Ok never would I think I could ever have the issue ofg being TOO thin! But Im 5'7 and weigh 118 lbs. I cant remember EVER weighing that amount. I think I need to have some fill taken out. My kids are worried along with others that are close to me. I dont have health insurance anymore and Im a fulltime student. WWill it cost for me to have some taken out?? In March it will be 2 years since my surgery. Ive lost over 100 lbs I dont look good this thin. I would like to gain 10 - 20 lbs but Im leary and scared that I will just keep gaining weight. Anybody have some advice for me?

Besides not looking good too thin, you have to think about malnutrition and its affects on your body. Not saying you are anorexic or anything, but people who don't have enough nutrition run into heart problems, joint issues, "feeding your brain", etc. I would definitely get some taken out and just stay on top of what foods go in.....make sure they are the good, healthy ones versus the junk that got us here to begin with.....and you should stay right on track! Good luck....

Blondie, the one time I had to have an unfill (because I was too tight, haven't been too thin) the charge was the same as a fill.

They can certainly take just a little out, enough to let you eat a little more, but not enough to let you eat too much.

If you find that you gain more than you want.. go back and have fill added again. That's the beauty of the band being adjustable.

Regarding the financial aspect, call the doctor's office and ask to speak to whoever does the billing/financial arrangements and see what ya'll can work out.

Best of luck to you.

Ok never would I think I could ever have the issue ofg being TOO thin! But Im 5'7 and weigh 118 lbs. I cant remember EVER weighing that amount. I think I need to have some fill taken out. My kids are worried along with others that are close to me. I dont have health insurance anymore and Im a fulltime student. WWill it cost for me to have some taken out?? In March it will be 2 years since my surgery. Ive lost over 100 lbs I dont look good this thin. I would like to gain 10 - 20 lbs but Im leary and scared that I will just keep gaining weight. Anybody have some advice for me?

Please call your surgeon's office and ask them if they can take out all of your Fluid. Tell them how much you weigh and how tall you are. You're very underweight for your height and you're probably suffering from malnutrition. Please call them today. They can probably put you on a payment plan. If your surgeon won't do it, go to the emergency room. Not sure where you are, but here in the US they have to treat you if you're ill in the emergency room. Tell them that you're dizzy and you think it's because you've lost too much weight with your band. Tell them that it is too tight and that you're unable to keep food down. Whatever works to get you an unfill. Hope you feel better soon. Wish I could give you 20 lbs. of mine.

Please give us an update. I'll be worrying about you.

Take care.

Sue

The cost to have a tiny bit of Fluid taken out should be the same as a fill. I think a complete unfill would be too drastic and send you into yo-yo land.

I am also 5'7" and would be way too thin at 118 lbs. Are you still only eating "diet food"? If so, give yourself permission to stop "dieting".

Give yourself credit for the weight you have lost. Contact your surgeon and work out a plan with him/her.

You are still within a normal weight range, but you know yourself best. I'd call your surgeons office and see what they have to say.

The BMI calc on the site I just looked at says 5'7" and 118 pounds is a BMI of 18. That is underweight.

Blondie4, are you going to go get a tiny bit of Fluid taken out? Keep us updated. I hope you go talk to your surgeon and start feeling better about it.

Cant help with the cost issue but commiserate on being too thin. I'm 5ft 10 and currently 135lb and I look a bit awful at the moment. I have loose skin I didnt have 10lb ago and I look a bit like a 90 year old undressed. I've started dressing to hide my bones. But it is NOT easy to allow yourself to gain weight. Currently I have no fill becuase I had bowel cancer and have just been through a huge surgery, so that's what took that last bit of weight off for me, but its taken 8 weeks of no fill for my appetite to wake up. I've gained about 8 much needed pounds after intiitally losing quite a bit after the unfill through the surgical process but its darn scary how fast and easy those pounds have gone on in the last week or so.

What I'd suggest is a slight unfill and work your way down until you hit a happy medium, I'm about to begin the same process from the other end, I am happy to gain another 10lb or so but I want to control it and I dont want to gain 20 or 30!

My "secret" goal was always 140, at the bottom of my healthy range, but really, it doesnt look so flash. Yeah, my muffin top and thighs are gone, but so are my boobs, all my ribs show and I definitely look older.

