Usually, I'm pretty even keeled, even on the Internet, but some questions...

[SoulGlo 75]

Given the state of WLS today -- if you can afford it, you can find a surgeon to perform the surgery -- those who do more research online prior to surgery (by lurking on WLS message boards, reading medical research study reports, studying various surgeons' Web sites, reading the www.asmbs.com site, etc.) are going to be better prepared for what's required to be successful with WLS than those who aren't research hounds.

As a research hound myself, I'm always a bit surprised that some people go into WLS apparently knowing so little about it -- based on the questions they ask and the comments they make post-op.

I also think that many WLS surgical practices fail abysmally in preparing their patients for WLS and what they must do to avoid future problems and be successful.

Finally, and this is seldom said out loud, I think some people are ill-equipped intellectually and/or emotionally for this journey and are badly served for not having been screened better pre-op. Some folks who don't or can't make the necessary behavior changes post-op (due to lack of education, lack of initiative, or their inability to understand and undertake those changes) may wind up even worse off physically and psychologically post-op than they were pre-op.

Recovery from obesity is a tough slog, and WLS as a treatment for obesity (generally speaking) has a long way to progress.

I think that has something to do with the way a lot of people see doctors and surgeons. They are put on the highest pedestals and held up as if they were deities .

Not many people question their authority and believe that they'll always provide a total comprehensive and definitive medical advice/instructions on their health problems, failing to realise that incompetence and complacency exists in the medical profession too. Personally, I don't trust doctors so I'll always do my own research in addition to listening to Dr's medical advice. Unfortunately, sometimes you have to burn to learn and most folks will never be burnt by doctors/surgeons to know that better informed you are about your medical situation, the better your health outcomes. will probably be.

BIB: You're right but doesn't that provide an even stronger reasoning for why people need to be less hostile in approaching these situations? If someone is lacking in education, initiative or inability to really understand the changes that need to be made in order to succeed, i don't think a Maury Povich styled tough love boot camp approach (especially from a random stranger) or a roasting will help them to achieve that understanding, it might just push them further away from the right path If advice is presented in a sour or chatty tone or style then the person might not take it seriously and think the individual offering the advice is being nasty for the sake of being nasty.

[SoulGlo 75]

wow reading some of these post actually make me not want to post here. If you find a question to be stupid simply don't answer it. Some people actually don't know or they have a very crappy NUT that isn't really helping them be realistic. Others haven't come to the conclusion that weight loss surgery isn't magic yet. oh and BTW 20 year olds arent all immature. If you consider yourself a "veteran" try actually helping instead of belittling people. try to remember how people were towards you when you were first starting

Exactly. I don't think a lot of times these forum veterans and other judgmental posters realise that their hostile approaches to questions deemed as 'stupid' may be putting off others members from seeking needed advice for very valid and pertinent questions.

I find it slightly odd that some forum members are yet to figure out that not all things are created equally especially in terms of the realm of surgery/ medicine and medical programmes. Some folks are berating others for knowing about guidelines about alcohol post surgery but just to illustrate my point about all clinics not being made equal or to the same standards, my bariatric programme/clinicians haven't stated much about alcohol post op apart from a nurse saying that i should bear in mind that if I drink, I would now be intoxicated faster and from smaller amounts'. Nothing about damage to the pouch, empty calories or cross addiction.

I think its more of the posts that say stuff like, "I know I'm not supposed to drink, but I'm doing it anyway at 2 weeks post op.. " and there are quite a few like that..

But I agree..

I agree with you too, those kinds of threads are understandably annoying and I don't think the OPs realise they are kicking a hornets' nest when posting them. But there has to be something said for people who continued to engage them despite being extremely irritated by these questions.

In my subjective view, I feel some posters secretly relish having an opportunity to go at the Ops of these kinds of questions but that's just my opinion

[laguerr13 993]

I am 51 years old and I have also seen some hostility here, but I am a firm believer in paying it forward and try to be helpful to ANYONE, I think a lot of veterans forget where they came from and the ridicule that comes along with being obese, I've seen some pretty crappy comments, I became involved in one because the poster was only asking how much weight people had lost their first month, and someone went on a rant with it never even touching on the question, you would have thought they asked who died, lol, I think if there is legitimate concern over a fellow members actions or posting, there is a tactful way to approach them without making them feel like crap, don't leave this forum because of a few soured peeps, your still gonna encounter them everywhere, I deal with them on Facebook, and at work, this a great forum and there are a lot of us willing to help any way we can

[laguerr13 993]

BTW it shouldn't matter if your sleeved at 15yo or 70yo, everyone who has been sleeved knows all the negative stuff that came before, the ridicule, name calling and stereotypical associations, so we all deserve a great amount of respect!!!!!!!