*susan*

I understand your frustration, when a specific member needs to be addressed, we do so, privately.

Please, everyone, be POLITE, be RESPECTFUL and please do not be rude or inappropriate. As adults, everyone should be able to argue in an adult manner and without attacking others.

A lab band "erodes" when it actually grows into the stomach. This is a very serious problem and the band needs to be permanently removed. You would then need to look at an alternative type of weight loss surgery,

Chiki, my apologies to you. That was a violation of forum rules and it has been addressed. All of our members shall be treated with respect. I wish you much success. Sent from my iPad using VST

As forum administrator, I am really unhappy with the tone of the boards lately. We thought we had gotten this all under control when we were deleting topics, and issuing a great deal of warning and bans. Things quieted down a bit, but now it seems to have all started again. Seriously people, this is a support forum. Be supportive, offer advice and if you can't respect our rules and be polite, then don't post a response and move on to the next topic. I am going to close this topic. It is only going to grow into another one of those greatly heated threads where everyone ends up arguing, nothing is resolved and we once again end up losing members who after reading a thread like this, become afraid to post for fear of what kind of retribution they will suffer as a result of doing so. http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/52658-please-read-do-not-create-topics-for-ranting-and-raving-about-other-members/ Tis the season and all that, just everyone try and get along!

To those of you in this topic who said you are turning 21, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! These are going to be some of the best years of your lives, enjoy them to the fullest.

Okay folks, first off, I am moving this topic to "Rants and Raves". Recently, we have been deleting posts such as this, that are created for the sole purpose of bashing others. However, I feel many of you have some valid points. Thus, I will allow it to remain open for now. However, I am going to STRONGLY REMIND all of you, to remember our rules as posted here: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/index.php?app=forums&module=extras&section=boardrules I have had to post several warnings such as this in other threads tonight and the past couple of days, and I keep seeing the same names over and over again. Therefore, if this thread gets out of control, I will not hesitate to close and delete it. If you are not able to be polite, respect one another, refrain from name calling, etc., and can't remember to attack the idea and not the person, then I will also not hesitate to issue warnings and bans.

Everyone, please remember to be polite and respectful of each other, and attack the idea, not the person. http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/index.php?app=forums&module=extras&section=boardrules

To the OP, and others in a similar situation, I do not feel that because you cheated at three weeks out, or were so badly craving a piece of real food that you took a small bite, chewed it up for the flavor and then spit it out qualifies you as having a full blown "eating disorder" that requires you to immediately seek help from a therapist. We are all weak, we didn't become obese by having a strong willpower to resist the temptations of food, we became that way because we don't. We tried diets, but they weren't successful, hence, we turned to the sleeve. Whilst they are able to sleeve our stomachs, they are not able to sleeve our brains. And no matter how much we prepare, psych ourselves up, get counseling beforehand, etc., the bottom line is those old demons do not just disappear overnight. And lets be honest, I don't care who you are, between the pre-op and post-op diets, we go a very, very long time on liquids and mushies only. Kudos to all of you who decide to undertake that. No matter how much you prepare for that, until you are actually doing it, you have no idea just how difficult of an undertaking that is. If you are able to make it through the entire process without cheating, I commend you. If you aren't, it doesn't mean you have failed, it doesn't mean you didn't research, it doesn't mean you weren't prepared or ready for this surgery, it just means you are human and you caved. Own up to it, understand you made a mistake, tell your doctor and get right back on track. Understand, I am not saying you didn't or won't put yourself at risk, but I am sure each of you already knew that, or you wouldn't be "confessing" it here. But believe me, you weren't the first or the last to cheat. What is important is that hopefully you are okay, understand what you did, and immediately get back on track and do your absolute best to make sure you don't do it again. This is a tough, tough journey to take, lets all be supportive in an honest, caring and respectful manner of one another.

