I am hoping to get the band in mid-August and was just wondering how people are doing that have been banded for several years. How are you doing with diet (how normally are you eating). Do you feel super restricted on food? Did you have any problems with the band? What was your general experience?

I'm getting on for five years now.

I've been at goal for about two and a half. I eat a very normal diet, people that dont know I'm banded do notice that I'm not a big eater and sometimes I get ribbed about that a little by people saying "oh, come on have some more". But overall, I eat every food there is and never feel that I am restricted in where when or what I can eat.

I eat so normally, that I also eat all the naughty things that normal people do, in the quantities that normal people eat them and I dont gain weight.

I guess the most abnormal thing about me is that I actually like exercise and do it five or times a week. Its probably not "normal" for a 43 year old women to be able to do full body pushups or run 10kms but it's healthy and it SHOULD be normal.

Touch wood, but I've never had a single problem with my band.