What makes someone a veteran?

[anniemay 150]

Is it reaching goal? Is it being six months out? Is it being a year out? Just curious

[DonRodolfo 1,416]

Is it reaching goal? Is it being six months out? Is it being a year out? Just curious

I believe according to this board, is someone 1 year out.

[Ms.AntiBand 2,984]

Last I heard it was 6 mos post op and 500+ comments? But.. Who knows..?

[Chimera 644]

Gastric Sleeve Veteran's Forum (NEW FORUM)

This forum is dedicated to veteran Sleevers who are six or more months post-op, to discuss issues specific to those who are further along in their journey. You must have 100 posts in order to post here.

[lsereno 2,525]

The description of the Vets Forum and the qualifications for posting are in the comments at the top of the Forum when viewed from the full website. I don't think this info shows in the app versions many people use to access the site. (our sigs and blogs are also not accessible from the mobile site).

Here's the text: This forum is dedicated to veteran Sleevers who are six or more months post-op, to discuss issues specific to those who are further along in their journey. You must have 100 posts in order to post here.

Lynda

[No game 14,437]

to discuss issues specific to those who are further along in their journey.

Lynda

^

[feedyoureye 3,087]

There is a point where many may:

have more capacity to eat more food/stomach relaxes

get their hunger back

weight loss slows or stops

start gaining weight

reach goal and navigate maintenance

are past the "honeymoon"

usually past a year or more may be earlier

find themselves in a new "stage" different from the beginning stages after WLS

finding the old methods used to take off weight may or may not work

are finding a way to stay the same weight after gaining or losing too much

the issues are no usually longer about what Protein drink to buy, the three week stall, the funny taste of food, gas pain, eating in public, hair loss, insurance approval.....

come to the conclusion that the process NEVER ends, it is a lifetime of learning and doing and sharing and counting and moving... and that is the new normal.

Realizing what is meant by "the sleeve is a tool" and it is only part of the process, you can gain all your weight back if you don't start forming a new life and just resting from the work and eating "normally" after getting to goal will result in weight gain for many.

These are some of the issues I see arising for "vets" and distinguishes them from "newbies"... which we all were once... You can't know how the sleeve and the rest of the body and mind will be until you experience it for yourself over time. 1-2-3-5 years later, things change. We don't know about 10 years because there just aren't many out there with current style sleeves to talk to. But some at 6 months are getting some of this experience, I think after a year or two you really see the Vet issues even clearer. Some don't come back here, so hopefully they are doing great, are living life and not gaining or losing too much.... the ones of us that are still here are experiencing the stuff listed above... some are having NO problems at all.

I love my sleeve and my life, and at this time (2 1/2 years out) I am still not at goal, but very close and believe I will make it to goal pretty soon, and have some plans on how to maintain I think I can follow. Taking the long view has been very helpful for me....If I took the view that if I didn't lose all my weight by 6 months without pulling all my hair out or I was a failure if I didn't lose 30 pounds in the first month, then this experience would have been hell. I have some good support friends here that have been here for years... we chug along together, and check in often, share research, worries and challenges, and we will share the pleasure of accomplishment as well. I plan on staying in contact during maintenance when I get there. Maintenance may well be the most difficult part of this journey. Keeping the weight off is the trick.

Someone here said it best... reaching goal at 3 years feels just as good at reaching goal at 6 months. Who cares as long as you get there!

[Fiddleman 4,376]

Being a vet seems to be when you get to a point in time when you have a clear and mature understanding or approach to living with the sleeve for the rest of your life. I do not think this has anything to do with post quotient or months out from surgery. It is highly subjective. For this reason, I think it is highly improbable to even define a vet in objective terms. Only an individual can know this.

[LifetimeLoser 208]

I know I just reached vet status last month (6 months post op), but I definitely do not feel like a veteran. I am now 7 months post op and I feel like I still have a lot to learn. I think being a veteran comes with knowledge, acceptance, and understanding with everything involved with a vertical sleeve gastrectomy.

[Heyher 581]

I will be six months out Monday. I researched this surgery for quite a while before I even met with a surgeon. Then I had an additional 6 months of insurance denials and waiting to research it more. I don't know if I will ever consider myself a vet. Too many mentors to name on here to look up to. But I also think I went into this with a balanced realistic approach. I didn't expect to drop all my weight in 4 months. I'm beyond pleased I lost 76 in 6 months. I know my capacity will increase the further out I get and if I don't lose weight for a short amount of time it doesn't mean I am done. (Even when the irrational voice tells me I am) Stalls are no weight loss for 2-3 weeks+. Not 2 days. I still struggle with balancing my carbs, Protein, Water intake, ect. And honestly I don't know if I will ever truly will find that magic balance.

But I do hope to one day be able to pay forward the knowledge that the vets gave me.

[Georgia 2,911]

Quote: Someone here said it best... reaching goal at 3 years feels just as good at reaching goal at 6 months. Who cares as long as you get there!

Well said, FYE!!

[buplee 556]

I am 6.5 months out and 88lbs out. I had 18 month fight with Aetna before I was approved after two denials, which gave me some to time to gain insight into how my life and that of my family would change. Am I a vet chronologically on this site? Maybe I am and maybe I'm not. However, I do learn something new or get a different understanding from the posters on this forum everyday.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Your insight will help you so much! Part of the Vet experience includes the changes your body goes through... I guess a vet is someone who has exited the honeymoon phase! Its hard to see you are really there until you have been there a while....Some don't really see it for years! Congrats on winning your insurance challenge and your 88 pounds.

[buplee 556]

Your insight will help you so much! Part of the Vet experience includes the changes your body goes through... I guess a vet is someone who has exited the honeymoon phase! Its hard to see you are really there until you have been there a while....Some don't really see it for years! Congrats on winning your insurance challenge and your 88 pounds.

Thank you

[ajeeprider 94]

This was a great question. I think I am approachingVet status.....my issues have certainly transitioned!

Surgeon: Dr. Farrell UNC Hospital 4/24/2013:------ Preop: 239-----Current: 194.6