SMH

[BigViffer 3,544]

You guys need to be careful, you're precariously close to being a curmudgeonly vet...

[TakingABreak 2,733]

3 minutes ago, BigViffer said:

You guys need to be careful, you're precariously close to being a curmudgeonly vet...

yup, I am.

[BigViffer 3,544]

3 minutes ago, AshAsh1 said:

yup, I am.

Welcome to the club. You'll get your jacket soon.

[Frustr8 7,886]

Get me 2, one a 3x,for now. the other a l or m.

[sillykitty 10,780]

24 minutes ago, BigViffer said:

You guys need to be careful, you're precariously close to being a curmudgeonly vet...

I've crossed the curmudgeon line already

[CrankyMagpie 509]

I haven't even had my surgery yet, and I'm feeling a lot of this thread.

Honestly, though? I'm less angry at the people posting the repetitive questions and more angry at their doctors, for leaving them so under-prepared. My doctor has this whole three-month thing he makes everyone go through (even if they're prepared and don't need it, but that's a side rant), so that people don't end up totally at sea, like I see on this site.

Now, they haven't really talked to me about stalls, yet, but like I said, I'm pre-op. Also I've dieted before--counted calories, counted macros, the whole deal. Are there really people who get this surgery who haven't tried any diets? Every diet (or "lifestyle change," whatever) comes with plateaus, and it is absolutely mind-blowing to me that, after surgery, this surprises anyone. But I guess maybe people expect WLS to be different than every other kind of weight loss they've experienced? And I guess there are doctors who let their patients swing in the wind, with no concept of what is a reasonable expectation?

Then again, I am the very crankiest of magpies, and doctors are not, generally speaking, my very favorite class of people. (My current doctors are great. Exclude them from this rant. I'm talking about doctors in general.) Too many of them have been too cruel and/or patronizing to me, in the past. So. I'm nice to the posters, and I quietly seethe at the doctors who didn't make sure their patients were prepared.

(I believe in individual responsibility, sure. There are books about every type of WLS out there, and many of them are written in very approachable language. People absolutely should be more willing to seek out information from reputable sources, rather than asking strangers on the internet. But that isn't how doctors expect us to behave about our health, and many actively discourage it, so I can sort of forgive people for not doing that.)

[Frustr8 7,886]

Big Viffer, I was not aware,of this. I had assumed you were a mere Couch Grouch,and an curmudgeon-in-training. Here you have gotten your degree and I failed to send a 📦 gift! Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa!

[Orchids&Dragons 9,047]

13 minutes ago, CrankyMagpie said:

Honestly, though? I'm less angry at the people posting the repetitive questions and more angry at their doctors, for leaving them so under-prepared. My doctor has this whole three-month thing he makes everyone go through (even if they're prepared and don't need it, but that's a side rant), so that people don't end up totally at sea, like I see on this site.

Mostly I agree with everything you said, but in one sense I think this is completely outside the doctor's control. I sat thru several pre-op nutrition classes and forums where other soon-to-be patients played on their phones or tablets and didn't learn a #$@% thing. You can't cure stupid. The information was being discussed, they had the opportunity to ask questions and they wasted it.

[KimTriesRNY 1,853]

11 minutes ago, CrankyMagpie said:

and more angry at their doctors, for leaving them so under-prepared.

Many times when people come on here to post, especially to post questions about eating things before they should, I.e. advancing diet stages early, eating pizza or carbs, drinking alcohol, it is not that they are underprepared. They are seeking validation or at least trying to find others that have done the same without experiencing a negative outcome.

I was given clear instructions on diet progression, what Vitamins to take, foods to avoid, and even rate of weight loss to expect.

Maybe there are a few programs out there with less preparation but most seem to have a 3-6 month prep time.

This is just my experience from being here.

[Orchids&Dragons 9,047]

3 minutes ago, KimTriesRNY said:

They are seeking validation or at least trying to find others that have done the same without experiencing a negative outcome.

Totally agree! It's the old "Daddy said no, so I'll go ask Mommy" routine. Sure, don't do what your surgeon says, take advice from some random person you don't know on the internet. What could go wrong?

[TakingABreak 2,733]

2 hours ago, KimTriesRNY said:

Many times when people come on here to post, especially to post questions about eating things before they should, I.e. advancing diet stages early, eating pizza or carbs, drinking alcohol, it is not that they are underprepared. They are seeking validation or at least trying to find others that have done the same without experiencing a negative outcome.

DING DING DING. If only I had a hammer and nail emoji..... you are exactly right.

[TakingABreak 2,733]

2 hours ago, CrankyMagpie said:

Honestly, though? I'm less angry at the people posting the repetitive questions and more angry at their doctors, for leaving them so under-prepared.

You are correct, some programs are way more thorough than others. I met with one nutritionist, one time... and it wasn't even weight loss surgery specific things we covered. It was mainly about nutrition basics. Then I had a group class that went into more specifics, but in no way could it or did it cover everything. But that's when I stepped up to the plate and did as much research as humanly possible, including reading threads on this forum. I was never going to allow my program nor my NUT to tell me everything I needed to know. I probably, no... definitely, know more than my NUT knows about nutrition for bariatric patients. I felt like she was there to fulfill a requirement, but didn't know the specifics about bariatric surgery or nutrition related to that.

Some people are looking for validation to break the rules, and others truly don't know the rules. But I don't think its safe to blame just the doctor for that. I think we should know things like... not to drink alcohol or eat bread at 1 month post op. Those things are common sense. And those are what get under my skin.

[TakingABreak 2,733]

1 minute ago, AshAsh1 said:

Some people are looking for validation to break the rules, and others truly don't know the rules. But I don't think its safe to blame just the doctor for that. I think we should know things like... not to drink alcohol or eat bread at 1 month post op. Those things are common sense. And those are what get under my skin.

And one more thing!

Why would you want to do those things 1 month post op... if you are committed to the process?

[Orchids&Dragons 9,047]

6 minutes ago, AshAsh1 said:

And one more thing!

Why would you want to do those things 1 month post op... if you are committed to the process?

Ummmm . . .DUH . . . because it's magic!

[sillykitty 10,780]

3 minutes ago, AshAsh1 said:

You are correct, some programs are way more thorough than others. I met with one nutritionist, one time... and it wasn't even weight loss surgery specific things we covered. It was mainly about nutrition basics. Then I had a group class that went into more specifics, but in no way could it or did it cover everything. But that's when I stepped up to the plate and did as much research as humanly possible, including reading threads on this forum. I was never going to allow my program nor my NUT to tell me everything I needed to know. I probably, no... definitely, know more than my NUT knows about nutrition for bariatric patients. I felt like she was there to fulfill a requirement, but didn't know the specifics about bariatric surgery or nutrition related to that.

^^^ This was exactly my experience. My insurance didn't require a pre op diet. I had one 1 on 1 meeting with the NUT and got the "this is a tool" speech. It was immediately followed by a small group class laying out the post WLS eating plan. That was a cluster f*ck with idiot fellow patients, and the NUT who didn't have answers she should have had IMO.

BUT, sensible nutrition isn't rocket science. I mean we all know that chicken is good, pizza is bad, right? Anyone on this site can obviously use the internet and educate themselves if they have gaps in their nutritional knowledge.

I also never like to rely on any one person completely to supply all the answers. We have seen how many different programs there are out there. People are successful on seemingly all of them. There is no one right answer. I have common sense and good Google skills. I trust I will be able to take in all the different programs and figure out what works best, for me.