To the pre-ops/newly sleeved -

WOW......... all I can say is wow i thought this was a forum for people to come and feel comfortable asking any questions.

Try not to take the comments the wrong way. Everyone here wants to help people. Wants to get people to learn before they make mistakes. To do their research and try to understand what will happen to their bodies etc... 

LISTEN TO HER PRE OPS!  LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN!

The advice here from all those that have "been there and done that" is invaluable.  So what if they are sometimes blunt or sarcastic in their approach?  They speak the truth.

I have had an incredibly easy and successful first four months post-op and I credit a lot of it from the advice and support from this forum.  

Thank you, Alison.  I really value your perspective, and your committment to the process.  I have had people PM me with questions and it's reinforces that it is important to post for myself first, and then for other people.

I really agree with your statement about your doctor not knowing much.  Mine is a great guy, but I know way more about my eating issues than he does, and he doesn't have a clue about how it feels to have this surgery and my screwed up thinking about food.  I have to get that help from people like me, from a place like this.

 I guess I should change my name to Happy and more people will ask for help :)  Ive gotten a few messages here and there, but for the most part, I dont see a lot of pre-ops really laying out their expectations before they go into the OR room. I see primarily a bunch of new people - dreaming of this fabulous life that's waiting on the other side of the bright lights with....without considering all the work they are going to have to do to get there. I think that unrealistic expectations is the biggest problem and just being totally ignorant as to the basics. 

I'm very grateful to have you and all the others that have been around for a while to keep me sane and teach me a lot :)

Happy just seemed easier than "struggling to maintain a good attitude while having a major dark and sarcastic side, with a major judgemental streak."  That probably would have been more accurate.

 Hahaha!!!!!  

 I HOPE THIS POST CHANGES THE TIDE OF THIS HERE FORUM...PLEASE DONT TAKE IT NEGATIVE SHE IS RIGHT ASK AWAY BUT ASK BEEEEEEE4444444 YOU CUT AND ASK A VET
PLEASE AND THANKS
CARRY ON

Exactly. People are bound to get offended and everyone can feel free to ask what they want, when they want but they are bound to get offended with the responses when they "cut now, ask later." I'm SO glad I found this place before I had surgery. I learned so much information here that they didn't tell me in my 6 months (really over a year) of classes. Also, there is a handy, dandy search bar that can really help people gather information. It's helped me many times and even given me more information than the 5 or so people that respond to my given thread because I get years and years of experiences on the same topic that I will be postng on, before I post on it. A lot of times I never even have to ask my question.

Also, I've found that asking people just a few months further out or 6ish months out can help a lot. They aren't so far out that they have forgotten the feelings and experiences of where you are, but they are far enough from where you are that they can share their experiences and downfalls with you. Sometimes, I've found, that people years out can't offer the same "fresh" encouragement and support that some of the people 3-6 months further out than I am can but they can offer advice on maintenance, etc. Plus, I'm sure they get burned out on the same questions. We all have things to offer each other for our different stages I guess my point with that is everyone doesn't have to necessarily look to people that are years out to get advice.

 **LIKE**