What makes an OH member a "vet"?

Back at you friend 

Wow - eye opening post. I am on cruise control, have had little to no problems a recent off program moment, but things have gone well. Was I that naïve to believe I would ride away happily ever after with no issues moving forward. I thought I was a vet at 19 months. I thought I had this, and now realize I may not...I do more reading than posting, and will continue to be diligent and listen to the vets advice. What do I call myself at 19 months? LOL

I'd call that a "work in progress." That's how I refer to myself at least :)

I like it, I do not mind being a WIP! :o)

I agree with everyone else on the five years. As Kim has said, you could sit on the couch and eat candy the first three years and lose weight.

It's really year four where you learn to live with your surgery. By that time, the excitement has worn off and it is harder to be conscientious. Life has gone on, and we don't live and breathe surgery anymore. We've experienced just enough stealthily passing for normal that it's tempting to think we are. 

Five years is enough to gain perspective and hopefully insight into our relationship with food and our self image. You can do practically anything for a year or so and think it's easy. 

I've seen a lot of people come here, blow up the boards for six months, post a goal photo, and leave, thinking they don't need to be here because they are cured. I will never be cured, so I will always be here so I'm not tempted by hubris to think I'm normal.

To me, in the OH community, a "vet" is someone more than 3 years out from weight loss surgery. Someone *****alizes surgeons and dietitians are not "Gods" just because they have a degree (some people have a hard time understanding that). We stay active in the bariatric community to find the best way to take care of our health. We learn from our own research and from personal observation. We take the time to share what we have learned with others, even though we have answered the same questions hundreds of times and are attacked often.

I have been a member here for almost 9 years now (7.75 years post-RNY). I have been told often I am "mean" and "abrupt" (I am a single mom of 2 so time is valuable to me). I have lost 200 pounds and have kept it off. Honestly, I do know more about this lifestyle than pre-ops on newly post-ops. I plan to stay active here and help others who actually want help. The know-it-alls, the excuse makers, and those who like to play the victim should block me now. 

This is interesting to me! I never had a set definition in my mind exactly. I looked at people over 3 years out who maintained their weight loss and continually gave support to others as people I could look to for good advice. I looked at people 5 years or more out who maintained their weight loss as the really amazing gold standard.

It's not hard to see who gives good advice and who gives bad advice if you're on here consistently. And to see who is actually here consistently. They're the ones who comment on nutrition advice posts and cheer me up posts and congratulation posts and all the bazillion posts in between. Those are the vets I want to listen to.

But then there are also those secret people who have close to the same stats as me...those are my personal vets as I consider them. Whether they are 12 months out or 10 years out, they're the people I continue to look at as people who give me hope.

I always feel VERY protective over the term, because there is a big difference after 5 years, when people are statistically expected to have regained a lot of their weight back.

Very few people stick it out here a year, let alone 5, 10 or 12.

You don't have to like me, but I would expect that someone respects my journey and experience and the fact that I am still here after 12 years!!!

12 years is impressive.

If there is one piece of advice you would give to anyone who has had WLS regardless of procedure, what would it be?

Stay vigilant and stay involved in the community, I believe there's a reason why we who stay here,  stay successful.

And it doesn't suck to pay it forward ....   most of the time