HeatherO

I agree with everyone else. Multiples can be prone to having issues, especially with prematurity, and I wouldn't consider fertility meds in the hopes of having multiples. If it happens, it happens and is a blessing.

I have never had a multiple pregnancy and have been blessed with healthy, successful pregnancies with my son and daughter.

My sister who is eight years younger than me (diabetic and morbidly obese) has gone through 3 pregnancies in the last 5 years.

--> The first pregnancy was a set of twins and she was over the moon. Then she lost them both at the end of the first trimester/beginning of the second. This was far enough along where she really didn't expect to lose them and had already told anyone and everyone about her pregnancy and had plans galore. She was devastated, and it was a public devastation since everyone knew and would try to be helpful and offer sympathy but not everyone knows how to say the right thing.

--> The second set was also twins. She carried them both but they were about 6 weeks premature and they are now 3.5 years old. One was normal but she was only a little premature. The other had significant issues. She had a heart defect requiring multiple surgeries, spina bifida and was missing her calf (foot connected just below the knee). She just had her foot amputated last month and will be soon fitted with a prosthetic so she can start walking. She was also not able to be fed via bottle and had to be fed via a port leading directly to her stomach for her first year. She can now eat normally and is a happy and well-loved child.

--> The third set was also twins. She lost one in the first trimester. The other was born at 33 weeks weighing only 1 pound and 8 ounces and suffering from intrauterine growth restriction. His development was very delayed when it came to sitting, walking, etc. He just turned two and is happy and healthy now for the most part but did suffer many of the common issues inherent with prematurity and spent many weeks at the hospital after birth before he could be released home.

I didn't think it would be possible to have twins three times in a row, but now I know it can happen. Her experiences with pregnancy, childbirth, and raising small children have been exceedingly difficult and heart wrenching even though she does have three small children that she loves dearly.

My band is really susceptible to hormonal variations. However, pregnancy usually causes me to need immediate unfills because I get really, exceedingly tight overnight.

I was banded with my last pregnancy and I can tell you that the band does not work like normal during pregnancy. I can go from struggling to get Water down to being able to eat a sub, bread and all, within less than a 24 hour period. It does seem to stabilize somewhat once you are no longer pregnant.

Duplicate post (the site used to not let that happen)

As long as you are not too tight, it probably is just luck of the draw more than just having a band. Some of us are constantly nauseous, some of us never have morning sickness.

I am having a terrible time with Vitamins myself. No matter what kind I take, even chewables or gummies, I get a really weird taste in my mouth that won't go away and keeps me semi-nauseous. I even tried to get them in with food, but I can still taste them. Did you even get the Vitamin burps? (nasty, nasty and more nasty) I feel like such a bad person, but I have to admit that I have not been taking my Vitamins as I should. I either don't take them, or take them with some going into my body and some coming back up either immediately or after an hour. I just can't seem to stomach them.

I am about to resort to children's vitamins and I am not joking. Maybe flintstones sour gummies or something. There has got to be a better way.

Actually, I was thinking that there must be a reason why babies like the port so much. Anything else that they would kick would be relatively soft in comparison. As they are exploring the womb, it is probably one of the only 'hard' things they can feel. Perhaps it is target practice, lol.

First or all, I just want to say that I really appreciate this thread. It is an interesting topic that really hits home for me.

Everyone except fluffy put your flack jackets on!

I'm not selling anything so you don't have to buy it!

Geez How do you " make them try it" !

You make it sound soooo easy. Do you really think the words " at least try it before you decide you don't like it" haven't come out of my mouth for the last year!

Your so full so full of it! I swear! You know on that previous thread, I decided to be the bigger person and I apologized for going off on you. (even though your post was uncalled for) Guess you didn't go back to read that as there was no reply from you.

WHATEVER until you are in my situation or someone like me keep your crap comments to yourself. You are starting to make this personal and don't say your not! Considering you had a problem with me saying I maintained my weight. And now I was the only person to step up and admit my daughter doesn't eat like she should on this thread. And you call it crap!

No response is needed I won't read it if you do. From now on all Fluffy post will be ignored by me. I sick of reading your crap!

This is a public forum. The last thing that most of us want to read about our personal attacks on other people. I did not come here for this and there is no reason to ruin a perfectly good thread in this manner. Please have a little courtesy for the majority of us reading this thread that don't care about personal insults being thrown at others. PM's are there for a reason . . . please have a little decency for the rest of us and use them.

