Might Be A Leak, Might Be Erosion..

[lellow 1,713]

I relocated across Australia 3 months ago, so I got my old dr to send a referal to a new dr here where I now live so I could get continued aftercare.

My band has been loose for about a year, and there isn't much I can't eat. I very rarely get stuck. My band has felt looser and looser every month. Then about 3 weeks ago, it's like it 'disappeared'. I couldn't feel it at all. My appetite returned in full force and without restriction, I have been enjoying it a little too much . I gained 5 lbs in 3 weeks.

So when I saw my new dr yesterday, I mentioned that I couldn't feel my band. He then decided to withdraw all the Fluid in my band, and found that I only have 6cc in it, when, according to my old dr's notes, I should have had 8.5cc in it.

But because I still had Fluid in it, I should still have some restriction, so he is concerned that I'm not feeling anything at all.

He therefore suspects either I have a leak and have slowly lost any restriction I once had, or my band has eroded.

He added another cc to my band, and lo and behold, I'm feeling something today. Only barely, mind you, but I can definitely feel my band again. So I'm hoping it means it's just a slow leak and not erosion after all. But either way, he's booked me for a gastroendoscopy next Tuesday so we can found out for sure what it is.

So please, cross your fingers for me that it's not an erosion.

P.S. In the meantime, I'm back on the wagon, exercising (which I'd already restarted recently) and now watching what I eat again. I intend to lose those 5lbs and maintain no matter what the outcome of the gastroendoscopy is. I have worked too damned hard to lose the weight to gain any of it back now. I've kept it off for 12 months with a loose band, I can do it now.

[B-52 7,113]

I relocated across Australia 3 months ago, so I got my old dr to send a referal to a new dr here where I now live so I could get continued aftercare.

My band has been loose for about a year, and there isn't much I can't eat. I very rarely get stuck. My band has felt looser and looser every month. Then about 3 weeks ago, it's like it 'disappeared'. I couldn't feel it at all. My appetite returned in full force and without restriction, I have been enjoying it a little too much . I gained 5 lbs in 3 weeks.

So when I saw my new dr yesterday, I mentioned that I couldn't feel my band. He then decided to withdraw all the Fluid in my band, and found that I only have 6cc in it, when, according to my old dr's notes, I should have had 8.5cc in it.

But because I still had Fluid in it, I should still have some restriction, so he is concerned that I'm not feeling anything at all.

He therefore suspects either I have a leak and have slowly lost any restriction I once had, or my band has eroded.

He added another cc to my band, and lo and behold, I'm feeling something today. Only barely, mind you, but I can definitely feel my band again. So I'm hoping it means it's just a slow leak and not erosion after all. But either way, he's booked me for a gastroendoscopy next Tuesday so we can found out for sure what it is.

So please, cross your fingers for me that it's not an erosion.

P.S. In the meantime, I'm back on the wagon, exercising (which I'd already restarted recently) and now watching what I eat again. I intend to lose those 5lbs and maintain no matter what the outcome of the gastroendoscopy is. I have worked too damned hard to lose the weight to gain any of it back now. I've kept it off for 12 months with a loose band, I can do it now.

Please keep us posted. You have come a long way and one of the veterans. This is a situation we don't know that much about. I'm not even sure what band error ion actually is and what causes it.

We're all hoping everything works out Ok for you.

[lellow 1,713]

I will B52, thank you.

I am a little bummed that I've encountered a complication but it does not make me regret the band or what it's done for me. I would still do it all over again, if not just for what it's taught me about food, exercise, and most of all, myself.

I asked if it could have been something I did, but my Dr doesn't think so. It's just one of those things. I knew there were risks that there would be complications way back when I first got my band, so I'm not shocked that something's gone wrong, just a little sad that it seems to have stopped working. I've had it very easy with the band for a long time, and for that I'm grateful. So I'll roll with the punches, whatever happens.

[Holly Dolly 575]

Good luck lellow. I hope it is nothing serious and the band will be in good working order soon. You are an inspiration to all of us fellow banders!

[Jachut 487]

I'm in a very similar situation, but like you, grateful that I've had the success I've had and confident that anything can be dealt with.

For me, I just never got back my normal restriction after I unfilled and once or twice there's been confusion as to how much Fluid should be in my band versus what's there when its removed. I had a barium swallow and am seeing my doc on the 15th, but I looked at the films and it "looks" ok, lol, I madly googled what eroded bands would look like on xray and it doesnt appear to be the case, but a leak means a new band just the same, doesnt it?

