Hey everyone! I hope you guys don't mind that I've started a new thread. I've been talking to Terri from Dr. B's office, and she wants to email all of Dr. Bagnato's patients about this website and this support chat that all of us Bagnato Bandsters have going on. She was really impressed by how we've been supporting each other and wants all of Dr. B's patients to be able to come here and get support.

I wanted the title of the thread to be clear and make sure everyone who was banded by Dr. Bagnato knows that they are welcome here, even if they don't live in Albany.

For anyone who is interested, we have formed a support group and have decided to meet once a month.

Our first group meeting will be Feb. 7th at Ruby Tuesday in Tifton, Ga at 6:00 pm. This meeting is basically just a "get to know each other" meeting. I hope to see all of you there!

The only place I have pain is on my left side. Not necessarily on that incision, but almost like a nagging cramp in my left side. Anyone have that?

BTW - DH is doing fine now. We have talked tons and he is really being super supportive now. He knows how much the chicken broth disgusted me so he went out yesterday and came home with different soups that I could strain and some pudding. Can't have the pudding yet though!

Hey AllyKat! My left side is what hurt the most too. I wonder if it has something to do with running the port from the band to the left side of the chest? I'm not sure, but I remember being really sore there.

I am glad you and DH are on the same page now, it really helps to have that support. Once you get to the next stage, there will be a lot more you can eat. Rest up and take care of yourself!

Don't just fall off the board like a lot of people do. Actually that goes for all of the Bagnato bandits.

I second that motion! There, it's set in stone, no one leaves the board, okay!

We do have a really good support system going on here and I love talking to all of you Bagnato Bandits......so keep posting!

Gerogia girl!!!

Holy (bleep)!! :laugh:

I have only seen your face pic on your avatar. I had never seen your before pic. I finally saw it on another thread.

Holy (bleep) woman!

You look Fanfrickintastic.

When I was able to pursue art we have to learn about body and face shapes. You have the perfect lil' heart shaped face. Girl, if I had a heart shaped face (and a set of dimples to go with it)...I would not use such power responsibly.

I. would. rule. the. UNIVERSE!!!

I was sitting here sulking over my wanton soup asking myself why I am putting myself through this when I decided to browse the before and after pics. I tend to do that when i need inspiration.

People, I need to see more Bagnato befores and afters. Gimme some more inspiration.

Can we jsut start a thread specifically for Bagnato Bandits before and after pics? Yeah, yeah..I realize i am pushing my luck...but i now feel renewed. A girl can dream, can't she.

ya'll are such an inspiration. Keep up the excellent work.

I feel like the voice of gloom when I come here but guys, I am having a bad day. I feel like complete crap. My back hurts, my side hurts, I feel real shakey and dizzy feeling. I feel like I have heart burn from everything and all I've had to eat today is a bit of jello and some apple juice and water.

My DH, bless his heart, is doing great with trying to be supportive of me. He is being so sweet today. But I feel really messed up in the head. Like I have made the biggest mistake ever. I feel like if I had the option of having this band removed tomorrow, I would do it.

What is wrong with me? I have cried so much over the last few days and I am sick of feeling like this weepy mess. This is not me. I'd rather be fat and happy than feel like this.

We've talked to both Elizabeth and Terri at Dr. B's office and I'm supposed to go tomorrow to be checked out. I just can't believe I am dealing with this when I was looking so forward to this surgery. I don't even care about it anymore. I just want to feel normal.

Sheryl,

I think we all went through that to some degree after our surgeries. After the drugs wore off and I faced the reality of being on liquids and my hunger returning and have no restriction I literally was a weepy, whiney MESS. I cried about having spent 17 grand, I cried about pizza, I cried about gas, I CRIED AND I CRIED about everything. I don't know what had me so emotional and unstable- maybe the anesthesia leaving my body? I really have no clue. But please realize you are not alone and you are not going crazy. For the first few weeks I thought- what in the hell did I do to myself? I still have days where I am unsure of myself. But I know that if I continued doing what I've always done I would get what I've always gotten- A fatter, unhealthier me- and I just don't want to live like that. I try to look at the big picture- I have lost 30 lbs- You have lost 20 lbs- FOREVER....I am looking forward to being able to do so many things once I lose the weight. I want to know that I am not shortening my life by being overweight. I want to not have to worry about diabetes or heart problems. I want to eliminate my sleep apnea. I want to fly on a plane without wondering if the airline will insist I buy two seats- I want to ride roller coasters again- I want to be able to buy clothes in any store- not just plus size stores. I want to be able to play with my daughter any sport she wants to play- I want to be able to enjoy any sexual position. I want to feel sexy and attractive. So many many things I look forward to. You can do this Sheryl, I really believe you can. Try to think of the positive things that this surgery is going to enable you to be/have. The first few weeks are very tough. I wasn't prepared for how tough either. But in the big picture they are short lived and before you know it you will be giving a newbie advice yourself and encouraging them on. Read back the threads (do a search for bagnato and it will pull up this one and our old one) and look at the posts I made post op- You will find they are very similar to yours. Hang in there girl. Keep your chin up !

These are my progress pictures.. The first one was taken December 2007 and the second one I snapped today - Just a little over a month post op. 30 lbs down!

ALLYKAT: much as i joke around in my posts, I completely understand what you are going through. Read my blog entry. I think that the reason they make you drink 64 oz of water a day is becasue you lose that much in tears alone.

We are big girls!! I just had a rude awakening about how much my emotional well being was tied around food. The first 2-3 days after surgery you would have been blinded by the size of the "S" on my chest and my cape billowing in the wind. I was so proud of myself for having gone through with this. Then when the first aches set in..whether it be the ache around my port or the ache in my empty belly...I went from being a lion to a lam really quick.

