Valentina

No one can undo a sleeve so, YES, even now being 5yrs out, I have moments of regret..
BUT
I consider those moments, moments of weakness when I have to remind myself--
I can wallow in a wrong decision
OR
I can make a wrong decision right.
That's when I give myself a virtual slap along side my head and get back to the business of becoming healthy and happy again.

I took me four years--first finding a therapist that "clicked" with me, and then working with her every week until now I am at least "at peace" with myself.
Finding that one "special" therapist I believe is the magic. Keep searching until you find him/her.
I wish you well. As you have learned--your body is only half of what needed "fix'n". Your mind is the other half. Treat it with as much love and care and determination that you did with your body. Only then will your WLS journey have the true happy ending that you deserve. Yes, YOU!!!!
Prayers going up for you, my sister.

No one can undo a sleeve so, YES, even now being 5yrs out, I have moments of regret..
BUT
I consider those moments, moments of weakness when I have to remind myself--
I can wallow in a wrong decision
OR
I can make a wrong decision right.
That's when I give myself a virtual slap along side my head and get back to the business of becoming healthy and happy again.

Take this and chew on it:
I will be 5yrs out on June 6th. I did not acknowledge my WLS until this past Jan.
I have discovered that my sleeve is still viable and working now that I am mentally prepared to work with it.
I have lost 30# since Feb 20th.-- not as rapid a weight loss as most sleevers lose at first, I am delighted that my sleeve and I are working in harmony--at last.
I truly believe that a sleeve with work with a body and long as the mind is also prepared to work with it.

Please try not to interpret my verbiage as confusion. I have no confusion about a "vets only" forum.
The veterans of tomorrow are the newbies of today. In fact some of the members who you chose to segregate out would not qualify under the proposed guideline of being post op for 12-18months.
I think that members with less time post op want and need to know what they are heading for. Why not share those experiences that we "vets" have? I have noticed that some of the newer members have done extensive research and have a wide understanding of the entire journey, while some "Vets" haven't a clue.
Being 5yrs + out I certainly have noticed the changes in WLS in the past six years.
Vets being able to read and take advantage of new ideas, theories and procedures while newbies are locked out of the vets' forum ---to me is a lose/lose.
I know that my own path is probably (hopefully) different than most, but I hope that there are parts of it that can benefit vets as well as newbies.
If a "vets only" --restricted --is opened I will participate. Be careful for what one asks for---one might just get it.
I wish everyone a joyful journey--Newbie, Vet and everyone in between.

I'm six weeks post. Life changing, isn't it?
I'm also have a loooonnnngggg vertical incision. No pictures will be posted.
Hope you are feeling and healing well.

I wish I had known that my Fibromyalgia would make my "nerve pain" increase ten fold.
WLS recovery pain was NOTHING compared to the nerve pain I had for the first two weeks.
I've had a total knee replacement and even that pain did not come close.
I just wish I had known, so I could have mentally prepared myself.

Take this and chew on it:
I will be 5yrs out on June 6th. I did not acknowledge my WLS until this past Jan.
I have discovered that my sleeve is still viable and working now that I am mentally prepared to work with it.
I have lost 30# since Feb 20th.-- not as rapid a weight loss as most sleevers lose at first, I am delighted that my sleeve and I are working in harmony--at last.
I truly believe that a sleeve with work with a body and long as the mind is also prepared to work with it.

Thank you.
I appreciate your words AND your support. Yes, even at 5yrs out, I NEED support and am far from too proud to say otherwise.
Hoping your journey will be a joyful one.
Whether it is or whether is "bumpy", I'm here and willing to listen. Sometimes that's all I can do. Hopefully, at times, that alone will help.
Keep posting.
Keep asking.
Keep supporting.

Sometimes I believe that one can feel more engaged to advice given by a member who has NOT had such a determined, straight to the finish success journey. Knowing that there are members who stumbled but who were able to overcome and get back on track can be extremely normalizing, and reassuring.
Of course we all want to and need to hear about the success stories, but isn't it also important to see the members who got through to their goals after suffering set backs, battle scars, and still are living a healthier, life?
Today's "newbies" have sooo much to offer. There are new procedures, new methods, new nutritional studies and guidelines. Like most medical procedures and techniques, WLS has changed--for the better in the last few years. In fact is has flipped almost 100% on some topics.
We all can benefit from listening to the newbies. -----really listening---not just reading along---but consider what they have to offer and learning from them.
I'm 5yrs + out and I can still look forward to learning from the well intending members who are actually here to pay it forward and not just trying to exercise "one upmanship" with humor (?) that is off the mark, base and hurtful. At 5yrs out, I don't find myself "supported or advised" by that mentation.
Tough love is still supposed to be "love". There is supposed to be a compassion behind "tough love"----not just mock the poster and "let them fail". If there is no "love" behind "tough love", the advice is moot---the point is lost because being the target of the "jest" becomes "personal".
I feel blessed to have come this far on my WLS journey. Do I wish my personal journey on anyone? No--no one ever!
Do I think I have come through a personal tragedy at the beginning of my WLS journey and maybe --just maybe be able to help one person from having to experience the same? --or God willing, help them to get through it? I hope so.
I've been a member on BP since 2011. Has the sight changed? oh, yeah. It has "circled". More than once. History truly does repeat itself. Veterans stay. Veterans go. Veterans come back. Some---a few never leave. Newbies ask the same questions? sure. They're newbies--are they supposed to ask "old" questions? Those are the same questions the Vets asked when they were newbies. Many Newbies don't stay. Many will leave and come back. Many will become tomorrow's Vets.
There's nothing new or revolutionary about any of it...
The circle goes round and round.

