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!

Thanks for the response on the nosy co-worker. What really gets me is I believe she went through my desk - what gall!

I am in the "I can't believe I am doing this:scared2:" stage. Y'all are an inspiration, though - you make me know this can work for me!

Oneder woman

Your coworker is the reason I told everyone i laid eyes on that i was having surgery and what kind of surgery i was having. I can not stand to feel like someone thinks they have something on me that i don't want others to know. I am a very open person and it makes people like her crazy!!!

Also, by telling everyone I gave myself SEVERAL people who feel the need to keep me accountable. This has made it so much better on me in the long run. I know people are paying attention to my eating habits and it makes me more aware as well.

Don't let the doubts sneak in too far about what you are doing, this surgery has honestly been like a miracle for me. There is not one day that has past since i had surgery last November that I have not thanked God for Dr Bagnato, ok maybe a couple of days after surgery while i was recovering but you know what i mean. I am off of my blood pressure and arthritis meds. My BP is normal/low and the arthritis in my back gives me virtual no problem. I LOVE mY LAPBAND!! and i'm sure you will love yours too. take care and good luck! keep us up to speed on how you are doing.

Oneder woman

Your coworker is the reason I told everyone i laid eyes on that i was having surgery and what kind of surgery i was having. I can not stand to feel like someone thinks they have something on me that i don't want others to know. I am a very open person and it makes people like her crazy!!!

Also, by telling everyone I gave myself SEVERAL people who feel the need to keep me accountable. This has made it so much better on me in the long run. I know people are paying attention to my eating habits and it makes me more aware as well.

Don't let the doubts sneak in too far about what you are doing, this surgery has honestly been like a miracle for me. There is not one day that has past since i had surgery last November that I have not thanked God for Dr Bagnato, ok maybe a couple of days after surgery while i was recovering but you know what i mean. I am off of my blood pressure and arthritis meds. My BP is normal/low and the arthritis in my back gives me virtual no problem. I LOVE mY Lap Band!! and i'm sure you will love yours too. take care and good luck! keep us up to speed on how you are doing.

Jeannie

Everyone knows I had the surgery too. All my family, friends, church family.....everyone. I decided that I wanted to tell everyone because I knew everyone would be asking what I was doing to lose weight, especially since I have so much to lose.

I also did it for accountability as well. I know that people are watching me and that keeps me motivated. There have been a few people that I barely know ask what I was doing and I just tell them. I am an open person as well and it just doesn't bother me that people know.

But, if I had a job, it might be different. I used to work with some ladies that were big time gossipers/talk about you behind your back kind of people. Honestly, if I stilled worked with them, I probably would not have been so open about it. I guess it all depends on the type of people you are surrounded by. I can totally understand why some people wouldn't want to tell everyone.

If anyone would like to get together for a meeting this saturday, I'll be available this sat. anytime during sat.

This weekend is bad for me, but I'm sure others may be interested. It is our Rose Festival this weekend and my DDs are in the parade Friday and dance in several shows Sat. and Sun., so we'll be hopping all weekend.

I found out yesterday I have to have outpatient surgery! Yuck! Can't remember if I posted this or not, but several weeks ago my youngest DD kicked her leg back while dancing around and I just happened to walk by, putting me in the wrong place at the wrong time. She ended up hitting my thumb, bending it back. Well, after 5 weeks in a splint of one sort or another it is no better. Back to the ortho today and it is a torn ligament in my thumb. Dr. doesn't think it will improve without surgery, but he is willing to humor me for the next few weeks. I'm in a remvoable cast now and if it doesn't improve within 3 weeks, it is surgery. After surgery, he warned me that I'd spend several more weeks in a hard cast and another splint.

Typing stinks right now! I'm trying to catch typos but I'll just let this be my disclaimer so I can just let it go from here! LOL!

