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?

So, I wanna move to Aus..will you all sponsor me? I'll be getting retirement from the U.S. Government, so, a permanent income. Then I could be part of the crowd and know what you are talking about. All I know are H M Os and P P Os.

Not sure if I could get used to Christmas in summer. But then, where I live, winter isn't cold, so who knows!

Lellow, how often will the doc fill you before you get the leak fixed?

I went out to dinner with friends last night, and aside from the margarita I had, I did well to stop eating when satisfied. Especially since it was a quesadilla, which with the cheese and tortilla is a total slider for me.

Lellow that sounds pretty good. I actually thought you would have had to pay more. I know of some bandits who have had to have their band replaced due to a slip and their out of pocket costs were quite significant.

I just jumped on the scales this morning and it says 51.8! I am not happy. I need to get back to 50. I really have to recommit and sort out this reflux so that I can hopefully get another fill. I am not eating massive amounts but it is definetly more than I was and the rubbish inbetween meals doesn't help either. I am allowed to blame the weather and my non functioning aircon for me eating icecream last night?

Denise we would love to have you.

Thanks, Elcee!!

I've been having trouble with my blood pressure dropping low the past few days. I sure hate when it happens as I don't feel very well.

Yesterday DH and I went to a Catholic Mass memorial service. All the up, down, and kneeling was NOT fun! DH said my knuckles where white on the pew in front of us. I never thought I'd go from high blood pressure meds to feeling like I was going to pass out by just standing around.

Here's me:

Banded June 2008

Lost 85 pounds then gained 20 after an unfill

Recommitted and getting back on track

Exercising 4 times per week but need to do more

Training for the cycling portion of a small triathlon in June

Have been on a plateau for many months.

I was banded June 2007. This time last year I was5 pound away from my goal started to have problems being to tight. Had a unfill Within 6 month I gained 15 pound. I had a little put back in. Didn't work so I've gained another 5. So a totall of 20 pounds in a year. Need another fill. Also dr said I have a Esophgus had stretched. Wondering what I should do. I barely eat 1000 cal a day

Here's me....

Banded 2008

Lost 80lbs

gained 60lbs

Just got back on the band wagon (pun intended). Doing complete liquid diet for a month ( I'm 6 days into it) and then back to soft foods. Don't know what happened other than the fact that I got back into old habits, started drinking alot and eating things I knew I shouldn't have. I felt no restrictions so I just ate all the fattening foods I used to and low and behold here I am only 20 pounds from where I started. It was money that got me motivated. I spent 17,000 dollars on this surgery. So I am back at it and I feel good so far. Special Protein liquid diet that is costing me more money. Don't know what damage I've done to my band if any. I don't feel anything but eating whole meals can't have been good for my pouch. I'm afraid to go to my doctor to find out. So we'll see after a month if I still don't feel restriction then I will make an appointment. I swore I would never be here again and here I am. Just want to slap the crap out of myself but I know that does no good. So I've picked myself up by my bootstaps and moved forward. I came here because no one knows what it's like. No one I know has had the band and probably won't after seeing my failure. Just wanted to vent a bit. Thanks.

I paid $3000 just prior to my op as an out of pocket expense with no medicare rebate or private health rebate. Every single visit and fill ive had since has been bulk billed (meaning medicare is billed direct and only the scheduled fee) so ive never paid a cent more for aftercare. Any revision surgery i should ever need will also incur no cost to me at all.

Elcee by all means blame the weather. I had fish and chips and n ice cream down at Dromana today. But Iv pretty much done liquids for ten days. And i just had a potato cake and about five chips!

I paid about the same for the op. I do know a couple of patients though that have ended up having to pay quite a bit for the replacement as although the band is covered and the surgeon won't charge any out of pockets there is generally an assistants fee and an anaesthetists fee etc and they are not fully covered by either medicare or private health.

I'm thinking I should try liquids for a couple of days or something.Tried today - had a shake for Breakfast and 2 hours later I was starving, wondering how on earth I did it before the op.

From reading all these other posts it seems as though it is fairly normal for the effects of the band to be less a couple of years out. That is a worry.I know so many ignorant people that think that you get a band and 5 years later you put all the weight back on - I don't want them to be proven right.

me too, elcee. I think it's human nature though to get complacent and apathetic and slip into different patterns. And like anything else, things change with time, be it the band, or the sleeve, your mindset or even your toaster or your TV! Everything changes.

I think it's easy to forget the lifestyle, esp if the band isn't working at it's optimum, which tends to happen after a few years - whether from lack of fills or complications. I think though that this group in particular proves that the band can be adjusted/fixed/used to get back on track, and together with reminding ourselves of the right mindset, it can continue to be successful past the 5 year mark and beyond.

I think that with the band it is better than with bypass as far as the long-teerm help from the procedure goes. I've been attending one of my surgeon's required pre-op meetings. He has some of his post-op folk go and sit on a panel for Q & As. I am the longest post-op aside from the facilitator who is 7 years GBP. The facilitator speaks a lot about the honeymoon phase with GBP, where you need to change your eating habits. She says that the body learns to work around the malabsorbption and can absorb everything you eat. She says this is the reason many bypassers regain weight.

I just don't find that with the band. As we've absorbed every calorie we've consumed. Nothing has changed. Sure, we cannot keep forcing food down, else we can trigger a dilation. Or we can trigger a slip with extensive vomiting.

But if all that is good and we are eating a bit too much, we can get a little fill to help us out.

Nancy, don't wait to see your doctor because you are embarrassed by the weight gain. You might have problems with your band. Get it seen to. IMO, there is no point in keeping trying if your band isn't working right. That is the same thing that got us to needing WLS in the first place.

Does anybody no anything about a stretched Esophgus. I got from being to tight. I'm new to this site.

I'm about 2.5 yrs banded...so not quite 3 yrs yet...i will lurk on this thread

K been lurking off and on for a while, today is my 8-year bandiversary! I have been blessed to have lost a total of 140 pounds to start with, and over time, slowly let old habits take over....mainly drinking with meals!! I struggle so hard with this. I have had a 25 pound gain in the last 3 years due to me slipping off the bandwagon and drinking with meals and stopping exercise....

I see you all are recommitting so I am chosing today my bandiversary to revamp and recommit as well.

May we all be successful in our recommittments to our bands and support one another here.

Just wanted to check in, went in for a fill yesterday and down 7 lbs from the last drs appt!

Started c25k yesterday so far so good!

Have a good day everyone!

Morning all (well it's morning here anyway!)

Welcome to all the new people! I think it's a great thing to see so many people recommitting to the lapband lifestyle. I think 'falling off the wagon' is only natural, but saynig that this is a lifestyle change means just that - it's for life.

I'm sorry I've been MIA. Started a new project and that always is a frantic time for me. I have been reading but haven't had time to post.

Well my port and tubing replacement surgery is tomorrow. This week, I haven't counted calories, haven't exercised, have been eating junk and smoking too much, thanks to working 15 hour days. But hopefully this surgery will fix the band issue at least and I will get back on track. I know that exercise was helping me deal with the stress of work, but (and I know this is an excuse) I already feel like I don't have enough hours in the day to cope with my workload, and takign an hour out to work out just doesn't feel like something I can do right now.

But once I heal from the op, no more excuses. I need to put aside time for me.

My partner is leaving for New York tomorrow for work and he's freaking out about me being alone after my op, but I actually am looking forward to laying in bed, reading, watching TV and not having to do anything all weekend!