Sometimes I believe that one can feel more engaged to advice given by a member who has NOT had such a determined, straight to the finish success journey. Knowing that there are members who stumbled but who were able to overcome and get back on track can be extremely normalizing, and reassuring.
Of course we all want to and need to hear about the success stories, but isn't it also important to see the members who got through to their goals after suffering set backs, battle scars, and still are living a healthier, life?
Today's "newbies" have sooo much to offer. There are new procedures, new methods, new nutritional studies and guidelines. Like most medical procedures and techniques, WLS has changed--for the better in the last few years. In fact is has flipped almost 100% on some topics.
We all can benefit from listening to the newbies. -----really listening---not just reading along---but consider what they have to offer and learning from them.
I'm 5yrs + out and I can still look forward to learning from the well intending members who are actually here to pay it forward and not just trying to exercise "one upmanship" with humor (?) that is off the mark, base and hurtful. At 5yrs out, I don't find myself "supported or advised" by that mentation.
Tough love is still supposed to be "love". There is supposed to be a compassion behind "tough love"----not just mock the poster and "let them fail". If there is no "love" behind "tough love", the advice is moot---the point is lost because being the target of the "jest" becomes "personal".
I feel blessed to have come this far on my WLS journey. Do I wish my personal journey on anyone? No--no one ever!
Do I think I have come through a personal tragedy at the beginning of my WLS journey and maybe --just maybe be able to help one person from having to experience the same? --or God willing, help them to get through it? I hope so.
I've been a member on BP since 2011. Has the sight changed? oh, yeah. It has "circled". More than once. History truly does repeat itself. Veterans stay. Veterans go. Veterans come back. Some---a few never leave. Newbies ask the same questions? sure. They're newbies--are they supposed to ask "old" questions? Those are the same questions the Vets asked when they were newbies. Many Newbies don't stay. Many will leave and come back. Many will become tomorrow's Vets.
There's nothing new or revolutionary about any of it...
The circle goes round and round.

The very bottom of my heart thanks you.--and every other bit too! You probably will never know how much your words mean to me.
I kinda like the idea of being a living example of something positive.
Thank you again, my friend.

My personal experience:
I am over 5yrs out.
I still have a well healed restriction
I still experience dumping syndrome
I have absolutely NO hunger. I set my cell phone to remind me to eat.
I am content.

Welcome! Most definitely, Welcome.
BP needs all the supportive members we can get. One thing I can guarantee you is a diversity of opinions. We seem to have an over abundance of enthusiastic and hopefully well meaning opinions. Conversation can get quite----"lively" from time to time.
I had my sleeve surgery in 2011 and mine, too was considered "experimental". Now the balance is turned 180 degrees. Most WLS are sleeves where way back when, the bypass was considered, "The Gold Standard of all WLSs." How times have changed.
I was born and raised on a dairy farm. I can still not think of any other or any better place to learn life's lessons. My father caught his arm in the PTO of one of our tractors during corn chopping season and broke his arm 13 places between shoulder and finger tips. Anyway, my entire senior year of high school, I was responsible to milk our 90 head of Holsteins twice a day . (I always made it a point up until then to stay as far away from the barn as possible). I had to and did learn each and every cow. I also learned much respect and responsibility. The general populous needs to acknowledge that without the farmers we would all starve---especially in times of war.
I apologize for my babbling. I just wanted to share that with you. I LOVE Holsteins!---and the farmer whose job is the most dangerous job in the country.
Again, I welcome you and encourage you to "Post in with both feet".
Best wishes.