I whined. Then on top of that the more hungry i felt, the more I whined. Allykat, Stop stealing my damn quotes woman!! I stood up proudly and told myself...

I'd rather be fat and happy than feel like this.

I told myself that i was much happier when i could run to Mcdonalds and get (insert calorie filled item here) or eat as much of (insert nake of food her). The truth of it is...I was not. if i was truly that happy with how i was living, i would not have considered this in the first place.

I have wanted this stupid ass band removed several times. If i dould have gotten an old priest and a young priest (like in the Exorcist) to remove this from my body i would have on several occasions. However, that was when I was thinking with my irrational mind. If i really ask myself, i am happy I did it. I know I will be happier once I get out of Phase 1-3 Hell Foods.

My worst day of crying was the day i made my blog entry. I kept askign myself, what the hell had I done to me. How in the bloody blazing blue hell did i do something that required me to be on such a controlled, restriced diet. If I coudl stay on one of those things, I would not need this stupid band. then i was hungry all day and i was tired of fricken jello and wonton soup and all of that.

today, I am better. Tomorrow i may not be. After all that boo-hooing I had coem to the realization that that type of behavior was NOT me. And when i get like that i realize that I am not me. I still cry, that is when i come here and read posts or look at before and after pics. As much as I despise it on some days, I really knwo that this was the best decsiion I have eer made for me and my health.

If you need to call someone and talk, anyone here is welcome to my number. Just PM me and I will give it. I am not a counselor, but sometimes it helps to comiserate.

We can even get all dirty and nasty and share our fantasies about how we are goign to utterly violate the first solid foods that we can get our Phase 1-3 Hell Foods eating hands on. I think I am gonna make my first piece of chicken call me Big Mama while I devour it. :thumbup:

All in all, AllyKat knwo that you are not alone. Please know that. Realize you made a terrific decsion for you.

MIA and AllYKAT you sound like me. Everyone should go read this list...

Neat Reasons to lose weight <----CLICK HERE

Yeah some of it is superficial but it reminds me of so many things that "normal sized" peopel take for granted. take a look.

PS. I remember you telling me that you were not afraid of the surgery, you were afraid that this would not work. I think that is part of why you are so upset now. hang in there, woman. We are all here to support each other.

Can one of yall tell me how to post photos? i am not having much luck..

at the bottom of the reply screen click on go advanced- and then go to attachments and add them as an attachment and it will show up in the post. You Look Great!

MIA

Thank you!!!!

Gerogia girl!!!

Holy (bleep)!! :thumbup:

I have only seen your face pic on your avatar. I had never seen your before pic. I finally saw it on another thread.

Holy (bleep) woman!

You look Fanfrickintastic.

When I was able to pursue art we have to learn about body and face shapes. You have the perfect lil' heart shaped face. Girl, if I had a heart shaped face (and a set of dimples to go with it)...I would not use such power responsibly.

I. would. rule. the. UNIVERSE!!!

I was sitting here sulking over my wanton Soup asking myself why I am putting myself through this when I decided to browse the before and after pics. I tend to do that when i need inspiration.

People, I need to see more Bagnato befores and afters. Gimme some more inspiration.

Can we jsut start a thread specifically for Bagnato Bandits before and after pics? Yeah, yeah..I realize i am pushing my luck...but i now feel renewed. A girl can dream, can't she.

ya'll are such an inspiration. Keep up the excellent work.

Thank you so much for all the encouraging words! I really needed it today. I didn't make very good food choices today, so I gotta start up strong again tomorrow.

I started a new thread for Bagnato Bandits before/during/after pics, just for you! Don'tcha feel special! I hope no one minds us doing that, but I thought it was a great idea. I can't wait to see everyone else's pics, so post some pics Bandits!

Jeannie, here's the link I used when trying to figure out how to post pics http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f5/how-attach-picture-post-17595/

BTW, I love your new haircut in your avatar picture! Very sheek! It's similar to how I want mine cut.

AllyKat and Brina- Hang in there girls, this too shall pass. What you are feeling is very normal, I felt the same way on many days after my surgery. Once you guys can start eating some food, I'm sure you'll feel much better. ((HUGS))

Mia- Thanks for posting your picture! I can already tell a big difference in your face! You're doing a great job! Make sure you post those progress pics in the new thread. I'm so excited for all of us. Keep up the good work!

He thinks that all of my electolytes, glucose, etc. levels were messing with my hormones. I told him that I knew I was thinking irrational with wanting the band out, but I didn't know what was wrong with me since I couldn't seem to stop crying over it. He said the tightness I am feeling isn't common, but isn't unusual either and means the weight will likely melt off really quick. I've lost 11 lbs. since Wed., so I can believe it!

Anyway, he told me to slowly start eating off the full liquids and mushy list and that that should really help with how I'm feeling. I believe it because I am starving! He also told me, believe it or not, that I need sugar, so not to go totally sugar free on everything. Makes sense since I ate some regular pudding yesterday and felt human again.

He told me to get Gatorade on the way home and with just a few sips, I started feeling better. DH went with me today, and he feels better about things, too. He feels like his behavior on Wed. is what led to my downward spiral, so he feels totally guilty. I told him not to even think that....the important thing is that he is there for me now and everything feels good again.

Anyway, thanks again for all your support... I really appreciate it.

Georgia Girl and Mia - your pics look great! Reminded me that I needed to do a before pic now!

I just realized I am half way to my goal weight!!!!!!! OH MY!! I am so happy!!!!