Lap band Pregnancy - to unfill or not

I am almost a yr since my surgery and have lost 70 lbs so far.  I would like to lose 20 more and then start trying to get pregnant.  I discussed it with my surgeon and he does a total unfill.  THIS SCARES ME TO DEATH!!!!!

My question is:  How many of you had a total unfill, a partial unfill and didn't get any taken out at all?

Thanks so much for your help!!!

I did not have an unfill and now I am regretting. I am now having issues. It hurts when I eat and I am starting to wonder if my band did not slip. My OB told me not to have it unfilled so I listened to them now,  I think I need it. I am calling my surgeon in the morning. My concern and my OB's concern at my last visit was that my port is by my belly button and my uterus is now above my belly button. I was just going to deal with it and not have an unfill but I just can't deal with the the pain. I guess looking back I should have done the unfill. I know some people have no issue with it at all, though.

Just my 2 Cents,
Emily

I know someone from the CT Board (Tammy M. for those that remember her from about a year ago) that did a complete unfill.

So far I have not had an unfill and I'm going on 12 weeks. I have noticed though the past few weeks that the band is playing games with me more than usual. Sometimes I can eat breakfast ok and others it's super tight. I am hoping to not get an unfil at all throughout the pregnancy but I don't know how realistic that will be. We'll see. I still have quite a bit of weight to lose so that's why I didn't get an unfill, plus I can eat a decent amount of food.

With my first pregnancy I had a VERY small unfill before I even knew I was pregnant.  I kept about 2cc's in my 5cc band the entire pregnancy.  There were days I probably should have been unfilled because of the morning sickness, but then I would have a couple of days where I wasn't sick and thought I was over it (and then it would come back again).     I gained under 20 pounds and lost it by the time Hannah was around a week old.  She was healthy and weighed 6 pounds 11 ounces.   When she was about 2 months old I developed terrible reflux and had to be almost completely unfilled for a couple of months.   I gained 15 pounds during that time.  About the time I got that weight back off I found out I was pregnant again.

I'm 30 weeks now and I haven't had an unfill at all.  I think I have around 2cc's in my band now.  I never keep a tight fill, so maybe that's why I do O.K without having any saline removed.

By the way my doc suggests a complete unfill in the first and third trimester, but will let you get filled in the second.   I'm a self pay and also think it's crazy to mess with your band that much!

Congrats on the weight loss and good luck making a baby when you start!
Amy

I am very early in pregnancy (about 5-6 weeks) and have not seen my surgeon yet.  I am like you kinda scared, but know that what is suggested is what I will go with.  I have not been loosing for months so I know I am getting food in ok, but there are days that I am so tight in the morning that it is not even funny.  So still waiting on my PCM to get blood work back confirming my pregnancy then I will call the surgeon and the OB and go from there!

Sara

I wanted a small unfill but my surgeon insisted on taking me from 11cc (in a 14cc band) to 6.5cc which for me might as well be completely empty.  He said if my OB agreed we could add some back. 

My OB wrote me a note at my 11 week appt saying I could have my band filled but I haven't needed it.  I'm 19 weeks today and I've only gained a couple of pounds.  I've been eating a LOT more than I did with restriction but I'm just not putting on the weight I thought I would.

So, getting unfilled doesn't automatically mean big weight gain.

Heres my story and my experience:

When I got pregnant my doctors nurse (which is who does the fills) said that she would not do fills or unfills because she didnt want to take any risks, she will either do a complete unfill or nothing at all if i am eating ok.  (my port is up under my left side of my ribcage ).  I am self pay so I was like there is no way im getting a complete unfill cause that is going to be crazy money to get it filled again.  At about 12 or 13 weeks I started having lots of trouble.  Lots of morning sickness and not getting much down at all.  I was pretty tight to begin with.  The day came in September where I woke up after having some bad days of not eating nearly enough that I couldnt even drink water and barely my spit.  I had no choice but to plead my case and ask for a little unfill.  Well she wouldnt just do that, it had to be all cause she didnt want to have to keep poking me.  So I had to do it.  At first, I was so happy to be eating again.  I thought this was definately the best option for me.  I had gone so long with being soo tight (prob too tight to be honest) that I started eating things I hadnt been able to.  I told myself that I would just splurge for a few days to eat the things that I had been missing, but I havent been able to stop.  I am getting back to the exact way I was before the surgery with no end in sight. I weighed at my surger 332 lbs and got down to 217.  I am now 265.  It is unbelievably hard to deal with.  I cant believe I have done this to myself all over again.  I still have like 3 months and am so scared to see what I get up to.  I wake up each day thinking I will be good and I just dont have the will power.  I am an emotional eater, that was always a big problem for me.  The past few months I have had some things that I was dealing with on top of getting progesterone shots (hormones) and being pregnant.  I am on modified bedrest and excersise is not even an option for me.  I would actually love to be able to excersise right now just to try and balance what I am eating a little bit.  I feel like I have everything against me where my weight is concerned. 

My opinion is to not get a complete unfill and as long as you are able to excersise still then you should be ok.

It really sucks watching the scale go back up, but even worse to watch it rise sometimes 10 pounds in two weeks.  UGH!!! I really need my band back. I cant do it on my own, and I know that now.

Some docs insist on an unfill and some don't. Mine did not, although I ended up having a bit taken out when my morning sickness started and then had it put back in when it was over. I didn't have any trouble (moderate fill level) and gained around 20 lbs (but was only 4 lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight 4 days after birth).
I say, don't tell them you're pregnant unless you need to go in and have some taken out!

It seems that a lot of doctors/staff seem unsure of what should happen with fills. I went from 322 to 212 when I got pregnant. I got an unfill in fourth month and rapidly gained 6-month...and got up to 265 at delivery but lost twenty lbs two weeks after delivery. I have been encouraged to not get band filled back by ob/gyn until three months in hopes that breastfeeding will go well and hopes that bf will get me back to weight prior to pregnancy. my goal was 170lbs. I am ready to get back on weight loss grind but more than anything I want my baby to be healthy, me as well because he wont be healthy if im not giving him the nutrition he needs. I plan to get refilled in January. Has anyone heard anything about bf with banding?