lindata

Just in case this happens to anyone else, here is what helped me. I sipped a tiny bit of very warm water, then laid on my stomach. This helped to pop up whatever else was in my band, as in I threw it up. Then I didn't drink for a long time to let my stomach settle down. A few hours later I sipped maybe once every 15 minutes. The next day I was fine. I hope this doesn't happen to anyone else because it's very scary to have a complete unfill and get stuck because there is nowhere to go but perhaps surgery.

Any advice is most appreciated! I was completely unfilled 18 months ago when I was pregnant. Today I got stuck on some meat, threw it up, and got stuck later on some soup, threw that up. I was throwing up saliva and still burping a lot. I'm scared I'm completely stuck and my band site is getting worse by the minute. Is there any way to get the inflammation down? Any tips? I've been trying to sip on warm water and holding a warm pack to my site. On a side note I'm breastfeeding and have no family here to help so I'm scared to have to go through surgery. I'm just really scared right now.

bumping to the top

Olgi, I have made an educated decision, thanks. I've heard lately there's been miscarriages linked to the H1N1 shot ... Just putting that out there.

I am 7 months and would never get any kind of shots while pregnant or before pregnancy. A lot of flu shots have mercury in them - we're talking hazardous waste which can affect the neurological system, at doses far above what the EPA deigns safe. Makes sense, huh? I did get the flu and it was mild. My son also got the flu and it too was mild. We did not die. Everyone is freaking out around here about how they all have H1N1. Well, they're all getting over it too. I'm sorry but this is my honest opinion about H1N1 - big whoop. The media has made everyone frenzied and panicked for no reason. Most people who die from the flu have compromised immune systems already or some disorder. If you're sleeping well, eating well and are generally healthy you do not need the flu shot. My doctor was appalled that I would not get the shot because 2 (yes, count them, two!) pregnant people died last year from the flu. (I'm assuming that was in my state). I believe the mercury in the shots will negatively affect far more people than the amount of deaths from flu. Don't buy into the media frenzy.

Hey everyone! I'm 7 months now and I'm not sure if I told you but it's going to be a girl. I am still in size XL!!! Yeah!!!! I only have one plus-size shirt. Last pregnancy they didn't have plus-size maternity where I lived so I had to just wear plus-size regular clothes which as some of you may know just makes you look really, really fat and not at all pregnant. So this time I'm able to enjoy my pregnancy because people comment on my bump - for the most part they are not assuming I am just fat! I haven't had to change clothing sizes since I started wearing maternity clothes and that is huge! Last time I went up a size just about every month. I'm really looking forward to having a fill again and starting my weight-loss journey with all of you - again! With the added bonus of losing 500 calories/day from breastfeeding I can't wait to see how fast this weight will come off!

Hey! I'm 7 months along now and it's a girl, although me and the husband can NOT agree on names!

You guys look AWESOME - and about 20 years younger too!

Wow Steph, look at you!!! I had to think who is this person. You are SKINNY! You skinny bitch! hahaha :tongue2: It's so nice to hear from you again. It sounds like you're having fun being single again - a new hottie in your life huh? I hear ya about the low-carb thing. I've jump-started weightloss with it too and stalled. That's a good technique - using it just once in a while. Have fun on your trip!

Hey everyone! Just checking in. I noticed there are 2008, 2009 and soon to be 2010 bandsters! Can you believe we've had our bands this long? I'm still glad I have this band (even though I didn't lose what I thought I would). It has helped me so much in losing what I did, helped me maintain now during pregnancy, and I can't wait until breastfeeding time when my metabolism gets to kick in, I can get a fill, and really go to town. (Sorry, TMI guys? haha) Anyway, I know I would weigh a lot more at this point if I hadn't had the band. Take care everyone.

Kissmygrits, it's hard to know which is better for the environment according to all the studies. Totally agree! My thoughts on the matter is that cloth are better since you're reusing rather than throwing something out that will be in the landfill for the next however many hundreds of years. Also, if you hang them to dry in the sun (or on a collapsible indoor rack) that will help the carbon footprint greatly since the dryer takes 90-95% of the energy use when washing/drying. The washer actually takes very little energy to run. The sun will naturally bleach the diapers too, so you don't need to use a chemical bleach. Also, you can use vinegar in the rinse cycle rather than a synthetic fabric softener. Vinegar naturally softens and there is no vinegar scent left on the clothes - I promise! Plus it will be better for little bottoms. I do this all the time with my clothes. Just some tips for any moms wanting to go a little greener.

Thanks Bandpal - it's good to know there are other "old" moms out there! And you are doing wonderful btw!!!

Hello everyone. I wanted to check in with my lapband friends. Everything is going very well - although the doctor keeps talking about my "advanced maternal age." gag! I've been keeping a very good weight - well, not by number (I'm heavier than I'd like of course), but I haven't gained like I did with my last pregnancy which is fantastic considering I'm almost 5 months. I just can't believe it. This band has definitely helped this time. I just got a complete unfill and I'm still not terribly hungry and I'm keeping a lid on things so I don't get out of control. I can still fit into some of my pre-pregnancy clothes. I love my band. I hope all of you are doing well and can't wait to get filled again and back on the lapbandwagon.

