I had my band surgery on 6/25/09, one month ago, Today is the day I can start on a regular diet, Yeh, when it comes to comparing lap band and gastro bypass I remember my doctor telling me that the lap band is the safer surgery of the two and if you compare going back and getting the fill which you are suppose to be able to do 6 to 7 times a year and which makes the band tighter, it seems as though that would be better because with gastro bypass if your stomach spreads you will be able to get more food in and you are subject to gain weight again, it is a mind over matter kind of thing with both types of surgeries I think, you have to change your way of eating and exercising with both to make either work for you. So far I have lost 20 pounds in one month time wiht the lap band.