I think it is the right idea to always make healthy food available until a child is ready to try it. They develop their tastes over time. I am against force-feeding a child healthy food but I certainly don't think it is preferable to give choices between items such as chips or veggies as an option.

I have a really picky toddler at home and she rarely eats. She goes in stages where she loves bananas, then won't touch them, loves blueberries, then won't touch them, loves tomatoes, then won't touch them. All I can do is keep giving her healthy options, and while it is not always successful, she will occasionally try new things. I also tend to over provide those options that she loves and will usually eat (in her case it is yogurt Soup with rice and mint). It is important for me to instill healthy eating patterns for the future.

I guess there are no easy roads no matter how you look at it when you battle morbid obesity.

Whether you are looking at lapband, R&Y, sleeve, traditional diet and exercise . . . it works anywhere between perfectly to going horribly wrong. Even the option of doing nothing and resigning yourself to staying obese is an exceedingly tough road to follow. I have seen people living relatively happy and fulfilling lives with all of these options and I have seen people fail.

I personally don't feel that some of us are just meant to be fat. We all have different struggles which helps to make us who we are. When we give up the struggle, we give up living our lives fully. If there is a situation in your life that makes you unhappy, the worst thing you can do is just allow it to continue. Any steps in the right direction, no matter how small, are steps to help you develop into a better person emotionally, psychologically and, last but not least, physically.

I remember before getting banded, the risk of complications seemed so low as to be insignificant and highly unlikely . . . yet I am one of the very small percentage who had a major complication that put me in the hospital for a week. There were definitely times I have felt regret for my decision but on the whole I am happier for deciding to move forward. I don't regret that I made the decision to be healthier using the best means available to me at the time.

All we can do is make the best decisions we can and do our bests to continue on the road to better health by whatever means are necessary.

Oh yeah, same here. Initially my band behavior was completely random. Then went to specific foods I couldn't do. Then add in routines with times of day that I can/can't tolerate foods. Then the hormones/TOM/etc. started to impact me, barometric changes, etc.

I have 0.25cc and sometimes day to day, week to week, month to month can range from being able to eat any food in any quantity, to being so clamped down that a sip of Water will leave me feeling oogie.

I'm starting to notice trends over long periods of time, so I may be tight for say 12 weeks, and then almost overnight I'll be loose for 8 weeks, then back to tight... and once baby came, forget it. I don't know what it is about pregnancy that seems to make "sweet spot" a thing of the past, but it definitely seems to be a frequent occurence.

Overall, I need a fill but I'm not getting one because I figure -- when it's bad now, it's pretty bad. That type of refluxing is so gross, painful & miserable... and so it trying to stay awake all night so it doesn't just keep happening. A fill is just going to make those bad times worse. So I'd rather try and deal with the lack of restriction during loose times, than have to sleep sitting up on the couch.

I've talked some with Allergan about things they can do to improve overall patient experience. I think they're more focused on the newbies/pre-op (that's where the money is made), but I've suggested to them that if they want to build up resources for long-term patients, they might definitely want to address what it's like 5, 10 years down the road. Things are not the same.

Now that you mention the baby thing . . . that is where all of the serious inconsistencies in my banded life began. I was almost a normal bandster prior to the birth of my daughter . . . after she was born I can't tell you from day to day how my band will react. Perhaps pregnancy does have an impact, that's for sure.

HeatherO - you mentioned reflux. I'm curious what you're experiencing, if you wouldn't mind sharing. Here's why I ask.

In the last year or two, I've noticed (yet again, for the third time) a complete change in my band behavior. Reflux is one of them. I used to have 2 gears with my band:

1. "Good"

2. "Gonna yak"

(and then there was about a 30 minute buffer between the two, during which I might go from "good" to "gonna yak" or vice versa)

There really wasn't anything in between. Then I slowly noticed that I developed a 3rd gear, which was:

3. "Definitely not clear, but not hurting & not gonna yak either, just feeling kinda oogie."

#3 used to not bother me, and normally when I woke up the next morning I would feel fine. Then slowly this changed, and if I was in 3rd gear I had a few options:

A. Don't eat for a day, maybe two, and eventually everything straightens itself out.

B. Try to drink something, and if I could get a few swallows down it would clear up. Especially if I could drink something cold (cold drinks with an uncleared pouch used to be guaranteed yaksville for me).

