Heyher

We are here, and believe me, we are trying to turn things around. There is nothing more we want than for everyone to feel safe to post here without the fear of being attacked. We need our members to help us with this, by continuing to report posts that violate forum rules. We do try and act quickly on all reported posts. It may not be done publicly, but I assure you we do address the issues.
Sent from my iPad using VST

...that any time a person shares a negative experience their honesty is called into question.
We do not question the people that hop on VST immediately after starting a new account to rave about losing 120 pounds, do we?
Guess what? One percent (or more, depending on what stats you're reading) have complications. Many more than that have a rotten time healing, or a horrible time eating, or don't lose as much weight as they want.
Do not expect them to be cheerful, happy and bright while experiencing a personal hell they likely thought would never happen to them. It doesn't matter if they knew it *could* happen. Nobody thinks they'll be the one percent! (And "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!") It's wrong to constantly cast the blame on the person experiencing less than satisfactory results, too.
Really, lots of people succeed on Weight Watchers. Should we be calling everyone that doesn't (i.e., every one of us sleevers) a failure and chastise them for eating in a way we don't consider "perfect" or ideal? Should we turn around and tell them how we've had fantastic results and if they haven't, they aren't trying hard enough?
Because honestly, that's exactly what ticked me off the most about my doctors and "friends" prior to surgery. Why do people that couldn't lose traditionally insist on applying a one-size-fits-all mindset to life post sleeve, when it didn't work for them prior?
Guess what? Not everyone posts here daily, or has a fully fleshed out profile. Again, to call only those that post negative experiences to account for this is unfair.
It's offensive and off putting to see people get into actual internet brawls over these things. It detracts from the overall value of a thread if I have to read through ten pages of people calling each other names and calling the OP a liar before finding the one or two actually useful things in the thread.
Lately I've seen several threads where as soon as someone dares to share a negative experience, they're called a liar or a fake.
That's pretty darn hostile, and an awfully quick judgment to make.
Any one of us could realistically be fakes. This is social media, people!
I, personally, feel that negative experiences are just as vital and important to these boards as positive ones. People researching the sleeve need to know all possible outcomes. Complications are ACCIDENTS and could happen to even the most skilled surgeon. People suffering after choosing this surgery should also have a place to share and vent, the same way people that are grumpy about a three day "stall" are given the ability to do so. Making this place hostile for the people that choose to share their negative experiences is detrimental to the community at large.
And I find it offensive.
It's one thing to be frustrated with people for posting the same things or for failing to do their research (things I, myself, have been guilty of venting about here), but to attack people for simply sharing their own experience is taking it a bit far in my opinion.
And I have a lot of opinions. And of course, I'm always right.
~Cheri

Once again we've resorted to calling each other names & backbiting.
C'mon people! Have a bit of decency. I don't believe for one second that everybody has to be kind all the time, but, if you can't post your opinion without using a bit of tact, then don't post it at all.
I swear sometimes its like watching teenagers fight on Facebook.< /p>

First I want to say, I am so sorry you are experiencing this difficult situation with your surgeon. Second, I am sorry you are now experiencing childish behavior on a site that is actually supposed to be a support forum. I truly hope things begin to turn in your favor soon. Lastly, what is wrong with some of you, she comes here asking for a little support and to see if anyone is or has experienced what she is going through and you attack her, really? How about if you don't have anything supportive to say or helpful in anyway you don't post. No one cares to listen to people have playground fights, or from another psting I witnessed an almost full fledge sexting party which was utterly ridiculous. I came to this site myself for support during a very scary and rewarding time in my life to learn from others going throgh the same thing I am. I didn't come here to read a bunch of useless, mindless, and self absorbed opinions of others, or for a date! Go to match.com if your lonely or take it offline. Also, if you just have to fight with someone on here, just exchange numbers and handle it like adults and leave the rest of us out of it. That was my soap box moment, I hope people are not offended and understand some of us just want to make friends and get al little support.

