Ok, I don't know if there's already a thread like this but I know for one thing that I would like to band together (pun intended) with those of us who have had our bands for over 3 years and have gotten complacent.

I've always had it easy when it comes to maintaining, but now have a small slip and a leak, and very little restriction, so have decided to recommit to the bandster lifestyle to try to ensure that my weight is maintained.

Whatever your motivations for recommiting to the bandster lifestyle, you're welcomed to join me here.

So here's me:

• Banded Aug 2008
  
• Lost 85lbs
  
• now have a small slip and a leak, and no restriction, and found I could eat more
  
• As a result, I gained 5lbs in a month, pulled myself up, returned to eating well and exercising and have lost it.
  
• Looking to maintain and redevelop good eating and exercise habits.
  

I seem to be motivated best by being part of a support group, and I think it's fair, when I'm not trying to lose, but to maintain, to keep that separate from those who are trying to find the right mindset for the first time. I'm trying to reconnect with the mindset that helped me lose in the first place, so I think that's a different kettle of fish.

So, who's with me?

shues, I replied to your other topic on scales. I need a new one too. Today it said I'd gained a kilo. I hate when that happens!

But the good news is I see my lapband dr today. I hope to get an action plan on how we're going to deal with this slip and the leak.

Though, and I'm crazy to get so excited by this, I went out and had indian last night, tandoori chicken, lamb rogan josh and a beef vindaloo with some saffron rice and I actually got a little bit stuck after eating only 1/3 of it. It hurt but damn I was happy to feel my band. I think it's the first time I've really felt it in about 2 months! Then about 20 mins later, I did a couple of big burps and it went down lol.

Silly to be so happy, huh?

Well turns out my band has a significant enough leak to warrant port and/or tube replacement. I've lost 2cc in 3 weeks, only had 5cc left in my band.

I'm scheduled for the replacement on the 3rd. He wasn't too concerned about the slip, he said it was so small it was almost insignificant in the scheme of things.

So hopefully in just over a week, this will be fixed. In the meantime he's put 8cc in so I have some restriction for few days....

That is pretty significant. So presumably this is a full op as he will have to work out where the leak is. if he is replacing the band surely he will fix the slip then anyway?

He's not doing a full replacement, just port and tubing. I did ask him why he's only replacing those things and from what I gather from what he was said, if the actual band was leaking, there would be no Fluid left in it at all. That I had some fluid left classes me as a slow leak, and that's almost always attributed to a leak in the port or tubing.

But I will say I arrived at his rooms straight from work and I was starving. And when he put the 8cc in my band, I went from starving to not in the slightest bit hungry in the how-ever-many-seconds it took for him to depress the plunger on his syringe. I know this restriction won't last long, but damnit it feels good to have it back!

Will it be an out patient procedure? Good luck with everything too and keep us posted!

Wow, Lellow, re-op sucks, but at least the problem should be solved, yay!

I got massively stuck on sushi last night. Wah. That seaweed paper is horrid to chew. And it was soooooo yummy. Other than that, it was a good week.

Next Wednesday I am attending my surgeon's education seminar with a friend of mine who is interested in WLS. That should be interesting from a post-op perspective.

That confirms for me why I don't eat Sushi. I have never even felt the inclination to try it and it's not the raw fish that puts me off, it's the cold rice and that horrible looking seaweed stuff. Yuck!

I can't wait to get stuck on sushi! I love sushi and I could probably eat it 3x a day! DBF and I went out last Saturday for sushi and I was hoping I would get stuck so all I could eat is sashimi and of course it didn't happen

Monday I go in for another fill, I'm hoping this one gets me in the green zone.

If I don't talk to you all, have a great weekend!

Shues, Sushi is hit or miss for me, I never know. Sometimes one bite in and uh oh! Other times I can eat an entire roll. If I go with just the DH it sucks, because he doesn't eat it, so I am up the creek with the whole thing in front of me and it not going down. So, happily it was all cooked, I brought it home and will attempt it tonight for dinner.

When I'm well restricted, sushi is a definite no no. The rice, the stickiness and everything just doesn't agree with me. But I can eat sashimi. I loooovvvve sashimi!

...and then today, I don't feel so restricted anymore....

DAMN THIS LEAK!!

Hang in there mate, its only a matter of days now.

Thanks Jacqui, I know it'll be resolved soon. Which is better than an erosion, anyway. I just can't believe I went from barely being able to get liquids down yesterday to being able eat 2 pieces of fish and half a plate of Pasta 24 hours later. I only felt the band kick in in probably the last few mouthfuls.

Next Saturday cannot come round fast enough. I wonder though if I will be unfilled and will require a slow refilling process to get back to the green zone. Because if that happens, I swear I'm going to lose it.

I have a question. Is this fully covered on public health or do you have to go private and how much are your out of pocket expenses.

I am asking because I wonder what the cost would be if anything went wrong with my band, especially as I have switched surgeons.

I don't know if public health with cover for it. I wanted it done asap so I didn't even think about whether I'd go private or not, I just asked him to book me in asap.

My health fund and medicare will cover a lot of it. I think, from memory, it will be about $400 all up for me to pay out of pocket. The rest is covered. The gastro-endoscopy was completely covered by my PHI too.