Ok, first let me say I have very good restriction and has been so for over a year. I am at my goal weight and beyond. My eating is always under control. I don't count calories or any of that stuff. I am in "maintenance" mode.

I say this to make a point.....

Today, other than going to the gym this morning, I stayed inside with the air conditioning all day.

Sitting here, I realized I have been eating all day, and I have eaten way more than I should and normally do.

Where did all the restriction go? Have not felt any all day! It is as though I was never banded.

I'm not panicked, this is what "maintenance" is all about.

My theory is that the band is not looser. With the restriction I have changes in humidity or whatever could not take it all away. I feel the band remains a constant.

So, I feel my pouch has stretched, from all the eating I have done.

So starting Monday, I am not going to eat any solids. All liquids. Then I will see how I feel Tuesday. I may need liquids for 2 days to give my pouch a rest and chance to contract.

This to me is what the 5 day pouch test is all about.

(I don't follow the full 5 day regime, just enough to get restriction back)

This is something I go through every now and then to keep things in top working order.

Example is why is my band (pouch) tigher in the mrning and looser later in the day? Is it because I have not eaten anything in at least 12 hours, giving the band a rest? And it appears to be looser later in the day because I have been eating, excercising the pouch?

Also, if a Dr catches a stretched pouch, the firdst thing he/she will do is instruct the patient to go on full iquids, and maybe do a complete unfill so nothing with accumulate there.

Sounds like you are a man with a plan! Best wishes. Karen

Nice to see you back, have you been on holiday?

Maintenance is something we will all have to work at for life. It would be nice to let down the guard but that is when bad habits sneak back in.

Bands do seem to loosen up over time. After 3 years I very rarely feel any restriction yet I am at a point where my Dr is not happy to fill me any further. So at this point it is about making sure that i am in control and do not let things get too out of hand.

I have contemplated doing the 5 day thing but that is as far as it has got.

Let us know how it goes for you

I notice that when I do liquids I do get that tighter feeing ... but I havent recently been able to hold to the liquid diet for more than 5 hrs LOL. I want to really try and do it for a full day and hopefully work up to do 2 days .... would you mind being my accountability partner and check in with me on my liquid diet this week? I'll gladly to the same for you.

I get a little maintenance fill about every 10-12 months. I can feel it when it's time.

The feeling is much like the one you posted.

Hi B-52! Where ya been?? Someone said on here once that there might be some slight evaporation that happens with the saline in the band after time? Perhaps that's part of what is going on with you. When was your last fill?