Mistie

Did you just say "Bless your heart" but in a different way?

With you there all of you have posted and who have helped me through my first year post op with your wit, wisdom and common sense.
If I were a pre-op newby I think that I might just have cottoned on to the fact (by reading the posts in the Vets forum) that they, the vets, weren't seeking advice from pre-op, recently post op or just those who were considering gastric surgery. It doesn't matter how much you have read, Googled, talked to others or gathered by mental osmosis and here say, until you have lived with the sleeve or whatever in place, you have no real idea of what really goes on. I didn't. I would no more have tried to advise the vets with my self awarded degree in WLS than fly to the moon. I would have regarded myself as an arrogant eedgit, which is probably how the vets would have seen me-and quite rightly too.
I remember being told by a teacher once that when you are lucky enough to be in the company of those who are wiser than you, then keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut. I transpose this sage advice to the digital age to keep your eyes (and brain) on the text and your fingers off the keypad.
These are only my opinions and I may well be typing a crock of shite but I'll lay money on the fact that some of the vets give me a thumbs up!
I now rest my case - until something else gets my typing digits dancing!
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@@Babbs **Your opinions are welcome, but don't tsk tsk and wag your finger at others who obviously have more experience than you and pretend to know what's best for THEM. Not only is it kind of ironic, it's actually pretty rude and presumptuous.**
THIS. Us newbies may have experience with certain things that are very valuable to this community, but don't expect to walk in here and hand unsolicited 'advice' to wildly successful vets and have that met with anything other than a big old 'f*$k you'.
This is no different than joining any social group...don't waltz in and act like you've been around for years. Take your time, get to know people, and in general, stay in your lane of experience. I've read a TON of information about what maintenance is going to be like, but I'm not going to give advice about it until I'm IN maintenance. Right now, I'm 4 mos out and halfway to goal. I answer questions that fall within that '4 mos out/halfway to goal' realm of experience, not things titled 'do any of you vets completely ignore this rule'. My reading and experience to date is MEANINGLESS in a discussion of what people do at a year or two or three out. And if I need advice, I'm not going to come to someone who had surgery last week! I talk to people who are right where I am, like Suzzzzz or vets like Babbs, Lipstick Lady, LisaMergs and Dub.

Why is this so hard for some people to understand?

I completely and wholeheartedly appreciate reading and research. I did/do a lot of it myself. BUT! If there's one thing I've learned about diet and weight loss, rarely is any ONE'S experience textbook.
Let's think about all the diets that were thought to be revolutionary and turned out to be pure bunk. Let's talk about the way the FDA keeps changing the food pyramid and recommended daily allowances. Let's talk about food manufacturing trends like making everything fat free but hiking up the sugar content and how that worked out.
A lot of that reading/research/following the rules is what made me obese and a classic yo yo dieter in the first place.
Please note in MY initial post in this thread, I ONLY spoke of my experience. I did not recommend ANYTHING to the OP. My journey is no one else's. Artificial sugar does not lead to sugar cravings FOR ME. I am NOT gaining weight because I drink Coke Zero daily.
I absolutely agree that this change has to be mostly mental and going back to old ways can be extremely detrimental to most former fatties, but that said, just because one reads a "scientific study" about an ingredient/diet/form of exercise/etc. does not make it absolute textbook fact.
I'm living proof of that. At least where the artificial sugar/carbonation thing stands...

Here's MY issue. I answered the OP's question and very specifically gave MY experience, NOT general advice. You came in and told me I was wrong, was doing a "disservice" to myself, etc. Clearly I'm not from the numbers on the scale and I reiterated that. AGAIN, I only spoke to MY experience -- no one else's.
I didn't speak to yours until you started questioning mine. No one said you were unwelcome, had no value, know nothing, etc. You said all that, that's YOUR baggage.
Newbies are great! They have lots of great questions, information, ways of thinking... That said, to tell me I'm wrong when what I'm doing is clearly working for me is amusing at best.
I'm an expert on no one but me and I say so in my signature. Not accepting YOU as an expert on me doesn't make me a monster, it makes me happily accountable for myself.

I would consult another surgeon. If this doctor did not feel comfortable, that's fine. Find someone else. The first doctor told me to lose 135 before he would talk to me. Uh... If I could do that and do if long enough to have surgery, I wouldn't NEED surgery. As well, I consider how much longer that will result in my unhealthy weight.
I found another surgeon. She asked me to lose 30 pounds to get to a certain BMI to make surgery less of a risk. That was fine. I did. My hw was 454. My first appointment with my surgeon I was 440ish. Sw was 403. Two weeks post op and I am 382.
All surgeons have comfort zones. Find one who not only can YOU feel comfortable with, but who feels comfortable with you as a patient!

I love the Power Crunch Protein bars. Careful, they are addicting! Allll of their flavors are to die for. But they have a salted caramel that is soooooo good!

I love the Power Crunch Protein bars. Careful, they are addicting! Allll of their flavors are to die for. But they have a salted caramel that is soooooo good!

284.6. Not goal, but progress.

289.8

Monday was 291. Was the wrong direction but already back down. Whew!

288.6

Cw: 289.2
Gw: 279.8

Yay. I'm in.

@@carlaw - if you use the app, just click subscribed - it will take you to all subscribed posts. That's the easiest way to find it!

@@carlaw - if you use the app, just click subscribed - it will take you to all subscribed posts. That's the easiest way to find it!

Hi all. I got sick after a trip. I will post for the Labor Day challenge Saturday. It will be for 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after Labor Day. Sorry for the delay. It has been a rough few weeks for me and I appreciate everyone's patience. I will post here and the new challenge.
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298 - actually made goal!

I'm a professor, so a little different situation. Mine was in October. Never feel guilty for taking care of yourself. It's not like you're waiting, this is simply when it can be booked. I took two full weeks off, and the third I taught classes only. My recovery was a bit more difficult in terms of fatigue, than I think it is for many. Good luck!!

I'm a professor, so a little different situation. Mine was in October. Never feel guilty for taking care of yourself. It's not like you're waiting, this is simply when it can be booked. I took two full weeks off, and the third I taught classes only. My recovery was a bit more difficult in terms of fatigue, than I think it is for many. Good luck!!

Yes. Put in while in surgery. Did not have choice. Had to walk with it. They removed it as soon as I passed the leak test the next day. Every surgeon is different, so be sure to add it to your list of questions.

Mine did/did not clear me. I went to the card I saw previously (weird issue - caught a virus, it had similar receptors to those on my heart, so when my body fought off the virus, it also attacked my heart). He said I was cleared and was low risk. The bariatric wanted specific words to clear for vsg. He would never write it. It came down to a difference in terminology between what the bariatric surgeon used and needed and what the card said the cards use! (I.e. Similar to a debate between which comes first, a or 1!). Omg! I almost had another set of heart attacks (NOT virus related! Lol)! The surgeon then set me up with a card local to her and in her system-DAYS before my scheduled surgery. He reviewed all records, didn't even make me have anymore tests, and said it baffled him why the original card would not write it up as was needed-and he cleared me.
Sometimes there are reasons. It can save lives. Other times, not as much. But it does happen, but doesn't mean it's over.

300.4

My favorite was refried Beans with a little taco seasoning and some rotel cheese dip. I ate that the whole time.

My favorite was refried Beans with a little taco seasoning and some rotel cheese dip. I ate that the whole time.