so i haven't been on here in a while... things have been ok. i've lost 80lbs and kept it off but the last 6mts or so i haven't had any real loss i go up and down the same 5 - 7 lbs.

lately food has gotten stuck more often but if i had to say why it's mostly because i've been eating too fast because of stress.

i have an appointment tomorrow not sure if i really need a fill - more like a kick in the head to start behaving again..

My issue is i leave in May for 10wks.. going home to Ireland and i know they will want me to get at least half the Fluid removed before i go .. i'm worried. that with little to no weight loss these past 6 mts that i will gain..

has any one else traveled over seas for any time longer than 2 wks.. Did you get an unfill? not sure what i'd do if an issue arose.

ahh decisions.. never mind they are going to be focusing on the fact i still haven't lost..

Why would you need to get fluid taken out??

Is this something your Dr. has told you?

I would not want my band unfilled for ten weeks, yikes. What's up with that? And are you going to be in or near a hospital or weight loss center with a band doctor in case you should need an unfill for some reason. But what woukd be the reason -- are you really tight? How about contacting @@parisshel

My dr recommends removing some fluid if you are leaving the country or going on a cruise. But 10 weeks is a long time to be untfilled. Could you call and check around and see if there are any was surgery docs available in case u should run into a prob. If so, maybe you could skip the unfill

Thanks, @@Bandista, for bringing me in to the conversation.

There is no medical reason to get an unfill if traveling or on a cruise. Band rules apply everywhere, all the time. I know that if I had my band unfilled when going overseas (which I used to do frequently), it would only give me license to eat all the foods I thought I'd never ever get a chance to eat again. (For me, this would be American junk food in enormous portions.)

Some people, not me, experience lapband tightness after a flight. Again, this is individual. I used to fly quite often, long haul flights, and I never once experienced additional restriction. But my ankles don't swell after flying either, so obviously I don't have that edema issue many people suffer from when flying. Even if you did experience additional band restriction due to the flight, it will resolve itself, just as ankle swelling does, and is nothing to worry about or unfill a band over. If you are really worried, stick to Protein drinks during the flight and after...and eat carefully until you are sure the band has returned to normal restriction.

Again, nothing to pre-unfill a band over. So not worth bringing hunger back into your life for.

To the original poster: I would definitely ask the doctor the rationale behind unfilling. If he/she replies "in case you get stuck while in Ireland" I would counter that with "Well, they have lapbands and lapband care centres over there."

One thing I always do, whenever I travel overseas, is familiarize myself with lapband care centers in the area where I'm traveling. Actually, I always familiaize myself with nearest hospitals, as I have other health issues that would need critical care should they arise while I travel. Before I go to the USA, I look up hospitals or clinics in the area where I'll be which treat lapband patients. (Fortunately, I often go to either California or Florida, two states with lots of lapband activity!).

I'll soon be traveling to Edinburg and I've already looked up lapband centres there. I know there are care Centers in Dublin, where I also travel.

But frankly, if you continue to follow lapband rules, unless you have some type of major lapband issue unrelated to eating (I don't know---lapband implosion?), you won't have to avail yourself of any type of emergency services when overseas.

I'm actually more careful when traveling because I'm more mindful of not wishing to visit an ER, and I always return with a loss.

So go with good restriction, and enjoy the Guiness.