Hello everyone,

I am 12 days post-op and have not had a fill yet. I was just checking something though to see if anyone would know the answer. I am taking a cruise in July and you know it's all the food you can eat on a cruise but for me of course no way, but in case I ate something that I just could not resist and wanted more of it. Do you think I could get the Dr. to loosen my band up just for the vacation and when I get back have it tightened up again ? I know of course I would gain a few lbs on the cruise becuase of that but then I know I could get it back off again too...what are your thoughts?

Robin in Cincinnati, OH

Just to add my $0.02, I think this is a really bad idea. There will always be a "cruise" in life: picnic, wedding, Thanksgiving, etc. There will always be an opportunity to overeat.

I'm learning that when I feel full, and I look at all the food that's left, I can't feel bad for the food. I can't feel bad for the extra food. I have to say, "Look what is not going to make me gain weight!"

This is not why you got the band. If it sounds blunt, I apologize, but the band is there to *HELP* you in times like this, not be tossed aside.

I agree whole heartedly with the previous post. Enjoy the cruise without focusing on the food. There are a lot of opportunities to over eat, but also lots of other things to do. Such as shows, pool, Excurstions off the boat, shopping, casino (if you don't have a gambling problem lol).

I have been on several cruises and the food is fine, but actually nothing that special in my opinion. Also, there are healthy choices available.

Good luck and think about how much smaller you will be come July. You will hopefully want to keep the weightloss going and certainly not gain any weight.

Do I think it can be done? Yes. Do I think it is a good idea? NO!!!! As Sawyer said, there will always be a reason to loosen your band, it is a slippery slope to start on. Others have done it and posted here that they were sorry they did it because of the mind games it started. Part of the band experience is learning that our lives are about more than food and eating and to focus our thoughts elsewhere.

I do wish you a bon voyage. Let us know what you decided to do and how much you enjoyed the cruise.

Mimi

My doctor wouldn't, I don't think. But then, I would not ask him to.

Look, you had a surgeon cut your body open to wrap a band around your stomach. You did so knowing this would require dramatic changes in your eating habits for life.

Instead of focusing on the deprivation aspect, why not focus on the opportunities? You'll be able to sample enough delicious food to satisfy your tastebuds without jeopardizing your weight loss success. You will be able to engage in EVERY fun activity the cruise ship offers. Food is NOT the only recreational sport to be enjoyed.

If you have the Fluid removed from your band, your stomach capacity will still be limited. You will be able to eat more frequently--but not all you want of a food "you just can't resist." It simply will not do for you what you are hoping it will do.

You will also face months of returning to the same level of restriction--because no surgeon will put it ALL back in at once.

Is eating all-you-can-eat on your cruise REALLY aligned with your goals?

To Answer your question without being judgemental or with out lecturing you since everyone else has done a good job of that.

Every time I am at my Dr. Office I see people who are being filled and unfilled for just those reasons...

Holidays, special occasions, Cruises etc...

My Dr. told me a lot of people will have a bit removed at the Holidays so they can enjoy themselves without the fears of Stuck episodes while out of town or with family etc... I'm not sure if the idea behind it is to enable folks to eat more, or more as a preventative measure so there are no emergencies from getting stuck etc. without access to your regular Dr nearby..

I'd say this is something you might call the Dr's office and just ask in general to see if your Dr. Does it since they all make their own rules.

This is stuff you should have gone through and thought of before you were banded.

If you had a good doc he wouldn't do it. July is a long time from now, you will get to know your band really well before July.

Aside from the comments above which I agree with I would be affraid of having trouble finding restriction again. The band is fickle, I wouldn't adjust it anymore than necessary.

I just wanted to weigh in with the majority. It would defeat the purpose of being banded in the first place.

I can only use myself as an example. I would not get an unfil for an activity like that. I would want the good feeling about being thinner on the cruise and not have the bad feeling after overeating and gaining a couple pounds.

I could tell by the title of your post that you were either not banded yet or very newly banded. I don't mean that in a demeaning way, but just that I have a feeling once you get the band working for you and have lost a good amount of weight with it, you will no longer even want it loosened for this cruise. You will feel so good about your success that you won't want anything to jeopardize it. Right now you are still at the stage where you are dealing w/the changes that come w/the band and mourning the loss of the way you used to eat. But, that will quickly be replaced by the high you get from seeing the scale go down, feeling more energetic, and fitting into smaller clothes. You will also realize that you can enjoy food just as much, but in smaller quantities. So, I say don't worry about that cruise for now.

BTW, this questioned has been asked before many times so don't feel like you're the only one who has wondered about this. There was a guy on here awhile back that was dead set on having his band loosened before a trip he was making to Europe. By the time it was time to go on that trip, guess what? He no longer wanted his band loosened because he was so happy w/his weightloss and wanted to maintain it. :->

i think if i were you i would have done it ..

july is still 4 months away you have lost good amount of weight ..so it wont be a big deal

but the band itself induce a new lifestyle so you may loosen the band to prevent a stuck episode

but ou have to control your food intake also .. for ur health in the first place

good luck to you

Edited February 27, 201016 yr by jasmine mino

My doctor said at the last support group that he did this only once for a woman exactly in your situation. She wanted to eat lobster. He said the only reason why he did it for her was because she was at goal and he knew she would, after the cruise, want herself refilled and back to eating well. If you were at goal this might be an option for you but since you are just starting out, I doubt by July you'll be at goal, you probably shouldn't consider it. Sorry!

WHY would you even consider this option when you haven't even had a fill yet? You don't even know how hard you will have to work to get to the weight you'll have by July. Food is just not worth having to back up and start again. I think you need to dwell on what you need to do to change your lifestyle and fit a cruise into the new guidelines. Don't fall back to old habits.

Aside from the comments above which I agree with I would be affraid of having trouble finding restriction again. The band is fickle, I wouldn't adjust it anymore than necessary.

I agree with everyone else, but the above reason is the main reason I wouldn't mess with my band. Just because I have restriction now at 8.5cc, it doesn't mean I'll have it again if I get an unfill for a vacation. If you get an unfill, you could spend weeks or months trying to get to where you have restriction and it's probably going to take you the next few months just finding what that point is.

Do you really want to mess with it once you do?

As someone else said, there will always be a reason why we want to stuff ourselves. It's why we needed the band to start with.

As has been said in so many other threads...nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.

.

That thought crossed my mind too when I first was banded. I don't think I would have ever pursued it but I did wonder about it!

I am going to Jamaica 2 weeks from today to an all inclusive Sandals resort. food & drinks are abundant there also. Having just had my 4th fill a little over a week ago I am 90% positive that I am at MY sweet spot. I see the doc 2 days before I leave. In NO WAY do I want anything removed! It took 4 months to finally know what restriction & satiety are. The last thing I want to do is gain weight & start from scratch with fills!

I just wanted to give you a little comfort in knowing that by the time you finally get to July, your tune probably will change!!!:laugh:

P.S. If there is something I can't resist, I'll have some! I may even order dessert first once! It is my vacation after all!:wink2:

Edited February 27, 201016 yr by HeatherR
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