You should purchase and read "Lap-Band for Life" The Complete Patient Guide to Success with the Lap-Band, by Ariel Ortiz Lagardere MD. I purchased mine through Amazon.com. This book explains the processes before and after surgery. My surgery is schedule for next week and thanks to Dr. Ortiz's book I know why there's a pre-op diet, the special diet afterwards and what my life will be like once banded. What BPing is, why no drinking at meals, and especially why you should avoid sodas and beer. We bandsters will have to make some changes in life and giving up a few foods, let's face it, are not good for us to begin with. There are healthier alternatives. This is just part of living the rest of our lives in "bandland".