Emptying Band For Travel?

[KartMan 58]

No! No! No!:tongue_smilie::cursing::ohmy:

You (like a lot of us) are barely into this process and way too early to do something so self destructive. Think back to all the diets you did before… They worked at first right? While you were following the program that is. Then one day you splurged, and it wasn’t too bad on the scale. So then you did it again, even sooner the next time. Next thing you know you were back to your old eating habits and fatter than before. That’s when you discovered the band and signed on for a change in your lifestyle.

Look, if you are like most of us you have a problem - once you indulge you can't stop. You paid the expense (or went thru the insurance hurdles), suffered the anxiety of the surgery, lived thru post-op, and are enduring fine thru bandster hell. Don’t sabotage all of that for fear of hurting someone’s feelings.

If you cant tell them the truth of why you are eating less, then just lie. Just say you are recovering from a medical condition that reduced your appetite, I’m sure you can get creative.

Honestly, I think you are looking for an excuse to splurge. Why do I think that? Because I think I might be tempted to do the same and so would a lot of us on this board. Resist the urge, stick with the program, and love the new you.

Edited March 28, 2009 by KartMan

[Elisabethsew 50]

A few years ago I was in Ireland and was shocked when I saw a commercial about obesity. The rate of obesity in Europe is on the rise and many of the fast food companies that we have in the U.S. (McDonalds), etc., have opened there. The commercial actually ended by telling the Irish people NOT to become a obese nation like the U.S.

Europeans eat differently than we do. Breakfast is often meat, eggs, fruit, or a hot Cereal. Portion sizes are MUCH smaller. lunch is often a bowl of Soup and bread during the work week. On weekends, the "main meal" is served at lunch time. This main meal consists of small portions of a Protein, a larger portion of veggies, and a portion of a starch (potato) equal to the size of the protein. Europeans are not big dessert eaters or snackers.

I am SURE your family will respect the fact that you are trying to get to a healthy weight. Europeans linger over their meals so you'll have plenty of time to eat a reasonable portion of food while conversing with your family. I'm sorry but, to me, it sounds like you're looking forward to eating without restriction and want support to do just that.

[jfc193 718]

I went overseas to the Philippines and though they quite did not understand why I could not eat as much as my son was eating, I just spread the food around the plate put my fork down and chew my food many times and left a little on my plate.

I enjoy many different kinds of food and every way to make rice that you could think of.

All in all had a great time and lost 3 lbs in three weeks do to the extra walking.

Just be careful of your choices.

[kamala 0]

No! No! No!:tongue_smilie::cursing::ohmy:

You (like a lot of us) are barely into this process and way too early to do something so self destructive. Think back to all the diets you did before… They worked at first right? While you were following the program that is. Then one day you splurged, and it wasn’t too bad on the scale. So then you did it again, even sooner the next time. Next thing you know you were back to your old eating habits and fatter than before. That’s when you discovered the band and signed on for a change in your lifestyle.

Look, if you are like most of us you have a problem - once you indulge you can't stop. You paid the expense (or went thru the insurance hurdles), suffered the anxiety of the surgery, lived thru post-op, and are enduring fine thru bandster hell. Don’t sabotage all of that for fear of hurting someone’s feelings.

Now I feel like we're having a useful discussion. WasABB's comments on alcoholism are somewhat on point also.

The difference here from whatever I did before and any splurges that eventually took me off prior game plans is that there is a guaranteed end date to the vacation and a scheduled appointment for refill afterwards.

That splurge mentality that has failed us before in trying prior diets is based upon the mental thought "I'm doing okay, I can have one day off, then get back on the horse."

I chose lap-band because I know I have a problem with eating and that I do a terrible job of controlling myself. For this vacation, I am going in with the thought "I know I have a problem, I will do my best to utilize the skills I've learned to manage the vacation, but because those are ultimately not enough in the long term, I will be refilled after vacation." To me, this mindset and a specified end date is the biggest difference between pre-band diets/splurges and the circumstances of the vacation.