Thanks for the well wishes everyone! I'm thankful for this band. While I'm eating pretty "normal", I have not gained like my previous pregnancy. Yahoo! I love y'all and will be back to see how you're doing.

WAtermum - do you have a website to go to for directions on making them? I'm 3 months pregnant (I still can't believe I'm saying that!) and I'm going with cloth this time around. The only thing I can't figure out is the poop issue - I guess that's where the liners come in??? It's going to be a steeeep learning curve.

Hello again! I'm here to say goodbye for about the next 6 months or so. I'm 3 months pregnant! I'll see you around January. Good luck everyone.

Well, I have no words of encouragement. I had an unfill in December, and have been filling it back up until now. The last fill (a teeny one of .15 ccs) was too tight, so they took out the .15 cc's and all the nurse had to say was to buck up. If I could have bucked up to the appropriate point before surgery to lose weight, I would have. So I'm not sure what to do right now either.

I'm a night eater too! Well, actually I'm a sneaky eater - I tend to eat when my son is napping or sleeping at night. That is where I put on the weight as well. Oh, the head hunger! I'm struggling so badly with it. One thing that had helped me in the past is this - I watched Oprah one day when her trainer said that feeling you get at night, that feeling like you have the munchies, if you can curb it you will lose weight. That's your body telling you "feed me so I can stay at this weight." But, who am I kidding, I can rarely fight the urge.

Hello everyone. Bandpal, I totally agree - we still need each other, and I miss everyone too! I promise to come and post more often. I'm not sure what I weight right now and don't really want to find out. My goal this month is to make good food choices and exercise regularly and "feel" myself smaller. I think I've been a slave to the scale too much in the past and it has made me have a good or bad day depending on the number, so I'm trying to go by how I feel. Can I ask you guys a question? I've noticed a lot of you saying you know you're too tight, with reflux, PBing, etc, but don't want an unfill because you like the weight loss. Okay, so that's where I was in December before my unfill - losing weight but too tight. Do you believe you can lose weight without being too tight? I'm wondering if I can. I HOPE I can, I want to believe I can, but in my heart I'm not sure I can. I guess that's why I'm so down lately because I don't know if I CAN lose weight without being TOO restricted. I'm not even going to bother updating my ticker - way too depressing. I'll update it in 4 months when I'm back down there again!

Thanks! No, I haven't read the Beck diet book. I will check it out. I'm still feeling pretty down. I'm sure I've gained but, like I said, my husband hid the scale so I'm not sure. It just felt soooo good at 170 and I'm pretty sure I'm over 190 now. I'm not sure I can find a new doctor. I tried once before without luck. It did seem strange that they'd just let me go and leave it at that. I'm not sure where to go from here. If I could have lost the weight "on my own" I would have done it without the band years ago.

Hello everyone! It's been quite a while. I've been busy, plus very down, so haven't been around. I'll let you know what's been happening with me. Well, the end of December I was sick with flu and got a total unfill because I was having problems as well. I've gone every month for a fill and have gained back 25 pounds. :rolleyes2: The last fill was .25 and I couldn't sip water. They took .1 out, so I only had a .15cc fill. I still couldn't sip water. They took the .15 out and with that tiny tiny amount of unfill I still have NO restriction. I'm not sure how that is possible. So I'm back to doing it on my own. Again. And we all know how well that works. I'm very down and not sure what to do anymore. The band was my last hope for any kind of weightloss. The only way I was able to lose was with the band and with such restriction that I could barely eat in a day (maybe 600 calories). I'm sure a lot of you can relate to that. Now I can eat anything and of course I have no willpower - I mean if I had any kind I wouldn't have needed the band. It sounds very weak, but it is the truth. The band was my backup plan for moments of weakness. I'm not sure how to go through the day on a meal of 2-4 tablespoons with major hunger in between to lose maybe 1 pound a week. How do I do that without restriction? The doctor didn't really say anything when I left. I said to the nurse what do I do now? She just said to buck up. :thumbup: I feel like I have been bucking up for the past 15 years, trying to lose this weight. Obviously I am unable to buck up enough on my own, thus the expensive surgery. This is it. This is the last thing I have done to my body for weightloss and it has stopped working for me. I feel very sad and very hopeless.

Ditto this for me too. I self-sabotage anytime I lose weight and I have absolutely no idea. I love the attention, I like talking about my weightloss, I don't mind the work to get me there. The junk food calls to me and I just keep eating it. I've gone through the whole "why" thing and I just have absolutely no idea why I do this. Really.

I just can't believe this. Kendra had such spirit, you could just tell she was someone special. I'm so unbelievably sorry, shocked and saddened.

So I'm still fat - how do I get over the embarassment of my super jiggly (remember I've also had a baby) stomach going up and down when I do this in public? I can visualize myself in slow-mo and it's not pretty. Am I making excuses? Hmm, I think I am. But seriously how do you get over that?

Shortgal - I am soooo going to hibernate with you! I feel like curling up with a good book and that's it!