I see online forums as a place where topics & conversations are ongoing...fresh & timely. If I want just impersonal information I will google it. I felt coming here was for support as well as learning medium. Since reading the rants I now talk mysef out of posting things because I dont want anyone to roll there eyes or mock what I post because what's new for me is possibly old rehashed news to a sleever who is a year or more out.

Perhaps there should be 2 forums one for superior/experienced sleevers and one for people like myself called slow/nonexperienced sleevers as Im only 5 weeks out and have lots of questions/ponders for other like sleevers...if they don't mind helping that is.

I'm not talking about why I should not eat 64 oz steak & loaded baked potato 24 hours after surgery...I figured that would be plain silly & painful!

I see online forums as a place where topics & conversations are ongoing...fresh & timely. If I want just impersonal information I will google it. I felt coming here was for support as well as learning medium. Since reading the rants I now talk mysef out of posting things because I dont want anyone to roll there eyes or mock what I post because what's new for me is possibly old rehashed news to a sleever who is a year or more out.

Perhaps there should be 2 forums one for superior/experienced sleevers and one for people like myself called slow/nonexperienced sleevers as Im only 5 weeks out and have lots of questions/ponders for other like sleevers...if they don't mind helping that is.

I'm not talking about why I should not eat 64 oz steak & loaded baked potato 24 hours after surgery...I figured that would be plain silly & painful!

your not alone!

If you have a question, and a search has not yielded you a sufficient answer, then post it again. I do encourage the searches, because the answers you find there might even help you refine or rethink you question.

PS - rememner this isnt a forum like you see for technical information or such - this is a support group, based in the form of, well, a forum.

If someone gets onto you just let it slide, if it is genuinely rude - trust me - you are going to get people on here that will back you up. No drama, hopefully, but a friendly voice.

There are alot of repeat posts, because it is in human nature to want to talk about ourselves when we worry - and we are all on a big learning curve, lots of emotions, and yes, we get scared...

Good luck in your journey, and your experience here. It is a good place to visit.

You can post anything you want. Please don't worry about how another person on the forum will respond. This forum has the most carrying, thoughtful people out there and are on here because they want to support others with their experiences. Very few get on here and are argumentative etc. I pretty much ignore them because they're in a bad spot for the moment. They are responsible for their thoughts and behaviors and I have a choice not to respond or take action. they are writing words that are meaningless to me if they're negative words. All and all,, post any questions and thought you may have, or you can PM someone. Enjoy your skinniness everyday, because everyday you will get even more skinnier! congrats!

Pookie & Dorrie, thank you for your kinds words...it made me tear up...I feel quite alone with this. My family try to help but they only know the information side....living it is SO far different! I found another forum but the posters dont post too often.

So here I am. I have been feeling really dizzy lately & fainted twice so my family Dr. did tests and they just called to say I have too high blood pressure, hypoglicemia and low potassium...when i said what do I do she said eat more calories...I said I can't as I throw up if I eat more than 3 bites...she said call my Surgeon. I have left messages and my surgeon office has yet to call me back.

I worry I have messed up my body with this surgery. I jsut want to be normal whatever the hell that is!

I totally agree, post anything you want here. Those who reply with rude comments don't matter, but you will find plenty of people here that really care.

I wouldn't worry about people being down or rude. I usually write it off to posting online and not being sure how it came across. I have been lucky because I have friends and people I work with who are supportive, although a couple of my friends lead off with ,"how the f@@@ you doin' , anything you need let me know." guys tend to get used to that and expect a bit of needling, sometimes guys forget women have a bit different sensibilities and can come across as rude. Ignore the negatives and accept only the positives. Good luck!

Ignore that other post. If you have a question, ask.

You will get a response 99% of the time.

I had low potassium in my first weeks. My surgeon prescribed straight potassium for me. It comes in giant pill form, but I would score it in half then crush it with a mortar and pistil. Then you let it dissolve in 2oz of water for about 2 minutes and sip it down. It really helped me with the dizzies and fainting spells. Your body just went through major surgery, it will normalize with proper hydration, working the best you can with foods/protein, and rest. Hope you feel better soon.

Yes, there are some negative people on here who may feel power in bashing other people's opinions but don't let them discourage you. Like the others said 99% of us will support you and give you the answer you are seeking, just ignore the negative ninnis. .

For low potassium, V-8 juice has loads. Get the low sodium kind in the 12 oz can. It helps a lot--I was getting leg cramps from low potassium and 1 V-8 a day stopped them.

And low sodium V-8 just got added to the shopping list!

Good luck with your journey!

I know the postings you are talking about, don't worry about that.

As a fellow newbie, I do encourage the search functions. I kind of scratch my head when I see basically the same question over and over right next to each other, but I find that people are still willing to help out answering the same questions over and over. Most are so supportive. I am sure I will be asking some of those same questions next week after my surgery.

Can't Believe, I'll address your second question first. Use Protein drinks to supplement your diet for now. Find one that you can tolerate and try to drink at least one serving a day of it. I like the ready to drink Premier Protein Drinks myself, but you might have better luck with an unflavored powder that you can mix with something else. That will help you to raise your calorie consumption. Do this in addition to whatever you're eating at your current stage. Keep calling that dang surgeon, too. Eventually they have to call you back. If not, ask your PCP if s/he will call them for you.

As to being unsure what to post, post what you wish to ask. Stay out of the rants and raves section unless you have something to rant and rave about. It's just as frustrating for those who are farther out post-op to answer the same question over and over, especially when we get negative feedback from some newbie who doesn't want to hear that this is a tool, or takes offense to advice that is literally the standard answer because we know it works. I think that 99% of the people who are here are looking to give and to get support from others. I know that's why I'm here, because VST is literally my support group. My IRL group only meets once monthly and isn't geared really to long-term sleever support.

It helps if you can use the search function, but that's tough when you (generally) are in the middle of a crisis and just want an answer right now. There's almost always someone here who will give you an answer.

Lastly, even support groups aren't always about patting us on the head and saying "You're so perfect." There is an element of tough love in all support. If someone posts on here that they're eating a steak and a fully loaded baked potato the day after surgery, bet your sweet bippie that someone is going to call them on it! As Tiffykins says "If you want something sugar-coated, go eat a donut." I think most of us try to be polite to one another, but we all have bad days, too.

Good luck on your journey!!

this forum is like anything else in life - take out of it what you want to - I have learned much by reading - but also learned that this is my body and it is older and different. We all went into this surgery for different reasons - but the bottom line is we will be healthier.

Give yourself time to heal - talk to the people in your doctors office and understand you did not get heavy in days and you won't loose all the weight in a short period of time - but you will loose the weight.

Know your own body and mind - it will get you where you need to be.

My potassium was low post-op and I had three bags put back in through my IV - that STUNG! There are a few sports type drinks out there that have potassium - ZICO coconut Water is one I used some in the first weeks post-op. I don't love the taste but I can get them down. Never tried V-8 but (thanks Foxbins) I'll have to check it out too!

Eating more calories is really hard in the early weeks post-op! Have you tried split pea Soup? I used to thin it down with some chicken broth. What about blended Greek yogurt & fruit smoothies? Avocado?

I haven't completely fainted yet but I've come close and I get dizzy all the time. My BP is low though.

Post anything you want, ignore the rude folks and try not to get too stressed. Eat what you can, try to make good food choices and give yourself some time to heal. It gets better every day!