welcome well you have got the big step covered im happy you had your surgery i had mine 3 yrs ago and have lost 118 pds so far startedout at 318. i am very pleased with my band. i hope you will be too. alll i can say is read all you can on these boards and you will learn a great deal. i just had my third fill and hope to be losing again soon. good luck and we are here for you when you need us