If I need to sleep before A or B can happen, it's pretty much guaranteed reflux. Multiple times, all night long, and 2 or 3 times I've woken up having aspirated it - ouch & yuck. I can't really explain the sensation of #3 very well. it's subtle, but there. It's not uncomfortable, it's just noticeable. Perhaps a tiny pressure. But it's definitely not the feeling of a cleared pouch, and if I'm not feeling 100% clear/nothing's there, I KNOW I will reflux. And I haven't been wrong yet. But I wouldn't say it happens often. A night - maybe two in a row - every few months. But it gets to where during tight periods, I'll just not eat because I don't want to be refluxing all night. Tests show everything is fine, and I'm sitting at 0.25 cc. Just another chapter in "life with the band" maybe.

I have exactly the same problem and I hate it. #3 means bad reflux for me and coughing all night and this is when I have the problem. Even if I am relatively empty, by morning I have saliva and other fluids built up and this is the source of my reflux. 1 & 2 are never reflux because either I am fine or if I yak, the problem is resolved.

The only thing I have been able to do is drink a lottt of Water at the end of the day well before bed time (and of course not eat anything late - not even one bite of something. This helps with flushing and has become a habit. For some reason, it has to be Water also. Milk can get stuck and semi-solidify, any kind of juice or flavored beverage leaves an unpleasantness if I do have reflux. Even with this, I still have a problem 10-20% of the time. My band is fine but it almost seems as though my stomach closes off at night with the slightest irritation.

The other thing I noticed is that my band is now very fickle. Slight hormonal or stress variations can have me anywhere between looseville or a quick need for an unfill. Every year I have a pattern or maybe 6 months of goog, need for unfills, need for refills, and repeat repeatedly.

I'm on a low drama calorie diet, and this is not where I wanted my few precious calories to come from. I have my TIVO list of reality shows when it's time to indulge.

lol . . . my sentiments exactly. You said it all. :0)

I'm still around . . . it has been awhile. Life gets busy and when eating isn't everything anymore it seems like I don't need as much support as I used to need.

I am holding fairly steady around 140 pounds, medium tops, size 8 bottoms which is fine for me. It puts me at the tippy-top of a normal BMI which means I don't need to worry about eating so much.

I did have a slip while in the hospital after having my daughter and was rebanded in September of 09. I keep my band a little looser now and can not really keep it tight anymore because of reflux.. After several years, I can say that the band has successfully helped me control my weight but not without complications or unpleasant side affects. So I have success with a cost. :0)

It is nice to see so many familiar names and faces on this thread. I miss everyone. I don't go to the newer threads much anymore because I have read or answered "what is a pb" or "help i lost control" or "i don't really want to follow any rules or make an effort to be successful but why isn't the weight falling off" or other threads we are all used to seeing and spent so much time on in the early days of banding. :0)

I have to say, it is nice to not be consumed by eating anymore. Being able to turn off that hunger trigger is priceless.

But yeah, I have no reason to think this wont be anythng more than a horrible memory by this time next year, a mere blip on the radar. And thank god I have done so much positive for my health over the past five years, it will stand me in very good stead.

Jacqui, I have also been following your posts for years now since before I was banded. I love your style, brutally honest and to-the-point while maintaining a good sense of humour. I have learned alot from you through this whole process and you are one of my all time favorite posters.

If there was ever a person who can carry through this bump in the road . . . it is you. You clearly have a lot of strength and the ability to persevere which not only got you past your goals, but continues to allow you to strive successfully for optimum health.

I too had a brief bout with cancer in 2005, but I can say now that it was just a blip on the radar and does not really impact my life that much now. However, I know the disbelief and stress I went through when I first found out were overwhelming.

My heart goes out to you for these difficult months to be endured. I wish you a speedy recovery and look forward to the day you can say that this is all behind you.

how is the band effected with morning sickness?

i was just banded on thursday partly because i can't lose weight to get pg with our second child.

however

i had morning sickness from 6 weeks to the day dd was born every day.

would that much throwing up shift the band?

Although rare, it is entirely possible for it to shift the band. That is why it is important to get completely unfilled if you have excessive vomitting problems during pregnancy.

Even with a complete unfill, it can still shift. I had a slip and lost my band at the end of pregnancy even though I had been completely unfilled for months.

Hey all I can't believe its been 9 MONTHS since I had this little guy? He's such a great baby, and i've lost all but 6 lbs of the weight...without a fill! I do remember when I was first prego and getting unfilled (without fluoro) she didn't get it ALL - she said I had about 1.8 cc's still in there, but at the time it felt like I was unfilled completely.

