Hi Germanmom,
I had my band put in 6 weeks ago, and had my first "fill" yesterday. The band does give you a feeling of being full up more quickly and for longer. But getting the right a mount of restriction is tricky and needs to be adjusted carefully by your doctor.
I come from a large family, my brother had the procedure nearly three years ago and has lost 91 lbs. He has diabetes , and the weight reduction has helped with this.
The thing about the lap band is that it is not actually stitched to your body, and can be removed, if you wish. A gastric bypass is more radical surgery. I didn't have any problems with the surgery, except shoulder pain, which was a surprise!
The incisions have healed nicely. I'm watching what I eat as you can "Cheat" the band, if you were to eat lots of ice cream or fried food for example, it would slide down and gain weight.
Hope this helps....I have no regrets, Iv'e tried many diets, and I think this one is really going to help!
Good luck to you in any case!