The main thing to remember is needing to gain should really be a controlled process, not an unfill and a free for all pig out session. Hope you can manage to work in the necessary appointments to perhaps take your fill down a bit. You cant just "stop dieting" etiher because if you look at other people, its only tiny differences in habits - butter on sandwiches, full fat this or that, that odd biscuit with a cuppa or perhaps no exercise - that makes the 50lb difference between your weight and theirs. Gaining healthy pounds whilst maintaining healthy eating and exercise habits is a rather difficult feat and I've had many arguments with mn surgeon and stoma therapist who dont understand why i wont just head to McDonalds for a pig out.

I am overwhelmingly surprised that I, too, am in the same situation. You can imagine how important it is to finally find others who can understand.

I have no fill, and weigh 108-110, at 5'4. This weight doesn't sound that low to me, but at my middle age, and from where I began, it is unbelievable.

My doctor wants me to gain 15 pounds, and those close to me are concerned. I feel ashamed because I believe they think I am actually trying to lose more weight and are judging me that way. I can't believe how similar our experiences are. I look terrible with a skeleton like boy chest and stick arms, but so much loose skin that I have to hide myself -the wings of my arms even show through thin sweaters and kids, high-schoolers-smirk. Well, there is nothing I can do about that, but be so sad and disappointed.

Is there any way for us to gain without the worry of not being able to stop? Can you eat nutritiously? I am limited in the variety that I can eat comfortably. Naturally, it is easier to eat high calorie foods and fruits, meats, and vegetables take so much time and trial to eat., but I do.

I feel for you and wish you good luck.

Its an odd situation isnt it? (sorry to hijack the thread but it may be useful info). What I am enjoying about being unfilled is how nutritiously I can eat - I mean its a miracle to me to eat a kiwifruit or strawberries comfortably - a big salad every day, part of the reason I'm not gaining is I've gone mad on those low joule fat free fibrous fruits and vegies that were much harder to eat with fill. Unfortunatly, I have a stoma at the moment and all that fibre with an ileostomy - lol, it makes for very loud noises at inopportune moments.

However, I've been given sheets from my stoma therapist about how to gain in the face of chemo and such and its all butter, oil, etc. I'm also being encouraged to include a lot of white bread, rice and Pasta to thicken stomal output. But I figure, and this stands for anyone whose a bit on the thin side - I may need some weight on, but I am NOT immune from heart disease and diabetes and loads of butter and full cream milk is still unhealthy or loads of refined flour is still unhealthy for anyone - fat or thin.

To the original poster - are you exercising? I know in my heart of hearts that the amount of running I do is giving me this stringy marathoner's body (not that I run entire marathons!). I really COULD cut down on the daily runs to maybe every other day without losing the good benefits of exercise but without burning so many calories. Trouble is, I really love running and I dont have the willpower to stop!

Denoument, I find I have gained great lifestyle skills that will keep this weight off in that I know how and what to eat and how to execise effectively. I believe i need just a *touch* of fill just to take that edge off. I am eating properly and in a controlled manner, but I'm back to finishing a meal and wanting seconds, or just a little bit more. I dont need fill to restrict calories, just a slight increase in satiety. I believe I could gain healthily and in a controlled manneer with some fill in my band.

Ok never would I think I could ever have the issue ofg being TOO thin! But Im 5'7 and weigh 118 lbs. I cant remember EVER weighing that amount. I think I need to have some fill taken out. My kids are worried along with others that are close to me. I dont have health insurance anymore and Im a fulltime student. WWill it cost for me to have some taken out?? In March it will be 2 years since my surgery. Ive lost over 100 lbs I dont look good this thin. I would like to gain 10 - 20 lbs but Im leary and scared that I will just keep gaining weight. Anybody have some advice for me?

Call Dr. Tell weight situation. Maybe payment plan. Beg, borrow, steal $75 bucks from friends/family to start off-Get everyone to give you a tiny bit. Sounds a bit too tight.

blondie4, how are you doing now? Did you go see the doc?

What about adding protien drinks to your diet? talk to your nut to se if what your eaing is healthy for you.

Ok never would I think I could ever have the issue ofg being TOO thin! But Im 5'7 and weigh 118 lbs. I cant remember EVER weighing that amount. I think I need to have some fill taken out. My kids are worried along with others that are close to me. I dont have health insurance anymore and Im a fulltime student. WWill it cost for me to have some taken out?? In March it will be 2 years since my surgery. Ive lost over 100 lbs I dont look good this thin. I would like to gain 10 - 20 lbs but Im leary and scared that I will just keep gaining weight. Anybody have some advice for me?

Blondie, do you come back to the thread? Maybe sticking around here at LBT would help you a little.