No longer answering these questions:

[MaryCatherine 173]

New members know that they can google questions, but they are looking for advice from an experienced person. They are looking for the experts, not just random answers.

When you are burned out on answering questions, it is time to take a break and let others do the answering. What attracts people to a board is the ability to interact.

When everyone quits interacting and simply points to the search bar, then the board will cease to exist.

[PorkChopExpress 821]

I think I exhausted Google of all its information on these surgeries before I even got to my pre-op diet. LOL Now my questions are more about others' experiences.

Edited October 11, 2016 by PorkChopExpress

[GinaCampbell 434]

Just don't mention bananas ...

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[higher 966]

The search function on this board is practically non functioning in the mobile version which is what I'm guessing most people use.

That said- if I'm sick of READING the same thing over and over, I can imagine how tiresome it must be to write out thoughtful responses repeatedly.

The board is poorly laid out. There are way too many sections. It's very confusing for a first time user. The FAQs and stickies exist, but are large and unwieldy.

[Bufflehead 6,358]

@@Caribear I will definitely stick around! And there will always be people to answer questions. To be honest some of this is me trying to learn to step back and be less of a know-it-all

[Babbs 14,681]

New members know that they can google questions, but they are looking for advice from an experienced person. They are looking for the experts, not just random answers.

When you are burned out on answering questions, it is time to take a break and let others do the answering. What attracts people to a board is the ability to interact.

When everyone quits interacting and simply points to the search bar, then the board will cease to exist.

Let's be honest. Some members are simply looking for validation to eat around their surgeries as opposed to information.

You stick around long enough, you'll be able to spot the difference.

[GinaCampbell 434]

New members know that they can google questions, but they are looking for advice from an experienced person. They are looking for the experts, not just random answers.

When you are burned out on answering questions, it is time to take a break and let others do the answering. What attracts people to a board is the ability to interact.

When everyone quits interacting and simply points to the search bar, then the board will cease to exist.

This. Fantastic response!

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[Moogle 116]

In my time here, I have made all of one topic. And this was a topic about acceptance (I had a really hard time accepting that I was going to subsist on a cheese and liquid diet for 3 weeks but then I realized I just had to accept it.) Do you know what I did anytime I had a question? I typed key words into that handy dandy search box and blammo.. I got an answer! That is one of the things I love about this place. There is SO MUCH information here. Yeah, not all of it is good (I'm talking about newbie advice), but as someone who believes fact-checking is important I know what and when to trust.

[Candygyrl 637]

I do understand why the vets "take a break" or leave altogether. This board tends to get redundant or repetitive and it's pretty annoying sometimes to see the same questions posed over and over and over and over and over and over and over and I've only been a member since June. I don't post a lot of questions because my career is based on educating cancer patients throughout their diagnosis, treatment and management of their condition. In other words I have to look up a lot of s h I t sometimes. Theres a lot of information out there and if you look even a little bit you'll find the answers you need.

I think we newbies come here wet behind the ears eager to soak up knowledge and find a happy medium between our old life and our new life. We are looking to connect with others with similar experiences and understand how others have managed. Over time we become more acclimated to the lifestyle, more understanding of what has to be done and why and hopefully less inclined to make the same mistakes that led us to need surgery in the first place. Then the newbies become the vets and the vets become more "normal" and so forth and so on.

I remember when I was in nursing school. I frequented a Forum for nurses. I was on that site almost everyday. When I finally became an RN I hung around for about a year and then--- I moved on. I had tapped out. Although I had not experienced everything-- I was better equipped to handle any situation that I encountered. I understood how to access my resources and I was doing well on my own. I offered advice and encouragement to other newbies but I had my co workers and nursing school buddies to share war stories with. I no longer needed the forum. I was no longer benefitting.

I find myself bypassing certain topics because there is not a lack of people willing to answer or comment. There is no need for me to answer grudgingly or hastily because I think someone lacks complete common sense. Let someone else have the floor.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

True, but I feel bad at times that LSL gets bashed alot by saying what at least I'm thinking. And most of the time she isnt a quarter as bad as I would be. Lol

When I started this process I wanted to know everything that I could to prepare and decide if this was for me. I could never imagine doing this life altering surgery without research.

When I started I didnt even know what questions to have, thats why I stalked this forum. Started reading threads in the gastric forum from 2 years ago and just mentally compiling.

I guess that is also why I get a bug up my butt when I see the same threads.

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Wait! I'm not even part of this thread!!!

[theantichick 2,204]

I remember when I was in nursing school. I frequented a Forum for nurses. I was on that site almost everyday. When I finally became an RN I hung around for about a year and then--- I moved on. I had tapped out. Although I had not experienced everything-- I was better equipped to handle any situation that I encountered. I understood how to access my resources and I was doing well on my own. I offered advice and encouragement to other newbies but I had my co workers and nursing school buddies to share war stories with. I no longer needed the forum. I was no longer benefitting.

Oh, good, it's not just me. I was on probably the same forum from the time I decided to go to nursing school until about a year and a half after graduating. I got tired of the whining about being a nurse and how awful it was, and it stopped being useful for me. Then, after I had to leave bedside nursing, I tried to get active again in the Informatics community, but there's not much action there.

I think online communities serve a very needed function, and for some people that is a long-term thing and for others it's more episodic. Once it doesn't serve a need for me, I tend to stay for a while to "pay it forward" and then I end up losing interest and dropping out. I've been in so many communities online over the years, it's a little sad but I think just the way it goes.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

I don't mind the redundant questions as much as I mind the questions of those who are simply looking for validation for bad behavior. While I wish people would use the search bar more, I'd be really happy if people used their heads more.

And then when they get mad because someone tells them something they don't want to hear? It's amazing. That's all I can call it. Amazing.

[Rosey posey 176]

I'm fairly new so I don't know it all, in our defense we newbies may ask a question of a certain respondent cause we feel a link or just like the way they write.

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[switch2lose 32]

Wow! So sorry that we inconvenienced you all. Maybe I missed it but when I started on this site a month ago, I did not see a "how to" as far as asking questions. Maybe its time for some of the veterans to bow out... you have forgotten what it is like to be a newbie and to feel overwhelmed about this whole process not to mention the ton of information coming from all different sources. Some of you have forgotten what it is all about...if your bored with the questions...move along and don't waste your time. I thought it was great to be getting input from the "VIPs" and "Bariatric Legends" but I don't want a veteran who has forgotten where they came from.

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

Wow! So sorry that we inconvenienced you all. Maybe I missed it but when I started on this site a month ago, I did not see a "how to" as far as asking questions. Maybe its time for some of the veterans to bow out... you have forgotten what it is like to be a newbie and to feel overwhelmed about this whole process not to mention the ton of information coming from all different sources. Some of you have forgotten what it is all about...if your bored with the questions...move along and don't waste your time. I thought it was great to be getting input from the "VIPs" and "Bariatric Legends" but I don't want a veteran who has forgotten where they came from.

Umm a lot of us never asked the kinds of questions people ask. I didn't, I did my research and actually picked a decent Dr. So I can't relate to people asking dumb ass questions or people that don't understand science or basic math.

I skip a lot of questions because I am annoyed with them and I don't want to be snarky. Besides there are plenty of people here that are still pre-op or barely 3 months giving out advice like pros so YOLO. pizza, tacos, steak, and all the liquor people want, don't let that expensive major surgery hold you back from the life you deserve.

This is the rants area people can complain all they want.

I'm riding out the next 3 months until I can post in the Vets forum the best way I can. I have a question I want to ask but I only want input from Vets so I'm waiting. It is a long hard wait...