Scary Stuff Going On Here.......

I read your post and shook my head.  I too have seen all the same trends that you are describing.  It is a sad state of affairs.  Judging by some responses some people did not understand your main point.  You are not saying that people that don't know what to eat at different stages shouldn't ask questions here, you are shocked that so many people NEED to ask this.  Because of the time you have put into this forum, you have witnessed countless people losing without a problem right up to the six months mark.  Then the weight loss stops.  They ask for help but are not really clear on who to listen to or what to change to start things moving in the right direction.  They often post something about stalling and then they disappear.  I see the same patterns as you, and I knew you would pick up on my veiled point about the disappearance of the "middle group".  Many of them are disappearing for very unfortunate reasons. There is little you or I can do to help with this.  Why should the newbies listen to us?  Just because so many of us followed the same path are successful is not enough for them.  I can understand this, after all, their own doctor is telling them it's OK to eat mashed potatoes along with other dubious advice; but they have an MD after their name, we only have our experience, years of observation and the advice of one of the leading doctors in this field.  Will will never convince them that boughie size matters a great deal since it preordains how much food you will be able to eat later, much later, after your stomach has healed to its capacity.  They will always have that stupid pen picture comparison to fall back on.  I know you have explained the math behind it a million times but people often come here after they had their operation and are stuck (physically and psychologically) with whatever they got.  It is what it is, and you are never going to win this fight. However, every single day I get a PM or question from someone that really wants to know how to make this work.  Quite often I even feel like I helped someone.  I know it gets frustrating, but you are helping many people. 

i haven't spoken to a doctor, but, because i'm self pay i have spoken to a coordinator, and let me tell you, the ones that i have talked with, well they make it sound like you are set for life.  you can eat anything you want and because you have a small stomach you will not have to worry because you will always have restriction.  i think the excitement of finding out about the sleeve (i never would have considered any surgery before this) and being told that everything is going to be puppies and rainbows after makes people jump into it and i'm sooo thankful that i got on the internet and did some research.  i mean i was led to believe this was going to be; walk in get stomach taken out and i will have no more hunger because i won't have grehlin and life will be simple and perfect after.  i wasn't told i was probably going to find most stuff disgusting at first, how hard it would be to get my water in, pains and leaks.  no the doctor they wanted to send me to is god and perfect and they surrounded me with all these ladies who were glowing and happy and thin.  now i have no doubt they were truly happy but they didn't say how hard it would be to get to where they were.  i guess that's the business of selling surgery. 

 
Hey avonlea......Sorry Lotus,

This is in regards to an earlier post you made here.......

Not trying to tell you what to do and not trying to put you into overload....A couple things come up... just sharing....

Sleeve size should not be negotiable.....The worst would be to ask a surgeon to make a smaller sleeve....smaller ones are harder to make. But more importantly is that if a surgeon agrees to make you a patient ordered sleeve size that he/she probably doesn't have a plan or any kind of data that would back up any kind of results. Remember.....sleeve size is generally not only about the WL it's also about longer term maintenance and the least amount of regain. People get hung up on just the weight loss.... it is thrilling.....and maintaining is kinda boring. So boring that many people lose sight and veer off. Long term restriction helps in keeping you in line.

I've been a kind of case study of sort as to under eating the sleeve. I have better restriction than some 2 months out of surgery. I just eat like one more time a day than most.

So, if you want a larger sleeve....find a surgeon that makes the capacity that you want.

frisco

i'm sorry, i don't recall talking about sleeve size.  could you help me out and point out which post that was?  thanks. :)

i believe the doctor i'm using makes a particular size then oversews.  dr. aceves?

Oops.....Sorry...it was avonlea......


Dr. Aveves does a very correct VSG.......Never heard a bad thing about him and he has many successful patients on this board.

frisco

 You probably won't see this at this point, and maybe this should be a different thread, but are you saying sleeve size should be something the surgeon tells you, not something you have any input on whatsoever? Because honestly, I think that's totally crazy. I cannot ever imagine going to a qualified bariatric surgeon who insisted that my input was not welcome. 

As far as studies go, I think the evidence is much stronger that sleeve size is fairly irrelevant than the reverse. But I would be happy to be corrected, if you have citations.

It seems that most doctors only look at this as a business of getting the surgery approved and then leaving their patients hangin. I did tons of research, watched the surgery online, read posts here for months before my surgery. I got in the habit of exercising everyday and eating healthier, slower and tiny bites before surgery.  Most people do not even know or bother to find out what happens after surgery.  they think its a magic pill and you lose weight automatically. they they get a big suprise after surgery because they are in over their heads with no help. I wish there were some kind of regulation or real standards for pre-op and post op procedures.

Oy I'm glad my center gives us a dietitian/nutritionist. Sometimes surgeons can be slightly unrealistic about what you can do in the beginning in my centers specific diet for the first 14 days it's full clear liquids and they want me up and busy... Yeah not so much... Zzzzz

I've not even had surgery yet...just going through the research and pre-surgical requirements.  It seems that weight loss surgery is not "standard" and is surgeon guided and surgeon preferenced. 

I just had a 4 hour group appt with surgeon where he did a presentation and answered questions and he flat out said that all the requirements and each step has been improved upon based on past experiences of patients.  This program is his program and he has a team that has worked with him for many years to fine tune it and they still improve it and make changes whenever and wherever they can.  He said the only 2 leaks (which he takes personally) were from a patient who went home and chugged tons of water and one who ate chicken strips 10 days post op. 

I have to meet with a therapist, a nutritionist, and the personal trainer as well as go to support groups.  i also am required to follow up with the nutritionist and therapist and get to go to free group meetings post op.  my surgeon also requires to follow up post surgery yearly.

it really is no different that doctors who throw pills at patients or label you with diagnoses without doing proper research themselves. 

it seems like if you couple a person who doesn't want all the info and a surgeon who just maybe is pumping out numbers or inexperienced...it's a bad combo. 

just like pairing a drug seeking patient with a doctor *****ally isn't paying attention and continues to write pain meds for that patient while he/she goes to multiple providers for meds....

it's a two way street.  but the person who has the surgery is the one gambling with their life.