summerset

@@Clementine Sky I agree with what you said about post-op eating and "diet". In Germany we have a (IMO) more accurate word for this: "Kostaufbau". I couldn't find a simple translation for it. To roughly describe it: it means the progression from Clear liquids to solids after surgery. In regards to postoperative feeding there are many protocols out there, from traditional to "fast track", not only when it comes to WLS.

Absolutely. - do what you want (try to be the 110% compliant WLS super-patient instead of the 110% compliant super-dieter) - eat what you want (severely restrict food choices without necessity just like on so many diets before in your life) and - end up where you started: fat after you have burnt out and regained.

Absolutely.

Dear mother of God! I was truly lucky the hospital staff didn't kill me by serving me this cream of broccoli soup so soon after surgery!!

I always admire the possibility of some users being able to decide what's right or wrong for a patient.

In theory. When browsing this board I notice quite a bit of nutritional obsession.

@@WLSResources/ClothingExch "Dreaming big" might not be as useless as you might think. It also gets things done. Big things. Have a sense of reality but don't be too grown up.

I kind of understand this one. You just want to be over and done with being obese. I catch myself thinking sometimes "you need to lose faster so you can get into maintenance for 6 months so you can have plastics and be finally over and done with this shit".

There are also patients out there resistant to education. I hear the nutritionist talk about not eating the low fat versions of cheese etc - what do patients do? Talk about "reducing fat"and "only getting the fat free curd" even a day after the session while still in the hospital. I hear the nutritionists say "everybody is different - don't compare!" - and all patients are talking about is how much they lost and comparing themselves with others. --- It's like people don't hear what is said sometimes. But then again maybe some things need to be said over and over and OVER again to cancel out the years of "diety thinking".

Me, too. I'd also like to know where people get this idea that an intake of 800 kcal a day might be "too much".

Didn't notice any hair loss so far, but then again I have a very short haircut.

Interestingly enough I don't have an ideal dress size anymore - I had when I was a few years younger but not now. If anything I'd like to be a size "M" because that's where the most variety is available. Being a size "M" means that you will probably need a size "S" or "L" depending on the cut and brand and these are the most common sizes available (at least when it comes to my preferred style of clothing). It also means that the length of pants and shirts etc. fit my 1,67 cm height.

There aren't that many people that long out here on the boards (5 years or more). People simply move on. Most of the so-called "vets" that write here seem to be 1-3 years out with a few exceptions.

I had a revision from band to MGB - glad I did it.

Revisions in general are experiencing slower weight loss, especially if there already was substantial weight loss before. I wouldn't worry at the moment (I know this is easier said than done).

I eat what I want to eat (within the limits of not eating stuff that makes me feel queasy, e. g. ice cream) and the limit will be stomach capacity, not some arbitrary calorie, fat or carb limit. I remember holding myself back and restraining myself from eating the stuff I'd like to eat because I "shouldn't be eating it", sometimes even bringing some special food with me. No more of this. These days are over. I want to be one of the normal people, well kind of - I don't eat meat so that usually makes me the weirdo of the group. I'm done with being a diet zealot though. That's what made and kept me fat.

Well, yes... In the sense that the bigger people in my environment are asking me how I did it. Usually they lose interest once I say "surgery" in the way of "Ok, that's not my really my business and I wouldn't do it". I think especially the bigger people are fascinated with the rather quick weight loss because they want to have that, too. (can understand that, I'd be wanting it as well)

Ok, I admit I'm having a bit of a bad conscience here because what I wrote about revisions might not have reflected what I think about "mental/emotional stuff" and revisions. I don't know if I will make it worse with elaborating or not but here it goes: - physical problems: no amount of psych or nutritional counseling will get you rid of this, might as well have a revision as soon as possible and (hopefully) your issues will be resolved but of course there is no guarantee that it will be 100% ok. - mental/emotional stuff: I think that's a more difficult thing. I already said that there is a lot of judgement within the WLS community if there is not a diagnosed medical problem that justifies a revision ("patient ate his way through surgery and will continue to do so", "not educated enough" etc.) I'm a bit more careful when it comes to revision because of emotional/mental issues. It might be that the second surgery (as in second try or second chance) will be successful because the patient has learnt from past mistakes and will do way better the second time around and it might be not. Maybe e. g. sleeve wasn't the right method? Maybe e. g. the DS will be the right method? However, it might be that surgery wasn't the right way to go for the patient in the end - unfortunately you only know after surgery has been performed if it was the right way to go or not. This doesn't mean "blaming the patient". It only means it wasn't the right treatment for the patient. No treatment has a 100% success guarantee. Some treatments fail patients 100% (no success at all) and some fail patients e. g. 65% (partly success). I recently made the experience myself (nothing WLS related) that a treatment has only been partly successful. Do I blame myself now? Does my doctor blame me now? Do the people in my environment blame me now? Of course they don't. I received a treatment option that was low risk and not invasive and it didn't work the way I hoped. I have an appointment due next Tuesday and it will be discussed what to do now (more wait and see or something more aggressive) - no blaming involved. And that is the way it should be with WLS related issues as well IMO. Unfortunately there is a lot of blaming and judgement going on when it comes to WLS, fellow patients being the worst. Yes, I see that having WLS is quite a risk so having (second) surgery is no piece of cake you simply give a try if it works or not - but that doesn't fully explain why the WLS community can be incredibly harsh when it comes to "lack of success".

I want a dime for every time I'm reading this. And then another dime for when I see that the people who wrote it get offended because someone didn't agree with their precious opinion.

Another post worth a full quote.

And you still needed surgery to lose weight?? Can't believe it!! That sure comes as a surprise after reading these lines. (or rather not coming as a surprise when considering how many users on here are sitting on the high horse)

Your post is worth a full quote but I hate full quotes of long posts so I chose this paragraph. One of the best posts I've ever read on here.

Do you remember back in school when nobody liked the grind who said that, including the teacher? (SCNR either, R&R right? ROFL)

I think a lot of it goes down to habit. Some habits form easier, some form harder. After some time (can be weeks/months/years) the new way of eating becomes habit, the supplements become habit, maybe the exercise if you didn't exercise before and the people in your immediate environment are used to your new habits, too, e. g. colleagues. For some that might never happen. Some don't want it to happen. It's the same with other chronic conditions like diabetes. Some people make their condition into a second job or identify very strongly with the condition, e. g. becoming the leaders of self-help groups etc.

Why do people risk their lives driving drunk or too fast? Why do people continue smoking after one of their legs had to be amputated? Why do people go out for a drink the day after they came out of rehab? Why does a woman get beaten up by her husband and goes back for more? --- I don't know. And I can't understand. Maybe it's because I never walked in their shoes. Or it's just life.