Veterans ONLY please. One year + post op.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

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.

When I joined this forum when it was just for gastric sleeve, there was restrictions on joining forums for vets. When it changed to BP, those boundaries opened up. Many of those valuable vets are no longer here as a result.

I was not at all insulted, bemused, nor did I feel segregated. I understood that they had needs I couldn't meet and they didn't need me poking my head in with internet based knowledge vs real world knowledge.

I assume everyone will eventually get to the 12-18 month point post op (knock on wood!), so they, too would be allowed to join in. And just because one is a vet, doesn't mean one would be "locked in" either.

As for the "be careful" part... Is that some sort of veiled thread? I'm confused.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

@@VSGAnn2014 - OK, that makes sense.

@@LipstickLady - After reading some of the posts, yep this idea makes sense. Esp. with change of life issues that I think I will be hitting me down the road. Might want to ask @B-52. I don't see him bouncing around as much as he used to and I wonder if this is something that would get him back in the mix.

Tag him and anyone else you are missing!! I can't remember everyone's exact names. We need MrPhoto, the biker guy, some of those darn aussies, etc. Tag them all!

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

What I recall about the "old vets forum" was that all members could see threads and posts in that forum, but only those who qualified as vets (per the then-rules -- although I don't recall exactly what those rules were) could post there.

When I was pre-op and newly post-op I lurked my ass off there. It was so helpful. And trust me, even as a newbie I tired early on of the "How soon can I drink alcohol?" threads.

Some topics I would love to get into with other veterans (but not with newbies who simply haven't "been there" yet, although they'll get there) are:

* Advanced nutrition

* Regain and re-loss

* Recovering from exercise injuries

* Dealing in healthy ways with life's ongoing stresses and changes

* Late-stage complications

* Dealing with WLS fatigue

* Finding new life goals after conquering obesity

* Dealing with transfer addictions

* supplements three, four, five years down the road

* Transitioning from food tracking to mindful eating

* New career options for healthy, slim people

* Long-term relationship changes after conquering obesity

* Long-term challenges for WLS patients

* Joint replacement surgery for long-time WLS patients

* Discovering and living your Big Dreams when weight is no longer an issue

* Dealing with death

And that's after just a few minutes of thought.

[Babbs 14,681]

Some first-impression thoughts:

What about a couple of qualification criteria?

1. To me the most important qualification criterion for veteran status and forum participation should be the length of time since their surgery date. For me, 18 months seems about right. FTR, I can't imagine that anyone other than a complete loon would lie about their surgery date just to troll a veterans forum.

2. I don't think it's critical or even relevant that the person has been a member of this board for a long period of time -- measured either by time on the board or number of posts made on the board. Yes, they should have been around long enough to understand the community and to give members a sense of the veteran's ability to contribute. But those "longevity" bars should be set fairly low. I'm purely spit-wadding here, but am thinking at least 1 month and at least 50 posts.

Finally, the value of such a forum would be that veterans who know their way around WLS could seek and receive input from other veterans who also know their way around WLS.

I don't mean for this to sound "elitist," but some of the least helpful threads here are those in which a veteran who's struggling with regain or physical changes (maybe even late-stage complications) or life stresses have asked for input -- and people who aren't even 6 months post-op or, worse, haven't yet had WLS, chime in with irrelevant comments, advice, or distracting newbie questions.

Finally, for anyone reading this thread who wonders why there's a need for such a veterans-only forum, here's why: Veterans don't hang around any message board to answer the same newbie questions over and over. Newer members 6-12 months out can handle those kinds of questions.

But just like newbies, veterans need support for THEIR issues. If they don't get that support here, they leave. If that happens, no one will be available to address the questions of those who are approaching maintenance -- which, IMHO, is even more challenging than the weight loss phases.

My two cents' worth.

This ^^^^^

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

@Rogfulm

@@gowalking

@@Inner Surfer Girl

@@B-52

@@KindaFamiliar

@@MichiganChic

@@Oregondaisy

@@NikkiDoc

@@erp

[Daisee68 2,493]

I completely agree and think 18 months post-op makes sense - even though I am only 12 1/2 months post-op. I like what @@VSGAnn2014 said that others could read the forum to glean info but not be able to post until they are satisfying the restriction.

Sent from my HTC One M9 using the BariatricPal App

[band2sleeve2014 15]

I love the idea of a vets only restricted. Time post op makes a lot of sense.

Nice work!

Agreed. It's definitely needed in my opinion!!

[band2sleeve2014 15]

I also agree. I don't post a lot but am over 2 1/2 years post revision to sleeve and had the band for almost 3 years before that. I got within 14 pounds of goal and then gained 20 and am working my way back down and would welcome the idea of vets only for those with similar issues.

[Babbs 14,681]

Want to know the funny thing? I don't even feel like a vet. I'm still trying to figure out this maintenence thing!

[Babbs 14,681]

I also agree. I don't post a lot but am over 2 1/2 years post revision to sleeve and had the band for almost 3 years before that. I got within 14 pounds of goal and then gained 20 and am working my way back down and would welcome the idea of vets only for those with similar issues.

Yup. THIS is the perfect reason that we need the vet forum

[gowalking 10,790]

@@VSGAnn2014 - OK, that makes sense.

@@LipstickLady - After reading some of the posts, yep this idea makes sense. Esp. with change of life issues that I think I will be hitting me down the road. Might want to ask @B-52. I don't see him bouncing around as much as he used to and I wonder if this is something that would get him back in the mix.

Tag him and anyone else you are missing!! I can't remember everyone's exact names. We need MrPhoto, the biker guy, some of those darn aussies, etc. Tag them all!

Hey...what am I, chopped liver?? LOL!

[LipstickLady 25,682]

Well so far, it seems we have quite the majority in favor of closing down posts/replies to anyone who is not 12-18 months post op.

I am all for people of all stages being able to read, though! Great thought, @@VSGAnn2014

Is that possible, @@Alex Brecher ?

[LipstickLady 25,682]

@@gowalking


(Is that better??)

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

@@gowalking ...

Seriously, everybody tag everybody you can think of.

There are so many who have faded away lately.

[joannct1 59]

Good Idea!

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