Also, so we can avoid additional comments that I've already made up my mind, which is categorically not true, let me expand upon some earlier comments. Sometimes it is important just to have the conversation, but that conversation's utility is directly proportional to the strength of the rationale behind people's arguments. So please don't take my push back as denial, entrenched mindset, or anything else of that nature. I'm pushing back to further the conversation and probe the issues and/or because some of the comments raise genuine new questions about what I originally posted. I am quite conflicted about what to do and raise it now so that I can carefully think about this for 8.5 months rather than try to figure out what the hell I'm going to do 3 weeks before vacation.

Edited March 28, 2009 by kamala

[MissBS 3]

Have you discussed this with your surgeon?? I would think his/her opinion might help you with your decision.

[CapitolChick 1]

Yes, I agree this type of dialog is a good thing.

If I could make the decision for you and watch your results (as this is an interesting scientific and psychological conundrum you have raised)

My 'scientific' observation would go as follows:

2 trips - one unfilled and one filled and compare/contrast the results and experiences.

Do you travel a lot? Can you try both? I am just so curious - there are sooo many thoughts on this topic.

[kgloverii 0]

I wouldn't get an unfill. You're losing weight. And you are breaking that mentality of eating as you want to eat with your band and the fills. Getting an unfill and eating some food as to not offend someone is quite frankly going against everything you've set out to do. You're going to be thinking like a fat person again. The band doesn't JUST provide restriction. it dims your appetite. You're taking all of the tools you have and throwing them away in an effort not to offend someone. You can ENJOY your food while in Europe, I promise. You just won't have to be a cow about it.

[KartMan 58]

I wouldn't get an unfill. You're losing weight. And you are breaking that mentality of eating as you want to eat with your band and the fills. Getting an unfill and eating some food as to not offend someone is quite frankly going against everything you've set out to do. You're going to be thinking like a fat person again. The band doesn't JUST provide restriction. it dims your appetite. You're taking all of the tools you have and throwing them away in an effort not to offend someone. You can ENJOY your food while in Europe, I promise. You just won't have to be a cow about it.

Or to eat a cow :tongue_smilie:

[Lynn_Marie 0]

I've traveled in the states and abroad since being banded and I wouldn't consider emptying it because I want to use it for the tool it is. Besides, since being banded food is no longer the focus for me, people and places are. I get so much more out of everything I do now! It's great!

[kamala 0]

The cow comments are not helpful to the dialogue, same as huge/gorge/overeat. It is impossible for me to believe that I am the only person on this board who when not banded and not on a diet pre-band was able to eat a normal-healthy-larger-than-a-band-portion meal. I'm not saying that is how I ate all the time, because that's obviously not true. But I don't think its helpful to work from the idea that everyone's pre-band behavior at all times was five overloaded plates at the buffet.

I have knowledge, tools, a goal (and several non-scale goals related to the scale goals), and will schedule a post-vacation fill appointment. I consciously think about my eating and what I put in my mouth in a way that has never before happened in my life. I exercise like a fiend.

Why should all of these things count for nothing when making this decision?

Let me throw another log on the fire. And preface it with the fact that in my pre-surgery evals, the social worker, dietician, my PCP, and surgeon all agreed that this was the single most important aspect of my fitness for lap-band and candidate to be successful. When asked why lap-band, I said "my problem is not down, it's up. I can lose weight on my own and have lost a lot in the past. But without a tool that focuses me on what I am eating, when work gets in the way I don't think about eating and just do what I am going to do until things calm down enough at work for me to refocus myself."

So given all the active thinking I am doing on these issues, how is it impossible for me to travel three weeks and eat larger but not cow/obscene/gorge while still exercising and then get a fill when I return? Let's not pretend that there aren't plenty of people on this board who have held it together for three weeks if not significantly longer on their pre-band efforts.

