Saz I can still eat pasta choose not to because o glyemic index, ask yourself, will the surgery be harder then what you have dealt with so far with being overweight. To shed some light i decided to be banded when i was 19, I got banded at age 21, I still go out I still eat out with my friend, but chose wisey I measure all my food out and log my calories I exercise and my medical problems have gone away and I am quite healthy right now. I would of died more likely from problems arising from being overweight than the actual surgery it self. I am still learning today, and continue to do so I love my band it was the best thing I ever dear, worth all the sweat tear and blood, I would do it all over again Highest weight was 250 went to the center at 242 and got weigh in at 166 at the doc but my own scale said 163.4 I went from a size 20 to 8-10, I am no longer on diabetic meds have high blood or cholestoral levels, sleep apnea has resovle and I love my life... take it with a grain of salt. Good luck