I am still quite a ways from my goal, but I have found myself wondering lately what I plan on doing about my band when I reach it. There isn't a chance in this world that I am going to have it removed, that option is out. But I have been wondering if I should have all of the fluid removed, some, or just leave my fill as is and see what happens. I don't know that I would trust myself enough to take all of the fluid out but I am thinking that some of it would be ok. Anyone else thinking ahead like this or have any thoughts on the matter?

I'm just going to have to wait and see what happens. If I'm still losing weight and at my goal, not wanting to go any lower, then I can see getting fluid removed. If I do what I imagine I'll do and taper off with the weight loss as I reach my goal, I'll probably leave well enough alone and keep the fill I already have. Of course, my plan is to have another baby after reaching goal, so that may very well change my plans completely.

Yeah...my plan is for baby too!! I've already been given the go ahead from my doc to start trying...and we have!! That part is soooo much better 60 pounds lighter.:shades_smile:

I'll see when I get there. I can't imagine I'd do okay with a complete unfill, even at goal. I like that the band controls my hunger and I can feel full on normal amounts of food. I never felt full before so I worry that if I was unfilled, I'd go back to that feeling.

I figure I'll leave it as is, unless I get too skinny. LMAO - can't believe I said that. The band supposedly loses about .5 cc every 6 months on it's own. So I'll just watch it and if I start to gain and can't get it under control quickly, I can have a fill. Jeez, I love my band.:shades_smile:

Assuming that I ever reach goal (s l o w though the process has been), I will leave it as is unless I start to gain weight. And then before you can say 'ice cream' that sucker will be inflated some more.

I hadn't really thought about what to do when. . . I'll probably leave well enough alone unless I start losing too much (interesting thought) then I might consider having a little taken out. I am so afraid of gaining some back that it will be a long time before I make any decisions on that. I like being able to eat a normal sized meal and feeling satisfied. That never happened to me before I had my band. I plan to take very good care of it, forever.:biggrin:

Yeah...my plan is for baby too!! I've already been given the go ahead from my doc to start trying...and we have!! That part is soooo much better 60 pounds lighter.:tt2:

WOW Amy! How exciting! I wish you and Shinyhappymommy all the best with new additions to your family! (PLEASE keep us updated with details!) You go girlfriend!

Plans for my band future - gosh, I'm still taking it 10 pounds at a time, although I've lost 60 pounds myself, I've still got 40 to go! Once I get there maybe then I'll think about what to do next . . . if I keep losing, I'll keep my band as it is. Since I'm only 5'2" it would not hurt me to get down to 130 or so . . . but I'm not counting on that low. Just gonna wait and see what happens! I know I'll have to fight obesity for the rest of my life, and once I reach goal that's not gonna change, so my relationship with the band is definitely a long-term one! :cool2: While waiting in my doctor's office for a fill appointment, I talked to a lady who had the lap-band for about 3 years. She was below her goal, and she felt she was losing too much, and not getting in enough calories. So she was there to have some Fluid removed from her band.

I'd like to be like her someday - It seems it can happen! :tt2: In my wildest dreams I would have never thought I'd make it this far. So I'm looking forward my "band future" with positive thoughts! :biggrin:

Best of luck to everyone with your dreams and goals!

I think that when I get to goal, I will leave it as it is. If I do go under goal (that would be amazing) I will try adding calories before taking out saline. Those are my band plans.

My body plans are a breast lift and probably a brachioplasty. I seriously can't wait to be thin enough and lifted enough to go braless.

Good luck to all!

This is a darned good question. I hadn't considered what I was going to do when I got to goal. It seemed so far away.

I think I will jsut continue gong the way I am until I am comfortable. I am really happy with my upper body size (although I have lost my boobs!) but my bum and thighs need slimming down more. I still have another 9kg (19.8lbs) to go until I get to my first goal. Once I get there I will reevaluate my goal and if necessary try to keep losing.

Once I am at my ultimate - I probably will then have some taken out of my band to maintain the weight and not overeat. But honestly this is a long way off yet!

It will be interesting to see how others will answer this question.