[kamala 0]

Yes, I agree this type of dialog is a good thing.

If I could make the decision for you and watch your results (as this is an interesting scientific and psychological conundrum you have raised)

My 'scientific' observation would go as follows:

2 trips - one unfilled and one filled and compare/contrast the results and experiences.

Do you travel a lot? Can you try both? I am just so curious - there are sooo many thoughts on this topic.

I have a couple of short trips planned back to the East Coast in the next few months but they don't present a fair comparison even though my hometown, NYC, has numerous food triggers. The people I am visiting are close enough that I can explain what is going on (most of them already know about the surgery). And I have had enough cannolis and Papaya King to last a lifetime.

To do this experiment accurately, I would have to take two very similar trips in close proximity. And, unfortunately, I don't see another three-week trip to Europe happening anytime soon!

[luluc 6]

So given all the active thinking I am doing on these issues, how is it impossible for me to travel three weeks and eat larger but not cow/obscene/gorge while still exercising and then get a fill when I return? Let's not pretend that there aren't plenty of people on this board who have held it together for three weeks if not significantly longer on their pre-band efforts.

your not the only person - there have been several threads talking about the same scenario. my only thought is many hadn't gotten their sweet spot back after having such unfills - that would be a big negative in your weightloss program, should you not be at or around goal at that time.

me, i just would like the least amt of fill in place while in borderline maintenance mode & that requires a bit of tweeking over time.

if your trip is next winter - you could feasibly be at goal and this a non-issue, rather just maintaining.

oh & when you hit NYC (my hometown) just smell a knish for me:)

[CapitolChick 1]

To do this experiment accurately, I would have to take two very similar trips in close proximity. And, unfortunately, I don't see another three-week trip to Europe happening anytime soon!

I concur. Dang it I thought we were onto something. LOL

Hmm..well... with your 3 week trip, if you unfill, you could then blog about your experience and perhaps provide more first hand account information (like the others who have posted in this forum) I highly doubt of the thousands of LBT members there are you all are the only ones who have wrestled with this. I have seen posts of others getting married or traveling in the states and getting unfilled prior to their festivities. But the posts are sporadic at best.

Good luck!!

[nancyb 0]

Hi Kamala, Just remember one thing, with a full band you will be eating more like a normal person at a meal, than you did before your band. I used to eat the equivalent of three meals at a setting, now I eat like the people setting next to me, maybe a little less, but not to a point where anyone would notice. Just eat slowly and chew, chew, chew. Pick and choose what you want to eat (I don't do greasy fast food any longer). Enjoy the people you are with, and the sights you will see, and remember you will be able to walk farther now than you ever could have before. Take lots of photos and share in an album here.

Blessings, nancyb

[kgloverii 0]

I went to NYC while at goal and was able to enjoy all of the scrumptious foods without an unfill.

The 'cow' comment was for comedic effect.

Again, my MAIN point was... the band helps you think like a normal person who is not consumed with food. I would have never admitted it then, but I got up in the morning thinking about what was for Breakfast, lunch and dinner. I was watching the clock for when it was an acceptable time for me to eat again. I know everyone is NOT like this, but I am coming at this from MY perspective. My band helps me stay in my size 6's. I really don't have any desire to go on a trip and have to loosen my belt, just to help someone not be offended. You will be able to enjoy ALL foods but not in such a large scale. You will go to Europe and be able to concentrate on the sights an experiences you will have and not have SUCH a fixation with the food (and this is coming from a certified foodie).

You are FAR AWAY from your trip right now. Having this discussion is TRULY a moot point. If you get your fills, lose your weight, and get to your sweet spot, you will be a DIFFERENT person by the time you get on that plane. If I looked at my perspective 8 months ago compared to now, I am in a TOTALLY different place in my life. We can all discuss and rehash in this thread for the next week, but the truth is, we're discussing a subject with a person who will be quite different down the road.