I came back to this site about a month ago because I felt that I needed to address a 20 lb creep that came back over the last decade since surgery. I could have left it alone, I did for the last year, but I decided that I didn't want to anymore so I figured I'd come back for some support as I took off that 20 lbs (i knew what to do to get it to come off, I just wanted the "excitement" of sharing the experience.

I was shocked and saddened to see the posts on this site have decreased almost to nothing (in comparison) to what it was 10 years ago. I remember having to be on this site hours a day just to keep up. It was exciting and a valuable resource- I learned about the DS, I learned how to keep my labs normal, if I posted a question, I'd have an answer in minutes. I'd have multiple posts, with lots of details and sometimes different opinions, but it was a starting place for discussion and research. This is all gone! I'd probably be dead if I didn't learn the vitamin regime I needed here, because I wasn't hearing it from my dietician (we started calling them NUTS for a reason!), and no one seemed concerned with my first set of labs at 3 and 6 months which had gotten progressively worse. I found the right regime from Vitalady here- and haven't had a bad lab in 10 years.

I'm not sad for myself- I've maintained a weight loss and good labs for a decade; I'm sad for those that are choosing the surgery that is right for them now. I see people asking questions, and only getting 1/2 answers, and others posting questions and getting no answers.

I'm grateful that this site is still here for people so that they can research old questions- but what about the "new" information? I don't have time to sort through peer reviewed papers. I use to get most of that info here!

Hey there

I'm grateful for your post just as I am grateful for finding this site. As a newly VSG person it has been amazing to connect with other people in the same situation.

Given you feel there is so much missing and/or you have great experience I would love to hear more from you if you would be kind enough to share.

• What info did Vitalady give you?
• What other gems did you pick up?
• From personal experience what were your biggest learnings?
• If you could do something differently or what do you wish someone had of warned you about what would it be?

Any thoughts, advice or experience to share would be great.

C

To answer your questions:

1)I got my vitamin regime from Vitalady. 10 years ago, Vitalady was advocating massive doses of A, D, E, K and B vits when most surgerons were telling their patients to take flinstone chewables. She was ripped apart for saying "that won't work", but she was right! She was the one that started saying being on the low end of normal or just below normal for vitamin levels was bad. She was the first one that told me to take iron when most were saying "men do not need iron". Again 10 years later- I have not had a bad lab. I've tweeked my regime over the years based on vitamin levels. I decreased iron, increased D, etc.

2) I can't even begin to tell you how much info I got here. Everything I know about how to live with WLS came from this site. What to eat, how to maintain, how to suppliment-there use to be a ton of people here that were scientists, doctors, attorneys, etc that were into looking up the research numbers. I learned that just because it's posted on the internet it is not true. When looking at surgery- you want to look at peer reviewed data. Which surgeries have the best long term results, etc.

3) Biggest learning: WLS does not fix all of life problems. I'm thin and life moves on, but being thin does not make everything better. It makes a lot easier, it makes somethings better, but not everything.

4) I don't think i would have changed anything. I like the DS, I am doing well with it. I really have enjoyed the journey. I had a consult for a RNY prior to have a 2nd opinion for the DS. If it wasn't for this site, I would have had the RNY, and been miserable (it would not have worked for me).

Last piece of advice: SAVE for plastic surgery!!!! It costs a lot of money. If you document, document, document you can get some of it paid for by insurance companies (I learned how to do that here), but other than that you will have to pay for it yourself.

Scott

Cool thanks for your insights Scott. I agree with the others, having you share your knowledge and learnings along the way is really valuable. 

I know as a newbie this site is my connection to others thru this experience and that over time life goes on and it may not be of as much value to long term WLS people like yourself. BUT coming back and sharing your success, insights and knowledge is really valued so I hope you will continue to do so. 

So why not stay around and be an active member of the site- offering answers to questions and drawing from your experience?? It's takes people willing to stick around and post to maintain an active, useful forum. 

And those that are here daily grow weary of the repetitive  questions that could easily be searched as they have been asked and answered a million times over. 

Off topic but I love your new Avatar/pic!

I have noticed the same thing.  This decline in disscussion seems to have started happening about 18 months ago.  It may be a combo of things - peeps like to have you "check out their blog", WLS is more old hat, so peeps don't feel like they need or have anything new to contribute, more like sites out there, and my bugaboo - this site is so slow moving technically, especially on a mobil, which I suspect is how most of us view.  Many times I just loose patience and shut down.

I agree with Peachpie and stick around.  With 10 years under your belt, you are an oracal of experience.

 

You missed a lot, Scott - and it wasn't necessarily good.  There was a power struggle between some members and some moderators, and I'm not even sure if those mods are still here, but several members started participating on facebook groups instead.  There was also struggle between members so bad that they operate on different groups.  There are a few key DS members that are still here to help, but you're right, the activity is nowhere near what it was a decade ago.  I have noticed a great group of people on the VSG board, which we have some input there since we have the same stomach.  I'd say they are the most active.  It's definitely good to have you back, though.

There have been power struggles for years! Remember the Amy years? I believe every one of us was banned from OH. I served out a 14 day suspension! LOL. We were so vile and malicious in those days!

Scott

Woah - intrigued by the Amy years! This is crazy to see and the reason I stay off most social media. Glad things are not as volatile or I wouldn't have bothered with this site. Stick around Scott and share more please