Unfills for vacation purposes

[LadyK 0]

SCENARIO: Let's just say you're going on vacation (e.g. a cruise, Hawaii). Anyway, you know there will be a lot of new tastes that you would like to explore unrestricted by your "implanted tool." Would your Doc unfill your band?

Randi,

My physician will do unfills or partial unfills for such events. I have a cruise in March and I will go on the cruise with band restriction. I agree with others, a taste is more than enough. I know that it is just my opinion, but I go cruising for the visual pleasure, the food just does not hold a candle to the beautiful sights.

[Randi 0]

Randi,

My physician will do unfills or partial unfills for such events. I have a cruise in March and I will go on the cruise with band restriction. I agree with others, a taste is more than enough. I know that it is just my opinion, but I go cruising for the visual pleasure, the food just does not hold a candle to the beautiful sights.

I talked to a surgeon within the same bariatric group yesterday and he didn't have a problem with unfilling for events. But since I'm no longer using the question for the purposes of ruling out a surgeon, it's just become one of my general questions. So, I'm assuming it may just be a matter of surgeon preference. No matter, I think my Quest has ended to find a surgeon within the group that's a good fit for me. I actually didn't choose either of the surgeons mentioned in this thread, but another surgeon within the group.

Now, I'm actually more concerned with how the band will react when I'm flying. Although I don't fly very often, I do visit family in Alaska every few years, which equates to about 8 to 10 hours of flying just to get there. So, I'll probably have to have my "Plan B" in place before I get on the plane just in case I run in to trouble and need an unfill.

[Tired_Old_Man 1]

I have flown about a dozen times since getting my band and before reading this thread, I had never heard of a reason for concern.

I did fine.

[lapbander081004 7]

But, I do remember thinking that I wouldn't necessarily want my band unfilled for a vacation, but I didn't necessarily like the fact that the surgeon's plan was to control the band (and therefore me) by not allowing the option.

Whatever happened to the band being MY tool?

Now, in my mind, the question becomes should I even consider this surgeon? Obviously, if we disagree on who really controls MY band, then is he the surgeon for me?

I will finish reading this thread but if someone else has already replied with these thoughts then I apologize for the re-peat but I had to respond at this point.

If my child was doing math homework and they wanted to use a calculator and I said no because I as the parent know that the purpose of the homework was for them to learn without the use of the tool. Would I be wrong in not letting them use "thier Tool" to get thru this homework. In MHO I would say I would be right in not allowing it.

My uncle recently passed away and now my aunt is moving to a condo. She has offered me any of my uncles tools in the garage before she gives them away. I found that he owned many more tools then I ever thought and many of them were never used. Still in original box with receipts taped to the box. Now I'm talking over $10,000.00 worth of tools. The reason I was so shocked is because he never did any thing around his house. He always hired others to do the work. The Question I can't get out of my head is Why would anyone buy tools they don't plan on using.

This past June I was going to Vegas and I always struggle with all the buffets there. So I asked my Dr to tighten me a 1/2 cc. He talked to me about learning control and he agreed to only add 1/4 after he realized that I have not been having any weight loss for a period of time. So actually he didn't tighten the band for me for a vacation purpose but for a long term betterment of my health. I lost 4 pounds that trip and since have lost all the weight I picked up and now I am at my highest weight lose and I would not give back one single pound just to be able to taste something. Others here have already said it and I agree...Your can taste anything with a small bite. If you like it you can come back for a second small taste later. Its all this tasteing and returning that got all of us to this point in the first place.

We all have different reasons for selecting the lapband over the other surgeries...But if you reason is so you can manipulate it when you want then you are better off getting real serious with a W/W or Jenny Craig program that you can walk away from and return to. This is what I tired for years and found that I had trouble returning after I was away for anytime. You may find after haveing Fluid taken out for a vacation you will have trouble wanting to return to get it put back in till you have gained more then you expected or wanted to.

What ever you decide for yourself I do wish you the best and hope you do achieve what you want.

[Woodys 0]

Lapbander....I could not have said this better myself. I did respond to this thread, twice I think....but your response was great. When I visit a professional in any aspect of the word, I expect them to advise and assist in my best interest. If they go against one of my requests because, in their opinion, they would not be acting in my best interest....then I would totally respect that and not regard it as them wanting to control any part of me.

I also think that unfills for reasons other than medical totally defeat the purpose of the band. Before being banded everything I did went hand in hand with food.....watching TV, visiting, having an evening out, vacationing....the band has taught me that you can do all of these activities and enjoy them just as much without being able to consume lots of food.

Carol