Oh well, what will be will be I guess, and its good to see you're taking the same approach, what point is there in getting stressed and worried and frantic about it all. You've changed, and any non restrictive periods will be temporary and you wont regain all that weight. I've got a little I'd like to shift, but a few pounds is very doable.

Keep us posted, and be thankful you're here in Australia and not fighting insurance companies and such.

[lellow 1,713]

Hey Jacqui,

I'm sorry you're having similar issues. It's not fun being in the dark about what it is that may be wrong so I hope you get some answers soon too.

Also an erosion sometimes has no symptoms beyond increased appetite and no restriction. I have 7cc in my band now, I should have more restriction than this, not the tiniest bit I have now. I guess that's a worry for him, and for me.

And it doesn't always show up on an xray, according to my dr. He isn't even bothering to send me for a barium swallow. He reckons the only way they can definitively check for erosion is with an endoscopy. Which is why I'm having one.

If it's a leak (and I hope it is) then rather than replace it, he wants to monitor it for a few months. I go back regularly, he removes all the liquid and checks how much is remaining. If it turns out I only have a slow leak, then he reckons he'd rather manage it with regular fills to keep me restricted than replacing the band. Unless I start to leak faster, then we have to talk about replacement.

But you're right, whatever happens, there's no point stressing about it too much. I will do what I need to in order to maintain my current weight and that's that. As I'm sure you will.

[lellow 1,713]

Just wanted to check in to say that even with next-to-no restriction, I have now lost the 5lbs I put on in the last month, just with eating well and exercising,

I can eat a whole steak with no issues, bread, rice, anything. So I'm being careful to listen to my hunger signals and to eat slowly. And it's working.

I feel confident now that I could continue to maintain my weight even without the band.

[elcee 3,341]

Hope this all turns out well. Where did you move from - to and who is your new Dr?

[lellow 1,713]

Hey elcee,

I moved from Perth where I was Steve Watson's patient and I'm now in Melbourne and am now with Peter Nottle.

[elcee 3,341]

Peter did my band. I have been seeing a different Dr though for the last 12 months as I got too lazy to drive all the way to Williamstown.

[lellow 1,713]

Yeah I'm not keen on driving to Williamstown either I went to see him when he was at Windsor, that one day a month that he works there. He's a lovely dr but omg I had to wait 2 hours just to get in to see him.

But he came highly recommended so I'll see it out and trek down to Williamstown if I have to. Who do you see now? I know he has drs at Windsor who do fills for him...

[elcee 3,341]

He is an excellent surgeon but all his aftercare is done by the other staff and I believe he also has others installing bands now too.

I now see Stuart Eaton in Ballarat which is much closer, the waiting time is much shorter and I get to see him and not one of his fill staff.

[lellow 1,713]

Well I'm home now and the good news is - there is absolutely NO erosion!

I have a small prolapse, which is what he thinks is making me feel like I don't have restriction, but he thinks my head is playing games with me, making me think I'm eating heaps when I probably am eating no where near what I would have pre-band, albeit more than when I had restriction. Add that to the leak, and I'm feeling like the band isn't even there.

He is almost 100% sure that the leak is from my port, so I now have a follow up appointment with him on the 5th of March, where he will remove all the liquid from my band again to see how much I've lost. Then he will determine if he will replace my port to stop the leak or it will just be managed with regular fills.

He has told me to just eat normally from now on and we will discuss the possibility of trying to reduce the prolapse at my next appt, but he doesn't think it's too much of an issue. I'm thinking of doing the 5 day pouch test just to see if I can shrink the prolapse in the meantime, but haven't yet decided if I should go that way - would love opinions!

But all round a result I'm happy with. A leak I can live with, an erosion would have meant losing my band, and I wasn't relishing that. So I'm going to stay a bandster! I'm very very relieved!

[Jachut 487]

Great news lellow. I was seeing Gary Crossthwaite at the Centre for Batiatric Surgery at Windsor and theyve moved now to Glen Iris Private. In Warrigal Rd, its a great clinic if youre looking on the south east side of town.

elcee, thought of you when we were at Sovereign Hill fr school camp last week!

[lellow 1,713]

Jacqui,

I occurs to me now that I should have asked for recommendation on here when I was looking for a dr in Melbourne, lol! I will keep both Gary Crossthwaithe and Stuart Eaton in mind if it turns out to be too difficult continuing to see Peter Nottle. Though for now, I'm rather grateful to Mr Nottle so will hang in there!