The only thing I'm going to contribute here is that I urge any new and researching folks to wait out the results of this thread before jumping to conclusions.
It is a physical impossibility for a properly sleeved stomach to first of all, stretch that much, especially that quickly (especially during the swollen healing phase) and all without the pain and vomiting that follows a sleever eating even a bite too many. Second, to stretch to the point where you could rapidly regain 20 pounds is something I have never, ever seen here. Anyone I've seen regain has regained on sliders. And immediately post op? No way.
Anyone that's been operated on can see there is something missing here - either on the OP's or surgeon's end. I reserve my own judgment for when we know more, but acknowledge that we can't ever really "know" anything about this situation because we're trusting in social media without any way to prove anything.
Remember those first few days post op? I clearly remember not being able to sip more than three spoonfuls of broth in the hospital because that much made me feel full. All sleeves aren't equal, but none of us can fit the quantities as discussed by OP on other threads, even at seven weeks post op.
So, let's not panic, everyone! Wait and see if anything more concrete comes from this, because this isn't even a case of getting a bypass instead of a sleeve. I have friends that had a bypass and none of them bounced back or were able to eat like that, either. In fact, I'd argue the bypass surgery was harder on all of them than my sleeve was on me!
OP - sorry you're going through whatever situation we have here. I hope that you won't disappear before filling us in on the rest of the story.
~Cheri

That was very sweet of the man to say. Very nice compliment. Congrats on your loss so far!!! Excited to see your updates and see some pictures!!

I had my surgery on November 27th. It has been a struggle to say the least. I know many of you have read my posts & given me support throughout these first steps of my journey, So, I wanted to share my success so far with you. I am down 51 pounds. My BMI is 7 points lower. My shirt size has gone from a 34 to a 26/28. My pants have gone from a tight 32 to a comfortable 26. Even at my dress shoes are too big. The shoes are a funny story. I hardly ever wear dress shoes so I only have 1 pair. I needed them for a wedding reception last weekend. As I was walking up the stairs at the reception & my foot came up & my shoe stayed on the stair. I stepped right out of it. There was a man standing at the bottom of the stairs & he got my shoe & held it out for me to put on. He said,"You're just like Cinderella". LOL. My boyfriend didn't find it as funny. So, that's about it for now. It has been a really hard road, but I am starting to have some hope. I'll have to post a new pic since I have lost weight in my face.

Tattoos take about a month to heal. Depending on the location some are quicker some are slower. Larger tattoos take longer as well because they obviously cover a bigger area. Just remember a new tattoo is basically an open wound. If it gets infected or you have a reaction to the ink, it could delay surgery until it is calmed down.

Feb 25th for me

I learned after breast reduction that the quick almost zing like pain is the nerves that were cut firing off and trying to reconnect. Constant pain could indicate an infection at or under the skin. Monitor your temp if the pain is persistent and note any fever. Pain around the incision with heat and redness is cause for concern and a call to the doc/trip to ER. Pay attention to the type of pain and talk to your doc. But just remember there are tons of nerves that were cut through and tons of healing going on.

Wow...you folks manage to turn ANY question or conversation into an immature cliquey high school drama, don't you?
Why on earth was there any need to attack someone for volunteering their own experience? It does NOT matter if Dianne38 chooses to eat at McD's once in a while, or enjoy a doughnut. It also doesn't mean she's unhealthy or that she doesn't care about her body. Could she make better choices? Sure. So could almost every American out there, obese or not.
These things are an ingrained part of our culture and if she can use moderation and enjoy them it's her choice. I'd criticize her if she were hopping on here to complain that she's stalled and then shared that she's eating doughnuts and hamburgers. But really? The VERY first response to her was a sarcastic, overly critical snotty one.
No WONDER people don't want to post here. No WONDER people say VST has gotten too negative. And you accuse the lady that was just out-of-the-blue sniped at for sharing her experience of reacting harshly, instead of acknowledging that people here are acting like a bunch of children.
Pathetic. And things I've read about certain people here never having a single positive thing to say seem to ring true - outside of their own little posse of like-minded sharp-tongued people, that is.
~Cheri

So eating half a Big Mac is eating healthy? And "life" means eating a Big Mac and Crispy Creme donuts? Or more to the point, is "life" eating what you want, when you want? Maybe life means not being a slave to cravings for crappy food that I used to eat, even half of it.