Ouch Ally! That sounds painful. I hope everything goes well for you. This weekend is bad for me too. We are going to the beach. But if everyone else wants to meet, that is okay. I'll just have to catch the next meeting.

Yay! The scale finally moved again today!

I dropped about 16 lbs FAST on the preop sugarbusters diet, which I decided to do for a month instead of the two weeks, in hopes my liver would be even smaller to make the surgery as easy as possible.

Then, after about two weeks, the scale stopped moving and I went back and forth between a couple of pounds - drove me crazy. Well, this a.m., it finally went down again! Not much, about 1.8 pounds, but I was beginning to think I was doing something wrong.

The no sugar part has been pretty easy, given all the sugar free things there are on the market. My problem is the carbs - I've been eating very low carb, NO white flour/potatoes/rice. What I don't know is how to figure out how much 'incidental' carb is okay.

JBrad - you do sugarbusters all the time, right?

How many grams of carbs do you think you eat each day? Other folks? I have no point of reference here.

I am back from my appointment at the OTC. I had a fill of .25cc about two weeks ago and I haven't felt a difference so I decided to go and get another fill. When I got on the scale, it showed I had gained 4 lbs in 2 weeks!!! I was shocked!! I have never had a gain. Elizabeth seemed to think that the antibiotics I have been on could have caused it. I am also expecting TOM in the next few days, so maybe that has something to do with it too.

Anyway, I asked her if she would withdraw all my fluid and just check the amount. I sometimes worry I have a leak because all of my fills seem to last only a couple of weeks. I was supposed to have 6.75cc and she withdrew 6.25, which is good. Some can evaporate over time, so she said that was a normal amount to lose. So she put the 6.25 back in and added .5 more, so now I actually have 6.75cc in there. I can already tell a difference. I am having to sip slowly. Hopefully this one will hold for a while.

Was anyone there today at about 9:00? I heard someone come in but by the time I got out, I didn't see anyone. They could have been weighing or already in a room.

My surgery is Monday, and I was told I would hear from the hospital on Wed or Thurs about when to show up, where, etc. No one has called - should I be worried?

GA Girl - I would bet you those 4 lbs are TOM if you are close - I have been known to gain as much as 5 or 6 in water weight.

Onder Woman - I had to call myself the day before surgery to get my report time. Nobody was going to call me. I remember reading somewhere on my papers about Monday patients calling on Friday. I'd call if I were you. I want to say it was sometime after 2 pm when you are supposed to call?

Georgia Girl, I came in for a weight check around 8:45 on Thursday and was talking to Malik about conditions in Iraq where her boyfriend is. Did I miss you?

Holly

Georgia Girl, I came in for a weight check around 8:45 on Thursday and was talking to Malik about conditions in Iraq where her boyfriend is. Did I miss you?

Holly

I got there at 8:30 and probably left out around 9:00 or so. I did here someone talking, so it could have been you.

Okay, I finally got the call, and I have to be at the hospital at 6 a.m. on Monday. Ouch! I have an hour to drive, so I guess I will be up at 4 or so. They won't even need anesthesia to knock me out!

Anybody arrive that early? If so, what time did you leave?

- by the way, I realize I have posted a question about every SINGLE step of this process - thanks, new friends, for being so patient w/ me!

Oneder;

I had to arrive at 8 a.m., went back about 8:20, into surgery at 10:00 a.m. and was on my way home at 2:15 p.m. I too was extremely anxious, but that's to be expected with the unknown, right?

My guess is that you will most likely be headed home by lunch. Good luck. My thoughts and prayers will be with you.

I'm so happy today that I could jump for joy! I hit the 100# mark today! I never even imagined that I could loose this much in such a short amount of time (sorry, I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, but I'm just so pleased with the band). For me, the band has been a dream come true.

Oneder - good luck on Monday. I had to be there by 6:30 and I live almost 2 hours away. I was the 2nd surgery of the day and was back home by 6:30pm. I took a little longer because he also repaired 3 hernias.