GinaCampbell

You are just plain wrong. You can't tell me that my experience isn't correct. You can't say that how I feel about electively cutting out my stomach, is not how I feel. It is true. And my posting on a website won't stop anyone "saving their life". As for "working", define it? Have I lost all my weight? Is that working? I have very little left to lose at ten weeks plus now post op! What happens when I want the weightloss to stop? Do you know anything about our bariatric program here? How many seminars here cover food aversion, food revulsion and give out the statistics of mortality due to malnutrition following VSG? Will my stomach grow back magically at year five? No, it is permanent. Why don't you want me to warn people about how they "might" feel post op? Why does that bother you? I am doing what I see fit, if you don't like it, hit unsubscribe and move along to a "we all love our sleeve" thread. I live it everyday, just like all post op people do! Thank you for contributing and giving me another chance to highlight this hardly discussed topic! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Vets are not the problem. The problem seems to be that outspoken, strong individuals, who stand up for themselves, are hassled in an attempt to change their behaviour and their comments. If you read many of the posts on this thread, a thread which makes the topic clear, I am being personally insulted. No content about VSG or bariatric surgery. Blatant personal insults, some of them trying to bully me off this website. Simply for having a different opinion than themselves. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App The general consensus on this board seems to relate all these traits to vets only. Mine was just a random observation... No, certainly not vets only! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I simply meant that I was alarmed by your initial post and after reading your full story your regrets made more sense to me. I don't think most of these posts on this thread were insulting, in fact I think they were very kind until they got snarky replies. Well, you seem to be enjoying your limelight so I'll budge along now and you can continue with the others. Onward and upward. One person's calm, reasonable reply is another person's "snarky". We all come from dozens of countries all over the globe and all have different ways of using language. But instead of simply skipping this thread, people are following me to engage and not for discussing the topic, but to get personal. It's a waste of time because I simply laugh and pity them. It does however highlight that if you don't say what people want to hear, people get personal. Of course there have been attempts at insults and people literally telling me to "get off BP"! Two people have even called my religion into question! Name calling shows that the poster simply cannot argue with my logic so have to stoop to name calling. Was your last post to discuss people who regret their surgery? Or to take a pot shot at me? And as I have said, if I have to be flamed on here every day to help one person, I will do. It's all about education. If my "limelight" as you call it, shines a light to one person here in the UK to become more informed, happy to do it! I am but one person (and my real time friends) doing my best, but everytime someone comes here to insult me, it shines my "limelight" on the gaps in our NHS Bariatric supplied information. So my thanks to all contributors! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Lol I am not "miserable" at all. If you take the emotional words out of it a moment and read exactly what I say, you will see that I want to make sure that other people who feel as I do post op (and they do, it's not just me. I am the only one brave enough to speak out), know that they are not alone. And to encourage other people to consider things that they cannot read in a book or hear in a seminar. This is irreversible, permanent surgery that may not be right for everyone. I have had many thanks for speaking out and it is worth all the bullying and personal insults just to know that one other person explored their options more thoroughly. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App Fair enough. There's nothing wrong with giving your honest experience. My advice would be just to make sure people know you are only 9 weeks out and have had complications so they can be more objective. As far as "silencing you" and bullying you, seems a wee bit over dramatic. It's just a weight loss forum, you're not Edward Snowden. Lol you would think so right? It has been amusing at the amount of people telling me to "get off this site". Read this whole thread if you want to see the idiotic insults and bullying that I have received. Water off a duck's back though! I have filled in my full profile (unlike others), have never edited nor deleted a post, and always made it clear that I am ten weeks post op which is nearly three months, have had complications etc. Pre op people can't be more objective than me because they are pre op. That's the point. Being objective won't alter the facts. That this is a permanent surgery removing 85% of a major organ. Or that it is major abdominal surgery. Or that you might end up with more medical problems than when you started or that you only are projected to lose 65% of your excess weight. Everytime someone takes the time to shout "get off this site!", it gives me a platform to provide information. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

