to do it.

[Jachut 487]

That's true too - I had major stuck the other day! I ate a salad roll - ham and salad on a big bread roll - and followed up with a couple of swigs of icy cold Water. WHOA - sliming and pain for about 20 minutes

[cwm812 11]

I have to say that I wouldn't recommend getting unfilled for special occasions, but I did really watch when I scheduled my fills. You will see throughout the process that you are sometimes looser and sometimes tighter. There were several times when I knew that it was time for a fill, but I had a vacation or holiday coming up. I'd schedule the fill for after my vacation. I was a little looser for the trip and I could eat more, but having the fill right after I returned got me right back on track with loosing. This is kind of a happy medium between getting unfilled and expecting to be so tight that you can't eat Christmas dinner. Now that I'm at my goal, I keep my band fairly loose. I need to watch what I eat, but vacations and holidays would not be a problem.

Cindy

[reverie 49]

My doctor specifically told us at his seminar that getting unfilled for holidays isn't an option. If you're gonna commit, commit all the way. You can still enjoy holiday food without going overboard. When you get pregnant most women do get unfilled as that's a totally different scenario.