If you are like me you have done a lot of other things with no success, Lets face it, it would be awesome if we could do it on our own but that just is not working out for most of us.
You have to remember the band is ONLY a tool. The too restricts tour intake. Periodically you need to opt to go in and get a fill and restrict your intake more. Food is an addiction similar to smoking or drinking. You cannot completely avoid food. The band helps keep you from benging and when you find out that you are able to eat too much you need to go get a fill to again restrict your intake.
As for the pain, its a learning process, the pain typically comes from eating too quickly and not chewing well. If the food is not chewed well it cannot pass thru the small stomach opening and it will force you to stop eating now and probably have it come back up. The pain is like a strong heartburn when you get it but you will learn quickly what you can abd cannot eat and you MUST slow down while eating.
Do not focus on this point, You will learn to live with the band and how to eat and what to eat to not have or minimize this problem.
Trust the decision that you made. I went thru the same presurgery fear and afterthought. I was 380 when I started. I am down about 40 after 6 months but have not been really good about getting my fills. It works. You did the research and remember the ones that say it does not work are probably still overeating and not keeping up with the fills, I just went and got a HUGE fill. I had gotten to the point that If I ate slowely I could eat just as much as I wanted, 2 plates, graze some more and have ice cream. I was overdue for a fill. Now I get a small protien portion and a little veg. I do not even finish that, I miss the pleasure of eating, eating is fun, but if I die of a heart attack which is the future if I dont change, doesnt sound fun either, dont give up