well, since this is my first time on line, it is very interesting to hear all of you. I was banded Oct of 2008. I have lost 60 pds, started out at 290. Goal is 170pds. I'm 5'10" which is my saving grace. My pant size has gone from 24 to 18 I want to see a 12... My dr asked me a few months ago if I'm trying to beat the band, so... that really got me thinking, I really try pushing it, my back is always a problem, it is impossible for me to exercise like I would like, but I hate excercising, and I think it is my biggest down fall. I have never regretted getting banded. I have only had 6cc for the last three months, tried 7cc and they had to remove it the next day, couldn't even get water down. It is slow going and I was prepared for it, one to three yrs is what I was told and now I understand why, I have to retrain my brain, I still take too much food, but it is not going down, it's not hunger, just bad behavior that I'm used to.. I have two friends that went through gastric and are losing rapidly but what will help them when they start to regain as one friend of mine has done after two yrs. It's sad... At least we have the advantage of getting those fillings if we start to fit more food in. It has been two months of going up and down between three pounds, than I look at what I was doing and it is a no brainier, made three different kinds of cookies and ate most of them DUH!!! Crackers go down easy, so I don't buy them anymore, it is such a struggle but I feel like I have a gift (a tool) to work with the rest of my life and I can't wait to get in that two piece!! Even at 56 I will look darn good, so my husband anticapiates