I was afraid I would be a "food freak" after Lap Band surgery. I knew I needed to do it, I couldn't control my eating and my yo-yo dieting wasn't working anymore. In preparation for my surgery I met with the Doc, the nutritionist, the psychologist, etc. Everyone talks about "sipping water, not gulping" (I feared I'd never feel refreshed again!), "chewing food 30 times a bite" (did I really want to get to know my food that well?) and many other changes I would be encountering after surgery. I was going to do it, but I worried that I'd end up a food freak, albeit a thin one. The surgery was hard on my, as you get older it takes longer to heal it seems. Thank goodness I had my husband home that week, I was tired and in pain. I got through that, went on my liquid diet, it was okay and all about healing. When I'd hit a month I'd lost some weight but, more importantly, felt like my old self. I had my first fill (weird is the only way to describe the sensation) and began the to learn about what I could eat (no pasta or bread for sure!) and how much (not much, but that was okay, it was more about understanding the gurgles and when to stop). It's been an interesting journey. It's been 3 months since surgery and I have lost 35 pounds. I can honestly say I'm happy with my lap band. It's what I needed, it makes me say "enough", when I hadn't been able to myself. I'm picky at restaurants, tending toward soups, and try to remember to drink before I eat (it moistens the insides and you can't drink while you eat). Bread and pasta make me sick, which is good, they were my biggest problem pre-band. I'm happy and very glad I did this and nobody is any the wiser when I'm out. I'm not a food freak!