People need to stop putting so much emotion into this topic. Emotional words like "sad", "happy", "light at the end of the tunnel", etc are irrelevant to me as I don't "feel" any of those things. This is about intelligent, factual education. People need to understand that it is possible to dislike the results of this surgery for reasons they may not have thought of. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App I guess I'm not sure how to separate that out. You had an irreversible procedure that is causing you suffering and regret. As I, and most other responders, are compassionate people we immediately feel sad for someone in that position. When we further read that someone seems very hopeless about a process that they're not very far into, it's natural for us to try to remind them that regret might be temporary and to try to remain objective. We don't want to say, "you're right, you messed up big time, there is no hope that you'll ever stop regretting this", especially when that might not be true. If you're going to post about your disappointment on a public forum then most people will try to offer solutions that could be helpful. You apparently don't want any solutions and are enjoying just living in regret, so ... I don't know what else to say. Best of luck. This is not about solutions for me. This is permanent surgery, that is the point. There is no reset button. I don't nor will I "live in regret". Nor is this about "no hope". This is not emotional. This is about urging people to consider exploring the unwritten, not advertised, not popular, possible results. There is no point in spending time concentrating on what I cannot change. But what I can do is help other people, just like my friends are doing. We simply want people, especially low BMI people here in the UK, considering NHS bariatric surgery, to seek out more knowledge. To seek out better education about post op situations. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Lol I am not "miserable" at all. If you take the emotional words out of it a moment and read exactly what I say, you will see that I want to make sure that other people who feel as I do post op (and they do, it's not just me. I am the only one brave enough to speak out), know that they are not alone. And to encourage other people to consider things that they cannot read in a book or hear in a seminar. This is irreversible, permanent surgery that may not be right for everyone. I have had many thanks for speaking out and it is worth all the bullying and personal insults just to know that one other person explored their options more thoroughly. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

People need to stop putting so much emotion into this topic. Emotional words like "sad", "happy", "light at the end of the tunnel", etc are irrelevant to me as I don't "feel" any of those things. This is about intelligent, factual education. People need to understand that it is possible to dislike the results of this surgery for reasons they may not have thought of. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

This is why I started this thread. People who don't want to read my comments are welcome to ignore and move on themselves. For everyone that tries to silence me, there are two people who thank me. No, I can't change it but I can help other people to make sure that they are mentally, emotionally and physically ready for their surgery. Or to say, "Wait a minute, I think I will just wait until I am more sure." Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

You are right about one thing, and this is why I put up with so much abuse here to express my opinion, I was not prepared! Despite all my research, despite being friends with 9 other bariatric patients, regardless of spending two years in classes, meetings, seminars. Despite reading, listening, exploring, I was not prepared. I could not know what I didn't know. That it was possible not to like the fact that I had 85% of my stomach removed permanently. I didn't like it on day one, I still don't like it on week ten. There is no more regret today than day one. It's the same. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Vets are not the problem. The problem seems to be that outspoken, strong individuals, who stand up for themselves, are hassled in an attempt to change their behaviour and their comments. If you read many of the posts on this thread, a thread which makes the topic clear, I am being personally insulted. No content about VSG or bariatric surgery. Blatant personal insults, some of them trying to bully me off this website. Simply for having a different opinion than themselves. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Not really sure why it is so important to everyone that I feel differently about my mistake. Why can't I feel as I feel without people spending so much time trying to convince me I will be happy about this later. I have accepted it and am moving on with life but I should be allowed to be me without people trying to change me. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Won't be bullied by you or anyone to "get off this site". Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Now THIS post is helpful. Thank you! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

And I wonder what about me inspires your devoted following of me. What about me upsets you so much? Why are you engaging with such a "sick" person? And you will give me more attention, you know you will. And there is the playground statement. "Let's all ignore her, not play with her because I don't like her". You just prove my point. And don't hate me just because I am clever enough to post on BP more quickly than most. Being jealous of the way "I roll" (really, from a woman your age?) is only a complement. Ask yourself, why are you on this thread? Hurling insults won't help your objective. Unless your objective is just being a mean girl. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App *compliment Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

See, she finds me fascinating. She wants to know more about me. She keeps asking what my objective is, despite me repeating it for her again and again. She feels personally criticised by me. She thinks I felt disrespected by her. All sounds quite personal, not about WLS at all. My point exactly. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

