My Mum had it, lost 40 kgs, and then the band slipped. She's fallen through the cracks of the system and hasn't bothered making another appointment to get checked out. She fully admits that she knows how to cheat the band, and that's why it isn't working for her.

In WA, you can get the band done for free in the public system. Speak to your doc first, and they send you for some appointments with a dietician to try and lose the weight by yourself, and then do the band surgery. It took 18 months - 2 years for Mum, but that was close to 10 years ago. It may be like this through Australia, the best thing to do would be speak to your GP.