Has anyone ever....

Out of frustration has anyone dared to empty their own band?

You mean with the big old Huber needle?!  When I had my band, there were many times I wanted to unfill it myself (not to mention, rip the sucker out with my bare hands) but I wouldn't have had the cajones to actually DO it. I'd be scared I'd slam the needle right into my diaphragm or liver or something.

I would think it'd be a LOT safer to have someone else do it for you.

I understand the thought process, though! Truly, I do! 

Hi... I may have what sounds like a silly question... but I'm wondering why you all would want to empty your bands?  Is it because you can't eat as much?  I mean, I've had the band for a year, and I know ways around it.  If I'm ever hungry and want to "cheat" then all I do is get ice cream, milkshakes, or I eat what I want, then drink a lot of liquid to wa**** down, wait about 5 minutes, then eat some more.  I absolutely hate the fact that it is so easy to cheat with the band!  Maybe my band is not all that tight or maybe it is but I just have emotional eating issues.  Or, maybe my band is a newer version and not that hard on the system?  I've never felt sick enough to throw up or pb as they call it on here.  I've been able to do or eat everthing just like I did when I did not have the band, only in smaller portions (of course really doughy bread I do not like at all, but I can eat thin crust).  What have been your experiences?  Why do you want to unfill the band? 

I don't actually HAVE a band anymore, but back when I did, I had amazingly horrible complications (damaged diaphragm being one of the biggies.) One doc had this theory that maybe, just MAYBE, if we filled my band just a smidge, it would change the position just enough to lessen the pain I was having. Everything was OK for about an hour or two... and then I couldn't even swallow my own saliva and had to go to the ER to have it unfilled.

Second time, same basic principle, but with even less saline injected... same results (big surprise, there, huh!?)

It got to a point where I didn't HAVE any fluid in my band to speak of, but I still couldn't swallow.

So, that was the reason I had the idea of removing the fluid myself, but of course I never would have had the guts to do it!

A lot of people have their bands tighten up on them with very little warning... and sometimes it causes extreme discomfort, especially if you can't get a medical professional to help you in a timely manner. I am assuming this is what the OP is talking about... not just to unfill to eat around the band.

That is my problem with the band...I have all the negative side effects.  If the band stopped me from all food and only allowed water then so be it...the problem is the night cough and acid shooting out your nose in the middle of the night.   I go for a fill, get good restriction and never sleep again...because of the cough or acid.   So if I go back (only been 2 weeks) to get a slight unfill I get another $200.00 bill (cash patient) 
So I figure, shoot if someone will give me a needle I can take out a couple cc's and still have restriction but no more night cough...But not sure a regular needle would do it.  I really want a revision surgery but I am still paying for this one!  The band may me great for some but for me I am the one that got all the bad effects...

I'm so sorry. I've seen this so many times, I can't even tell you. I've been around since 2002 and witnessed a couple of dozen people have the same thing... the nighttime acid and the inability to eat or drink. I also paid for the fills myself... and I could have taken some really nice vacations with how much money I spent! 

I really don't think you could use a regular syringe to remove saline, Michelle. I am almost positive it would have to be done with a Huber needle. But, I am not saying to do it yourself! Yikes. The thought still scares the bejeepers outta me!

Hope you feel better. I am only saying this out of concern... you might want to consider a revision, in spite of the cost. If you keep having the complications you are now, your esophagus will be damaged, I'm sorry to say.

Good luck. Feel better!

I know the feeling.  I had a fill on the 8th and for two weeks I couldn't eat.  It got increasingly worse till I couldn't even swallow my own saliva.  If I tried to eat anything even pudding or ice cream I threw it up.  I had to wait till I got paid again to go for my unfill.  I was thinking to bad I couldn't do this crap myself. 

I can eat and that is the goofy part of all of this....I just got the nasty dry hacking night cough.  This is why I am considering revision because this has been a painful struggle for over 2 years.  I just don't know what surgery would best suit me!  ARGHHHHHHHHH

I read a long and honest post up here once about a person who was filling and emptying her band.
It was quite fascinating how she was doing it. She would empty it, go and chow down at "Mickey D's" and then refill it after she ate. Kinda defeats the purpose. She admitted and 'fessed up to it and all. 

It was a very open an honest read. It's up here somewhere.

I can't help but think that this person wasn't serious about any kind of WLS if she was doing this. We've heard so many people say that they don't operate on our heads! Sounds physically dangerous to me... not to mention psychologically unhealthy.