You know, the reason I don't hit ignore is because these people clearly need somewhere to vent. They follow me around seeking attention from me. Hitting ignore means that I am hiding their comments as if I am not able to handle their insults, if there are any. There is something about this topic that really upsets people. They want to hear what they want to hear and when that doesn't happen, personal insults start flying. I can understand that. Because I am making them look deeper and alot of people don't want to do the work. What if this happens to them? What if they have irreversible surgery and then find that they hate the result? Or even more aggravating, what if they do it and fail? Stay fat or gain weight? That idea makes people scared and angry. But that's great. The more people read this thread, the better so the more they post, the more my message gets out. I don't "own" the thread, but I started it for a reason. I welcome all posts, bullying or not. And yes, there is at least one post here that is quite aggressive and has a bullying tone. I certainly won't lose sleep over it. I agree that everyone is welcome to their opinion, and the more people resort to name calling, insults etc, the less intelligent they sound. People don't have to be nice to me, but being civil is helpful. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Again, I wonder what brings you here, to this thread? Why do you follow my threads and posts if I am not helpful to you? If you don't wish to hear from me, move along to another thread. And you are not the judge of who I help and who I don't. I am not "lashing" out at anyone. It is you following me, attention seeking from me. I have made my objective here on this thread (clue is in the title), very clear. I didn't start this thread to "hear" anything in particular. But I will not be bullied off my own thread. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

See, there you go! Bet you feel better now! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

As I said before, something about my not liking my new stomach really brings out the personal insults from people. I don't go through my backposts and edit or delete them the way some people do here. I am honest and forthright. I will leave my saddest, most frightened posts here for all to read. I don't care what anyone thinks of me personally. I certainly won't take any notice of mudslinging. Nor will I take too much notice of insults from pre op folk. You have no idea yet. If you are about to comment here on this thread, ask yourself what your objective is? I am going to do it again, here we go, watch closely now... I will never (ooo the miserable, negative, never word!) cringe at my posts. I own them. Not sure how much more informed I could be after over two years of research and actually having surgery nearly three months ago. As long as I help one person simply look harder, research longer, talk to their surgeon more, and really examine their relationship with food prior to surgery, then I am happy. I think alot of what is bothering some folk is that I am almost at perfection weight ten weeks out. With no effort and being bold enough to say that I would rather be the way I was. So go for it, let it all out, I can definitely take it. And of course, I need a good laugh to cheer up my "negative, miserable" life! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Oh dear! And I am the "negative attention seeker". *looking for the intelligent, informative input in this post.... nope, nevermind! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I do appreciate your thoughts but you are really mistaken about how you think I feel. You are using words like "feeling attacked", "angry", "hopeless". As a devout Christian, I am never without hope. My team may have lost hope and be out of their depth, but I am not hopeless, nor do I feel attacked or angry. People here can say anything they want. I welcome that. But if they are wrong about me, I will correct them. I have no worry about leakage. They checked that (well they said they did). My mental and emotional state is fine. I know that people here don't want to hear that I refuse to make nice about my mistake. I do also wish that I could have a better quality of health. Moving house when you are ten weeks out, with an abdominal abscess while constantly pooping yourself, is no joke. But it is very embarrassing. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I am American and have lived in the UK since 1985. When I first came here, I was shocked at the difference in the healthcare between here and the States, The Netherlands and even South Africa. Things are different here. I won't berate the details because I would surely offend someone. No, I lost faith in my bariatric team just prior to surgery but I put mistakes down to their being busy. And it got much, much worse. Now, I rely on my own research, my GP etc. I will no longer jump through the system's hoops to satisfy their statistics. I am vocal about their shortcomings hoping that they will make changes. I know that in the States that I would be receiving better care. But I have to accept what I have. Also, I am a devout Christian. I have a deep and abiding faith that helps me know that no matter what, I am not alone. And that whatever happens, I will be okay. You are right. I am developing a new normal. I can't get Protein in (I literally have had nothing but maybe a couple of eggs in homemade egg drop soup) and have not had any to speak of for ten weeks. This is a problem that I will have to solve. I am going to ask to see a gastroenterologist as soon as someone contacts me. Everyone here seems to think that I am lying here lamenting my mistake and wailing woe is me. This is not the case. I am moving house so very busy packing, cleaning etc. I am living my life. Albeit with incontinence. I don't really bother with food much. I eat Soups, taste things etc, but I get my fluids in and then forget it. I know that I need healthcare. I wish they would concentrate on those of us who are sick and stop doing new surgeries. We deserve it. But life goes on. I don't sleep much and I am in some pain, but my life other than this is good. Thank you for your kindness. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

My drain was the old fashioned bag hanging from my abdomen fastened by stitches. Really awkward! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I wish my drain had been like that! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I think you will find that it works both ways. Some folk just suffer in silence for fear of getting flamed. As for me, I am one of the "noisy, outspoken" ones. Not an underachiever though! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App