I have had some restriction lately due to the heat and obviously a little dehydration. I do know I eat less than I used to before the LAP-BAND®®, I also chew better and make way better food choices...I can't seem to get lower than the 206 I am stuck at right now (i'm 5'7" so it's still a little too heavy for where I want to be) so starting this week i'm uppping the exercise - wish me luck...anyway here is a pic of my little band boy!

Enjoy!

He is absolutely gorgeous. Congratulations!!!

Well I am not quite sure what CFM is???

I had a lovely 4th but it was gone in a flash. Ayla got to see fireworks for the first time and I wasn't sure if she was going to be scared and bawl her eyes out. Actually when it started, she just blinked and shook everytime a loud boom would go off, by 60 seconds she was pointing and oohing, by 5 minutes she was off trying to try on our flipflops in the grass, fireworks no longer important, lol. My son hated loud noises and would just scream at that age. It is so strange how every kid is sooo unique . . . I guess Laura will see that in the near future. :0)

I am really happy Carson got his tubes in, thank goodness.

Jane, I had a car lock issue on my old Chrysler and it was around $250 + to fix. Everything is expensive anymore no matter where you go.

Thanks for the birthday wishes. I guess I am another year older and wiser . . . or maybe just older.

Sorry I've been so quiet. I've been trying to keep Gia in line. She's gotten so much worse and it is way past just teenage crap. I finally called and asked to have her moved. My social worker said that I lasted twice as long as she thought I would and Gia's social worker agreed. (btw - everyone gets a social worker maybe we should add that app to FB!) So she will be moving somewhere else on Monday. She is still here with me today and tomorrow but I had already scheduled a weekend of respite care so I could get a break, so she's going there for the weekend. I'll pick her up on Sunday and take her to DSS on Monday morning.

I moved the cat out of her room because the therapist said this might be a time where she would hurt herself, run away or try to hurt Cali. The kitten cannot go with her and is not staying here with er pooping habits. I know that sounds cold, but I am not cleaning cat poop up every day. The lady who gave her to Gia has said she will take her back.

I am sorry you had to go through all of that. The same exact thing happened with my very first foster child who was a 14 year old girl. It is heartbreaking because you try soooo hard with the first thinking that you can make a difference and havent developed the tough skin needed for when things go wrong. I hope after the dusts settles, you will feel back to normal again.

Are you thinking about giving it another try later?

Here's a list of common ones...

This one you can do just by looking south: if you're carrying high, break out the pink. If your bump is low, you're carrying a boy. I was in between, not high or low - Unknown

According to legend, 140+ beats per minute indicates a girl, and below 140 a boy.(Carson was above 140...debunked!). Ayla was over 140 most of the time - Girl

Craving ice cream every single day? Some people believe this means it's a girl. If you have to have salty or sour stuff, then it's a boy. I liked sweet and salty. I had cravings for marinated mushrooms and olives and jalepenos - Boy

This one's a little out there. Pee in a cup,mix a tablespoon of Drano in, and watch to see if it changes color. Green = girl, and blue = boy. Didn't try it :0) - Unknown

Legend has it that the Mayans determined a baby's sex by looking at the mother's age at conception and the year of conception. If both are even or odd, it's a girl. If one's even and one's odd, it's a boy. Odd age and even year - Boy

This is one for a friend to try. Place a key in front of your preggo friend and ask her to pick it up. If she grabs it by the narrow part, she's in for sugar and spice and all that. If she picks it up by the round part, it's snips and snails. Didn't try it :0) - Unknown but I know I would have picked it up by the round part.

If you're breaking out like crazy, blame it on your girl babe. The belief goes that girls steal their mother's beauty, hence, those annoying zits.(((I did not read this one before!! I have 3 pimples this week and I do not get pimples, I've been so upset... now maybe I'll be happy!!!!))) Didn't break out - Boy

Pop off your wedding ring -- if you still can! -- and tie it to a string. Hang it over your belly. If it swings in a circle, a little guy's in your future. If it goes back and forth, you've got a girl. Didn't try it :0) - Unknown

Sick as a dog during the first trimester -- or still? Signs indicate you're having a girl. Little or no morning sickness points to a boy. (so that is part of wives tales too) Wasn't really that sick, just tired - Boy

So I guess from the old wives tales, Ayla should most definitely be a boy . . . someone should tell her that, lol.