(1) Any new situations that you did not expect?
(2) What has worked well to maintain.
(3) What triggers have given you set backs.
(4) What keeps you motivated
(5) Now that life is normal after goal..What is new ?
Not sure how many veterans are still on the site. Anyone open to checking in?
1. I certainly did never expect to have to walk my WLS alone. Is that a "new" situation? No, but it is my main stumbling block
2. I really have to track every morsel and weigh every day. I know many folks do not weigh every day, but it's working for me, so "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", right?
3. CRUNCHY CHEETOS!! They are without a doubt , the devil's delight! I can't have them in the house. Since they seem to be my only trigger food, I believe I'm "OK" in the trigger food department.
4. My memories of John keep me motivated. I believed in WLS sooo strongly that I left him alone the morning of my surgery. He was adamantly against my having it. He committed suicide while I was on the OR table. I have learned That I MUST complete my WLS journey. If I don't what did it all mean?? Was it all worth it??? I will stay motivated. John keeps me so.
5. Normal? Who is to say what "normal" is??? I don't believe I was ever normal--according to society's equation. I will never eat as a "normal" person eats. I will never get hungry as a "normal" person does. I will never be able to relax my social eating as a "normal" person does.
A "normal" person does not have the "obesity disease".
I am well satisfied with my thinner, healthier body. --But, I would have to add:
"Hello, my name is Valentina, and I have the Obesity Disease".

Take this and chew on it:
I will be 5yrs out on June 6th. I did not acknowledge my WLS until this past Jan.
I have discovered that my sleeve is still viable and working now that I am mentally prepared to work with it.
I have lost 30# since Feb 20th.-- not as rapid a weight loss as most sleevers lose at first, I am delighted that my sleeve and I are working in harmony--at last.
I truly believe that a sleeve with work with a body and long as the mind is also prepared to work with it.

Take this and chew on it:
I will be 5yrs out on June 6th. I did not acknowledge my WLS until this past Jan.
I have discovered that my sleeve is still viable and working now that I am mentally prepared to work with it.
I have lost 30# since Feb 20th.-- not as rapid a weight loss as most sleevers lose at first, I am delighted that my sleeve and I are working in harmony--at last.
I truly believe that a sleeve with work with a body and long as the mind is also prepared to work with it.

Take this and chew on it:
I will be 5yrs out on June 6th. I did not acknowledge my WLS until this past Jan.
I have discovered that my sleeve is still viable and working now that I am mentally prepared to work with it.
I have lost 30# since Feb 20th.-- not as rapid a weight loss as most sleevers lose at first, I am delighted that my sleeve and I are working in harmony--at last.
I truly believe that a sleeve with work with a body and long as the mind is also prepared to work with it.

The very bottom of my heart thanks you.--and every other bit too! You probably will never know how much your words mean to me.
I kinda like the idea of being a living example of something positive.
Thank you again, my friend.

Take this and chew on it:
I will be 5yrs out on June 6th. I did not acknowledge my WLS until this past Jan.
I have discovered that my sleeve is still viable and working now that I am mentally prepared to work with it.
I have lost 30# since Feb 20th.-- not as rapid a weight loss as most sleevers lose at first, I am delighted that my sleeve and I are working in harmony--at last.
I truly believe that a sleeve with work with a body and long as the mind is also prepared to work with it.

The very bottom of my heart thanks you.--and every other bit too! You probably will never know how much your words mean to me.
I kinda like the idea of being a living example of something positive.
Thank you again, my friend.

Take this and chew on it:
I will be 5yrs out on June 6th. I did not acknowledge my WLS until this past Jan.
I have discovered that my sleeve is still viable and working now that I am mentally prepared to work with it.
I have lost 30# since Feb 20th.-- not as rapid a weight loss as most sleevers lose at first, I am delighted that my sleeve and I are working in harmony--at last.
I truly believe that a sleeve with work with a body and long as the mind is also prepared to work with it.

I order from the appetizer menu if there is a suitable selection. If not I ask if I can "design" my own small meal. I carry a card stating that I am post bariatric surgery patient which was given to me by my hospital and signed by my surgeon.
I can report that I have NEVER been denied the opportunity to design my own meal. Restaurants--especially local ones don't want to drive repeat customers away. --and with the increasing number of people having bariatric surgery, co-operating with me helps them "plan" for the future.
I also report the restaurant and their wiliness to my support group at our next meeting. That sends more customers into the co-operative restaurant.
It's a wee bit of work, but it's a "win/win" for everybody.

Though it was not my intention to do so, I went through surgery, post-op and beyond alone.
I found that once I learned to rely on my own judgement and inborn instincts, I did just fine.
"One never knows how strong one is until being strong is one's only choice."
If going alone is YOUR choice, then do so.
You CAN do this.

Welcome to the, "Losers' Bench", Friend.
It must have been quiet an adjustment for you to be expecting one surgery and waking up to another. I give you much credit for the poise and patience that you are exhibiting. congrats.
Questions? Ask away. Be prepared for a vast variety of answers and a whole gambit of opinions---a WHOLE gambit of opinions.
No matter what your issue/concern is, I'm confident that there will be someone on BP who has shared the same and will help guide you through it.
Once again, WELCOME.
I look forward to following your joyful journey.