REPOST: Tips for GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THIS FORUM

FOREMOST: IF YOU ARE HAVING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, ARE EXPERIENCING UNRESOLVED PAIN, CONSTANT VOMITING, BLEEDING, FEVER, ETC. DO NOT POST HERE FOR HELP. CALL 911, VISIT YOUR NEAREST HOSPITAL AND CALL YOUR PHYSICIAN(S) IMMEDIATELY!

- Obesity Help has their own list of TOS (Terms of Service) that you should read so you can be aware of their own requirements for a post's acceptability.

- No one - other than OH - owns, runs or dictates this or any other forum or OH page.

- Know that EVERYONE is allowed to post whatever they want to this or any other OH forum. You will hear both pros and cons of the band (and pros and cons of pretty much everything else, too.) 

- Remember that even people who have had negative band experiences may have things to offer you.

- Try to disregard comments from people who HAVE NEVER HAD A BAND!

- YOU are always welcome to post what you like. Obviously, issues and topics relating to band and band life are primary, but if you want to post a photo of your new puppy, feel free. If you want to tell us about your vacation, great! If you're having a crappy day or just lost your job, feel free to vent. Posts that are not band-related should be prefaced with "OT" (off topic) on the subject line.

- If you find a person or their comments disagreeable, you can block them using the BLOCK button, which can be found below the person's post(s). This is a very good function! By blocking, you will not see any of their posts anymore, unless you - or they - sign out.

- Understand that everyone will have a different experience with the band. You may lose a lot of weight. You may lose very little weight. You may have no success at all. It's possible. This is commonly referred to as "your mileage (or results) may vary."

- It is recommended that you post band-related issues HERE, rather than on the Main Board, which can be notoriously "bandtagonistic."

- Remember that people post the same questions here all the time. Before posting, scroll down through recent posts to see if your question has already been asked.

- If your post doesn't get the quantity of responses you would like, please don't post that you're now pissed because no one cares. We may not have an answer to your issue or may have responded to that issue 5 times in the past hour.

- Understand that NO surgery is right for EVERYONE, regardless of what anyone says. You and you alone should make the decision of which procedure is right for you, your needs, your life and your expectation.

- Assume that no one here is an actual, certified, licensed medical professional, regardless of what they may say. The Internet is full of BS artists and liars along with people who genuinely want to help you. For MEDICAL ADVICE, consult your own medical team: surgeon, nutritionist, primary care physician.

- Appreciate that most posters will be trying to help you resolve whatever issue you need addressed. But if someone tells you that you are doing something wrong ("You need to exercise more", for example) don't get pissed if you don't like the answer.

- Understand that you may not lose weight - especially large amounts of it - right after your surgery. Look for posts regarding "Bandster Hell" for details. Remind yourself that just as you did not become obese overnight, you can't expect that you will lose a lot of weight in a day or a month. You MAY, but you also may NOT.

- Your surgeon and/or nutritionist should have given you a post-op diet to follow. If they HAVEN'T, be sure to ask for one. If they HAVE, FOLLOW IT. Please don't post that you're a day out of surgery, ate an apple and don't know what to do. You will most likely get and forum dope-slapping. Please don't act surprised if you do.

- Feel free to privately message (PM) people if you have an issue you would like to discuss off the board. 

- You will, fairly quickly, learn what posts to read - and whose - and which to not bother with. There are a lot of topics that will just not interest you. Don't feel like you have to read or respond to all of them.

- Standard message board protocols apply. ALL CAPS MAKES IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE SHOUTING. That's fine, if you are actually trying to shout as in, "HELP ME!!" Caps are also fine for emphasis.

- Read your post before you hit "submit" to make sure it makes sense. There are many times when we read someone's post and actually have no idea what they are asking about. You won't get helpful responses if the readers' first impression of the post is, "WTF??!!"

- Please try not to use a font color that is hard to read, like light pink or pale blue, on the white OH background. Please try to avoid using a tiny font size. Not everyone has a large monitor.

- TRY TO HAVE FUN. You will meet some people here who you will call "friend" for years, perhaps even life!