Well, here I am, almost 2 months shy of two years since I posted this question (and 2 1/2 years since being banded) and now I, too, am facing seperation. Just a month ago or so I asked my husband for a seperation. The reasons are numerous and long lasting and are far too complicated to get into right now. But I WILL say that I am a much different person then I was before my surgery - and may I never go back to that being that person! - and I can no longer be a part of my marriage as it has been for years now. Within the same context. This doesn't mean I want divorce although I do feel I want my husband to be someone that he just can not be and that is worrisome. But more later.

Banders, what say you on this? Any changes? Esp. you long time banders?

I went back and reread your original post. I think you really held in there and made the attempt to make it work. It seems like incompatability and other issues seemed to have been there for years.

One thing I have seen with banders and others who have had life changing events happen . . . it seems as though small troublesome things that were of issue in the past seem to get bigger when you are going through a life change. What was tolerable in the past becomes the straw that breaks the camels back once you find yourself and develop more confidence and self esteem.

I am sorry that you are going through this now. However, this could be another transition in your life that may lead to you being a happier and more fulfilled person down the road. I wish you the best of luck. Congratulations on being so close to goal as well.

Pamela, I love old pictures, thanks for sharing. You were both such pretty little blondes.

Judy, Happy Anniversary to you and Bob. I can only hope my DH and I are as happy 30+ years out. :0) The mulch man shirt was perfect.

Laura, I am happy you can eat broccoli again, lol.

Haydee & Laura, Are you having any problems with morning sickness or the extreme fatigue that sometimes happens in early pregnancy?

Hello to everyone else.

Happy Friday everyone. I hope you are enjoying it. The weather is positively gorgeous here. :0)

Heather, are you done having babies? You don't want one more? :thumbup:

I think I might want one more . . . and my husband has been talking about it since we were in the hospital with Ayla, lol.

However, I think for me it is optimum to have 3-4 years between them. That way there is less rivalry and the older child can really feel a part in bringing up their sibling.

When I say helping to bring up the younger child, I am talking more about teaching sharing, caring, learning to speak with each other, learning how to play games with each other, etc. I come from a very large family with six children and the closest siblings in my family are never the ones closest in age.

Me too!!

Got Kris's kitchen cleaned up, two loads of laundry done for her and planted the rest of the veggie garden and weeded most of it. Whew.. I'm tired!!

Came home and finished the mulch edging around the pool and planted all the things I grew from seed except the Tomato plants. Just have some ferns I got from ebay to plant now.

Off to a rehearsal at 4. Will be back later.

Judy, would you be interested in adopting a 30-something with ready-made grandbabies already in tow . . . I could sure use a little help from time to time, lol. :thumbup:

Oh me oh my . . . I was sooo busy with Ayla's first birthday party, I didn't check the forum for a little while and find out everyone is pregnant, lol. Well maybe not everyone, but I am really excited none the less.

Congratulations Haydee and Lara. It is hard not to be a little jealous now that my little girly girl is 1 and leaving babyhood far behind, lol.

I am ready for a good thunderstorm here. For me, I just love them for some odd reason (unless I have plans, lol). A big storm with lots of thunder and lightening (but I'll take a pass on any flooding, tornado, etc.) while I am at home with a good book is really enjoyable to me.

I remember when I was a small girl out in the country, when we had a big rain storm (without thunder and lightening of course) my brothers and I would put on shorts/swimsuits and run around and play in the rain. It sounds kind of hokey now but we loved that as kids. Did any of you do that as well?

Michelle, I hope you feel better soon.

Judy, I am sorry about your knee. I thought you got a cortizone shot not too long ago if I remember correctly, are you due for another?

Laura, don't you know if you say there is drama, drama, drama but you aren't going to say anything it makes some of us uber-curious, lol. Hopefully everything is working itself out for the good.

Haydee, you and Juan were together for a long time before the wedding. Do you feel like a different person now that you have tied the knot?

Janie, I am thinking about having all of my hair cut short but I am scared to death to do it. I am just tired of the same old, same old. Also my naturally curly hair had very nice ringlets before I got pregnant and was so sick last summer. Now it is just kind of blahh with less curl definition and is definitely thinner and more and more gray is popping up. I honestly think that pregnancy + illness = deterioration of hair texture and quality. I wish you were closer so I could get a little advice on what to do.

Hello to everyone else!!!