I'm ending all of this arguing with this:

[ATTACH]8418[/ATTACH]

Wtf.... well I at least killed a whole day reading this nonsence. It was almost as good as Maury! Didn't your mothers teach u if u have nothing nice to say.... don't say anything at all

Just trying to lighten the mood, don't throw rocks at me :)

There is absolutely nothing useful or constructive in this entire thread.
I'm sorry the OP's sister has had a terrible experience, but I also realize this is a post by someone that did not choose to have the sleeve and who has no first hand experience to relate.
I think it's a bit ridiculous to implore strangers on the internet to change their minds entirely about surgery based upon one experience. I think the approach taken was wrong in that respect. Sharing information is one thing. Scare mongering is another. But what's the big deal in the end, really?
Look - I appreciate every single person that comes to VST to report their negative experiences. Because people researching surgery sometimes don't understand what complications can arise, even when they're clearly listed and every surgeon should cover them in detail. Heck, ten minutes of your time on VST could outline every single possible negative experience or side effect you could possibly have if you bother to do the search. Most people don't, but then most people undergoing surgery are so "eyes on the prize" that they completely disregard any risks as things that simply won't happen to them.
So people that are either post op and had a great experience should not take it personally when someone relates their PERSONAL negative experience here. It's not our job to defend the entire surgery. Some surgeons stink and shouldn't operate and sometimes complications happen even with great surgeons. The people doing research have a right to know about the good and the bad.
But much the same way I get peeved when I read an anti-Mexico surgery rant by someone that's never had a surgery in Mexico, I don't weight posts by people that haven't personally undergone surgery as heavily as I would a personal account. Sorry, that's just the way it is.
My sympathies to the OP's family because seeing a family member struggle isn't easy or fun for anyone.
Everyone else should really chill out and stop making this into an argument. There's nothing to argue about. OP says don't have surgery, lots of people love the surgery, whatever. VST is about sharing our vast breadth of experiences and that goes for positive as well as negative. There's nothing to be offended about when someone has a bad experience.
~Cheri

Anyone who has a medical procedure that goes wrong becomes anti that procedure. When we have surgery we sign that we are aware of the risks and take responsibility for them and whilst it is not good when complications arise it is just part of the risk we take.
Like driving a car, we risk being in an accident. Or crossing a road, or getting on an airplane. We are all adults and should we choose to proceed knowing the risks we should not then try to deter others because we had complications.
My sister lost a baby because she was left in labour too long. My partner has a cousin who has cerebral palsy because he was oxygen deprived at birth. Should they go on birthing websites and try to deter women from having children? I don't think so.
Iggy, I am sorry for you but you made the choice and you need to stop playing the blame game and take responsibility for the choice you made and so do others on this site. As for the person who started this thread, I hope they got it off their chest but their rant served no useful purpose.

I am sitting here watching my 4 year old picky eater devour Tomato Soup, made with 1% milk, with toasted cheese (not grilled!). The toasted cheese is made on "light" bread (80 calories for 2 slices) with skim milk cheese (25 calories) and absolutely no butter, fat, oil etc. He doesn't notice a difference at all! Love it! Last night I made sugar free Jello (10 calories) and sliced up strawberries (26 calories) and he thought it was the best dessert he had ever had! He prefers rice cake chips over regular chips and fruit over candy. He may be a brat, but at least I have done something right! I have no fear that he will be over 200 pounds in 5th grade like I was :-)

So I finally have a date of 2/4/13. It may be adjusted by a few days, but it is happening. I can't express how great it is to finally have a date. Just waiting to hear if insurance will pay or if I will pay. Woo hoo!!!!

They won't be so bad as long as you don't dig and scratch them. I had them on my face too its hardly noticeable,

I've had shingles twice. After you get over it, I would recommend getting the shingles vaccine.

Thank you so much for this!!!! I needed to hear from someone who had a similar experience with pain after the reduction. I don't expect I will go into surgery with the expectation of smooth sailing. But I think I can go into surgery with out having a complete melt down.
And everyone who posted on this thread. You all have helped so much!! I'm no longer in full on panic mode and have moved back to just nervous. I really do appreciate everyone's encouragement. Gotta keep my eye on the prize!!! Getting back into my size 8 pants.
:-)

So I finally have a date of 2/4/13. It may be adjusted by a few days, but it is happening. I can't express how great it is to finally have a date. Just waiting to hear if insurance will pay or if I will pay. Woo hoo!!!!

So I finally have a date of 2/4/13. It may be adjusted by a few days, but it is happening. I can't express how great it is to finally have a date. Just waiting to hear if insurance will pay or if I will pay. Woo hoo!!!!

So I finally have a date of 2/4/13. It may be adjusted by a few days, but it is happening. I can't express how great it is to finally have a date. Just waiting to hear if insurance will pay or if I will pay. Woo hoo!!!!