I left mine alone for at least a year, then I felt it loosening off, and noticed I was hungrier, so had .1ml fill. That made me quite tight, and when I thought about it, it really wasnt necessary to be like that for maintenance (I actually lost a bit). So I had .2ml out. Now I'm freaking starving, lol.

I've been indulging my appetite with good foods and am really enjoying being able to eat things like sanwiches again. I havent gained. But my capacity panics me I keep thinking I'm pigging out, but when I look around me, I eat about as much as any normal woman my height and weight. But eating hardly anything makes you feel in control.

Still I feel its important to gradually train yourself away from that dieting mindset, and always trying to lose. I'm going easy, I've never NOT been trying to lose weight in my life. So its not easy.

Overall though, if I hadnt had that slight fill, I wouldnt have had the unfill. I could easily have just left my band alone. That said I've NEVER been tight enough that I could only eat half - I lost on quite a loose band which is why leaving it alone and not unfilling for so long was fine for me.

Thanks for that insight, Jacqui. I love your attitude toward healthy eating.

I had that unfill on 8/4 and could pretty much eat whatever I wanted, but I didn't. I did lose 5 lbs since my unfill, which isn't a lot compared to others, but it makes me feel good to know that yes, I can lose weight with absolutely no restriction!

Yesterday I got less than .2 put in to give a tinge of restriction and today I was able to eat half a salad and some parmesan crusted talapia! it was yummy. No sliming or anything. I actually like losing the weight slowly like this and my fill center was very pleased with my weightloss so far, especially for having an unfill.

My overall goal with this band is to try not to rely too much on it. I have just enough fill in me for me to notice and not be hungry or even think of food like I once did, but I never want to be too tight like I suddenly got when I got stressed out and be miserable. I just want to live a normal life and just eat better foods. Good carbs. Better meats. Veggies..

And like others, my husband and I want to try for kids next year when I get to a better weight. Perhaps around June or July maybe.

What to do after goal? This thought terrifies me. There have been times in the past that I dieted (lost 76 lbs on Medi-fast once!) and celebrated hitting goal by gaining it all back! Enter The Band. I pray this is my forever solution. I'm probably actually a little tighter than I should be now, though I haven't had a fill since early July. For a month or so, I could hardly eat anything without being miserable. I probably should have followed Crystal's lead and gotten an unfill, but I was terrified that I would start gaining weight again. Anyway, things are much better now, I'm losing weight again, slowly. I'm 11 pounds from my posted goal, but I don't necessarily consider that a stopping point. I'm just going to keep on keeping on, and see where my body lands. If I find myself getting hungry, I'll get a fill. Until then, I'm kind of just on auto pilot. I'd like to think than in another six months or a year, I'll be at 135 pounds. I'd be very, very happy with that. DH seems to think that's where I should be. I definately have to have a tummy tuck and some boob work. (They're large but flabby!) Once my stomach isn't sitting on my lap anymore, I'll be happy.

I had the unfortunate task yesterday when I went for an unfil (too tight - that's 2 unfills in a row-5 weeks apart!) to have to sit and listen to my surgeon tell me that he doesn't want to see me lose much more weight!

When I lie down I have no stomach so my port actually sticks up. He said this was quite rare! But because I have more weight to lose in the butt and thigh area I would like to lose another 9kg to get down to 70kg. He said that I would look and probably feel quite sick if I went down that far. But I remember when I got married 16 years ago, I was 72kg and looked quite good!

So I said that I would like to try to lose some more weight and tone the legs and the butt area and we would review at the next adjustment. As I was tight and had to get another unfil. I had lost 4kg (8.8lbs) in the last 5 weeks, which is a little too quick going by my previous form.

So I am still a fair way from goal, and probably moreso now that my surgeon thinks I could plateau or put on a little. I will try to either maintain or lose and hope that I do OK with more out of my band.

Goal is looking further and further away at this point. But I refuse to let that get me down. I feel so terrific and looking quite good at this point. I have lost 20kg (44lbs) and people are starting to ask what my secret is. Little do they know!