Everyone, please remember our rules. Be polite, respect one another and attack the idea, not the person. If you need to refresh yourself on what our rules our so you do not violate them and receive a warning and/or ban, here is the link: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/index.php?app=forums&module=extras&section=boardrules

I think there is a huge difference in the mindset of former morbidly obese people and olympic athletes. Morbidly obese people who have turned to weight loss surgery to lose weight and become healthy recognize that a failure to monitor what they eat can and likely will result in gaining their weight back. They have a very different reason for needing to monitor their intake, and it is a very good habit to develop and stick with. I have never once read or heard a physician, nutritionist or any other person in the field of obesity say that tracking what you eat is a bad idea, I have always heard just the opposite. I know when I get lazy and quit tracking, I slip into bad habits and start to gain. And, nobody has ever said that getting sleeved means giving up all the foods you love for the rest of your life. That is just crazy talk. I got the sleeve to use as a tool in my weight loss. I haven't given up a single food I enjoy. Instead, thanks to my sleeve and tracking, I never deny myself anything and am able to enjoy the foods I love in moderation. If I want a piece of cake, I enjoy that piece of cake, not the whole cake like I may have done in the past. If anyone gets the sleeve thinking they have to give up all the foods they love, in my opinion they are setting themselves up for failure. Sent from my iPad using VST

I suggest everyone stop with the personal attacks. Please remember our rules of being polite and attacking the idea, not the person. When you come here for advice or support you are generally going to receive a lot of different viewpoints. When I just started out with my sleeve, I loved hearing from the "old timers" as they had already been through what I was going through and were a great source of information. The sleeve is a great weight loss tool, but lets remember, it is just that, a tool. Don't fool yourself into believing that it will just magically take all your excess weight off for you. You still need to eat healthy and exercise. And, they sleeve your stomach, not your brain. So, yes, for those of us out of the honeymoon phase, it becomes even more important to watch everything we eat and make sure we maintain good habits or those pounds will begin to creep back on again. I have learned that measuring and tracking every bite of food that goes into my mouth is vital to my continued success. Better to develop good habits in the beginning as opposed to have to try and figure it out later after you start gaining. Sent from my iPad using VST

I'm sorry you disagree. I don't believe in affairs. Some things aren't that easy, hence why I made the suggestion of counseling. But, life is too short to stay in a situation in which you are unhappy. I didn't say it was easy, I am saying sometimes we have to make the tough choices. Sitting around doing nothing isn't going to fix the problem, or help anyone to gain a sense of satisfaction or happiness with ones life. Sent from my iPad using VST

Going to look for it now, thanks so much for sharing. Sent from my iPad using VST

I agree, suggesting an affair is not good advice. If it is that bad and you still love her then seek marriage counseling. Affairs only end up causing heartache for everyone and is a cowards way out. If you are unhappy, be a man (or woman, as the case may be) and either fix it or face up to reality that it can't be fixed and it is time for both of you to go your separate ways. Sent from my iPad using VST

Oh my goodness, I hope they quit quickly! *hugs* Sent from my iPad using VST

Ha ha, just you wait girl, your tummy is going to make all kinds of crazy noises, and if you are like me, they don't go away, lol. At any rate, here's to a quick recovery and a healthier new you! Sent from my iPad using VST

Right now I am losing 1-2 pounds per week. Sent from my iPad using VST

Girl, I hear you! I don't think I slept a wink in the week prior to my surgery, I was just too excited. Sent from my iPad using VST

We really don't experience dumping in the way that one would think, as a gastric bypass patient does. Dumping syndrome is avoided or minimized because the pylorus is preserved. Yes, we may experience the sweats and diarrhea, but it is not anything like what a gastric bypass patient would experience. Sent from my iPad using VST

Oh goodness, so much I want to say, but I fear I must behave myself. Don't want you guys to know all my sordid little secrets, lol Ftomivec, sounds like its time for you to spice things up in the bedroom and some romance back in. Honestly, while men seem to want it whether they are getting it or not, if woman aren't getting it, they tend to not miss is. But, when we are, the more we get it, the more we want it! Maybe some candlelight, music and roses are in order, or a visit to the local adult toy store. Anything new and different can be just what it takes to liven things up in the bedroom. Sent from my iPad using VST

I just ate the way I always did up until I started my pre-op diet. I didn't want to develop any new bad habits before surgery. Sent from my iPad using VST

Congratulations to both you and your mom. I think that is so awesome that the two of you are doing this together and your dad is right there by your sides. What a great support system you will be able to provide to each other. Sent from my iPad using VST

Wonderful, as soon as you feel up to it, let us know how you are doing. Good luck! Sent from my iPad using VST

Sleevers really don't experience dumping. It sounds to me like you just hadn't gone in a while, and your body finally let go. Just a thought though, that you may want to watch out for, for some reason a lot of us do come out of surgery with a new found lactose intolerance. Sent from my iPad using VST