To the pre-ops/newly sleeved -

 I am a pre-op, I have just started my journey.. I know every person, and Doctors are defferent.  I just want to say that the Doctor I am going to has a list of requiments before He will even schudle surgery.  I had to attend a seminar, attend 3 support group meetings, have ton of testing, encluding a pysc evel.  But I have to agree you have to think, researce not just the procedure but the Doctor as well... And most of all. Talk to your Family. Have a great support team will help alot more then you think. 

You rock Alison! I had a hysterectomy, but I'd have your children too - well, if I could.

I just want to add a few points.

*I think you need to put an emphasis on the hard work.
*You WILL diet, if you don't at some point you will come back here and you'll start a thread with a title like this "I don't know why I never got to goal" Or "Back on the wagon" Or "Frustrated that I'm not losing" Or "WTF another stall?" Or "I haven't lost in 2 months and don't know why" We will all know the answer to these threads - you went back to your old habits and crappy ways of eating.
*RESEARCH - for the love of all that is good in this world research. If you doctor isn't doing Sleeves weekly get another doc. If he doesn't have a technique, get another doc. If he or she doesn't give you massive amount of support material (I received a 1 inch binder) get another doc.
*Getting to goal is like giving birth - it takes as long as it takes. Some people get to goal fast some slow. I prefer slow because of how much I'm learning along the way.

 

 My ipad cut me off - there's a lot of things I wanted to say, but really, its up to pre-ops to sit down and think about what their expectations are before they have this surgery and sort those outs...so many people just have the surgery and are completely blind sided by the rough reality that faces them. Id be happy to help before they become irrational hot messes but once they hit that point, my patience is really limited. 

I'm with you. No one ever PM's me to ask me questions. I'd be happy to answer with what I've learned so far. I try to answer their questions on the forum and either get ignored or told I'm don't know what the **** I'm talking about. That's cool. I'm not a vet, but I am as active as my time allows.

My problem is with the newbies who are defiant in their approach to weightloss and then want support when they hit a stall. No thanks. Keep eating ****ty choices and don't waste my time.

A lot of us listen and read, but don't comment...I feel like the silly defiant newbies give us all a bad name.  

Thank your for this post, it really drives home some points all of us need to keep in mind. I am newly sleeved, but I have always thought of this as a journey, not a race to get the weight off, but a lifelong commitment. There's a saying in AA (and probably a lot of other places) that says, "It works if you work it." That will continue to be my lifelong mantra.

 Right - for anyone who thinks there is a magical end point - they are very wrong. Getting to "goal" is such a small part of what "I" signed up for - hope it happens, but its not my end all be all of WLS. 

I agree with everything you say--

BUT.

(You felt that but coming, didn't you?)

I posted only a few days ago about not feeling a restriction and having a "sleeve of steel."  And it was only then--over 3 weeks post-op--that I found out that only being able to eat a tiny amount of food post-op wasn't automatic. 

I think what happens here is that most people are posting about their problems, and one common problem is not being able to drink  enough, or eat enough, get enough protein, get the fluids down.  I felt like maybe something was wrong with me because I wasn't feeling those things.  Then enough people responded that they hadn't had those issues to make me feel more normal.

As much research as I did and as many threads as I read on this and other forums, I hadn't absorbed that idea before.

We each have a different journey and have a lot to learn.  And I'd be surprised if any of us are totally prepared for what's coming. 

But I love my sleeve, and I love this forum, and I especially love vets like you who share so generously.

 There is no way to be prepared but knowledge is pretty powerful - i think all new-ops need to know that they are severing nerves and doing major damage to their organs. Some people will be more sensitive to the swelling and what not, but regardless of where you fall on that spectrum...

The approach you take to ask for help/support makes a huge difference. I'm kind of over the overly dramatic approach where people start posting crazy stuff.

Agreed.  The way you do it makes all the difference in the world.

Having had hormones raging through my body before, I also have sympathy for how overwhelming your emotions can be. 

But you get more flies with honey, etc.