Try not to worry. I am sure many people who have weight loss surgery have similar concerns pre-op. I certainly did! But in all honesty I am over the moon with the fact that I had my band fitted and the effect it has had on me and my life. Surgery is not 100% guaranteed to be the answer and it does need you to work with it to get the best results ... but nothing in life, apart from death, is guaranteed anyway.
Personally, I cannot feel the band or the port - unless I really arch my back and I can feel the port way under my skin.
Six tiny little scars (I have an extra one as they repaired a hernia they found at the same time as fitting the banding) - 4 faded to almost nothing after 6 months and two faint lines for the other 1 inch long ones.
You may get trapped wind from the surgery (but I didnt) - take something similar to windeze tablets or peppermint cordial/tea. Otherwise I have no pain whatsoever.
It is right that for a few weeks the internal swelling from the surgery causes some restriction, but that is why the first fill is generally delayed for 6-8 weeks post surgery to give the swelling a chance to reduce. You will get hungrier as the fat around your stomach reduces and the band becomes less tight, so if you keep an eye on what you are consuming (calories/protein etc) the weight loss should continue despite the band not helping you as much as it could do.
Best to be prepared and patient - the fills do help (but maybe not to begin with) - and small fills will hopefully avoid you being over-restricted. You do need to eat more slowly and chew (but I am sure most of us should have been doing that even if we didnt have a band). The slower eating will allow your body to decide when it is full and the chewing should help ensure nothing gets stuck.
Eating out - the band doesnt stop me - I eat out generally 3-4 times per week (7 times out in Christmas week)! I still really love my food, but the pleasure is now in choosing smaller quantities of good quality food and really savouring the experience rather than thinking a good meal is one of vast quantity and coming away stuffed like a Christmas turkey! Since July when I had the op with THG - I have lost weigh every week apart from one when I stayed the same.
All providers are different when it comes to what they say you can consume post-op - however it is important to follow their guidelines closely to protect your body. What foods individuals can consume also varies - for me, my problem foods are bread, tuna fish and steak (where they do have a tendancy to stick) - but otherwise even pasta and rice in small quantities are fine.
There may be people who the band hasnt worked for. But for me, change was definitely a good thing. 6 months, 6 stones gone. Size 24/26 to size 16. Best of all though, feeling happier and healthier and looking forward to 2012.
Hope 2012 brings you what you are looking for. Keep us updated xxx