I was banded Sept 2008 with the  original Realize band. In between the preop phase & post op, I lost about 75 lbs from April 2008 to July 2009, which wasn't top notch, but I was okay with it. This was enough weight to enable us to get pregant in July 2009 after 4 years of infertility, so we were thrilled to say the least.

While I was pregnant, I had some acid reflux, which after I got my band unfilled, went away, so no major issues with being pregnant while banded. After I had my baby, I went back for a fill a couple months later, under fluro all looks good, no problems. I had some issues, so had some unfilled, was better. After a few more months I had more and more problems and the fluro identified my band had slipped. This took a few months process to finally determine that when my band was at  a good restrictive tight state, it would slip, when it wasn't and wasn't giving me restriction, it was fine. It happened a few times and my surgeon has now unfilled me completely. It seems the only option at this point is to remove the band and/or replace or revision surgery.

I hardly ever vomitted with my band, never had any other complications. Apparently they are seeing more of this with/after pregnancy from what I have heard. We hope to have at least one more child, so it is a very difficult decision to know what to do. With the band unfilled still in place, I am hopeful it will be safe enough to carryout a pregnancy with the band still in, but I do have concerns with keeping it in too. I am considering a revision surgery to possibly DS or VSG b/c of  the increased chance of slip reoccurence if I were to chose the band again. I don't necessarily want to have the band removed without pursing a new WLS in the same process b/c I was covered by my insurance. No guarantees they will cover a revision for sure, but I have heard it should be hopeful considering my insurance company.

Sorry for the long post. Just curious if anyone else has experienced this and I also wanted to pass the information along as well. Thanks for reading.

  Good Morning Everyone,

Hope everyone is having a great week and has some wonderful plans for the 4th of July weekend.   I know today I have to finish helping my middle son move his things out of his apartment and into a storage unit by our house.    I got in LOTS of good exercise yesterday climbing up and down stars.   UGH the back of my legs are KILLING me today.   LOL  I am hoping that we won't have to do but a couple more loads....hopefully 3 more trips will do it.    Busy next few days....my oldest son turns 30 tomorrow.     Can't believe he will be that OLD.   Guess that makes ME old too.   LOL  Anyway this post is to remind us all of all the MANY things that we have in our lives to be grateful for.    Even if life seems bleak for you and it seems like nothing is going your way......you woke up this AM....you are alive and breathing and you have another day to make some positive changes to your life.    Life doesn't guarantee us anything but another chance to make things better from day to day.    PLEASE share with us what you are grateful for today.     Today I am grateful for my family.....extended and other.   I cherish my husband and my 3 son's.   Even though they are far from perfect.....I am NOT perfect either.     I am grateful for my WLS, Faith and answered prayers, Life and health, that I stood up to the challenge of 7 hours of packing things yesterday and moving and are looking forward to completing it today ( hopefully ).    SO grateful for support groups and encouragement.   Grateful for Obesity Help....all the different message boards and all the encouragement and advice given here.   Grateful for all my OH Friends and for the upcoming OH Conference in New Orleans, La. Sept. 9 - 10.   Hope you get to attend it.   I know it will be awesome !!!

Hugs and blessings ~~ Vivian

Hair loss is very common with bariatric surgery. Some has to do to the "trauma" the body has/is going through. The other reason is because we're not getting the proper nutrients. However after about 8 months to a year (maybe longer) when we begin to be on a more "normal" food intake and the body has healed, the hair begins to come back. Sometimes thicker.

Good luck, and know we're here for you

This is a normal response to any major surgery....I lost about half my hair and it is just now starting to come back in 13 months post-op....

 There is no doubt that life can be a bumpy ride. But so were those roller coasters you loved as a kid. Savor the adventure. Find excitement in the uncertainty and the constant change. Even let a touch of fear add spice to your life - as you did on that roller coaster.