Hi everyone! I was just wondering how everyone did that tried out the 5 day pouch test do? How much weight did you lose? Was it worth it? Are you still losing? I keep trying to talk myself into trying this I am sooo tied of being stuck at this weight!! Its driving me !!!!! I have been reading up on it and trying to talk myself into trying it! Did everyone make it the whole 5 days without messing up???

I have learned that this surgery behaves differently in each and everyone of us. Some dump some don't, some eat grains some don't, some get anemic some don't, some can eat anything and are hungry and some can't eat anything and have to force food in... and on and on. On top of that, the advice that we are given varies dramatically because I don't know if anyone really truly understands the long term repercussions of this surgery. It seems that you have to have a secret decoder ring in order to get through the masses of information that is out there (and here), and then you have to try it to see if it will work for you. My surgeon has a dietician who knows this surgery the best of anyone, she is the only one in Western Canada that has an idea. I have heard of nutritionists from other areas giving advice like take the Flintstones chewables to patients and they happily do that, knowing that they are under medical advisement. There is nothing that I can do to tell them otherwise. I have also learned that what we have been told, especially by our medical teams is defendable by any means possible. We will even defend advice given by other WLS patients who have heard it from another... I have not found the definative word on what we all truly need. I was told that I had to educate myself before surgery about the surgery and if I had have been asked prior, I would have said that I knew as much as anyone, if not more because I am a trained researcher. I knew my stuff, except that it all fell apart after my surgery because as we all have found out, it is so very different for each and everyone of us, with only a few gold standards. I think that there is a level of meaness in this community that makes us not able to truly hear each other. I know that this is a strong statement and this (May 2006)is one of the few boards that doesn't do that. I have had strong discussions with people about keeping an open mind regarding finding what you need to find and have been drawn and quartered on the board. I guess an open mind is not an option? I guess that I worry about the level of 'not getting along' that happens on these boards. I worry that it gets in the way of actually figuring it all out and supporting each other. I have belonged to other boards and have never found this level of animosity. Has anyone else found this too? I also see some great compassion but I have seen this other places too. I have been trying to not focus on the animosity but I am really curious if I am the only one that is seeing this (maybe I should go and get some wonderful medications for it if it is true) Holly

Hi Ruth The scary part is she was giving ... very miss guided advice to a new post -opp, and could have hurt the other girl. she was telling her its OK to eat carbs and to take children's vitamins (and that they are exactly the same as adult vitamins)... when we all know we need our vitamins, and how some of us .. can get very sick because not enough nutrients were in our system. I really have a hard time watching someone fall, or rather fail..... Its a hard journey and we all need each other. Its just too bad when people don't even try to listen, or even worse when they give bad/hurtful advice to others. I think that's why I go on beforeandafterhelp.com... So much now lots of long term successful people with lots of helpful and supportive advise. I have met Susan Maria and Theresa .. they are both many years out 5 and 7 I think.. they are VERY nice and everyone is helpful

Recently I had gotten into a "huge" argument with a woman on the main board who was giving very bad advice to others. To find out she has not even had the surgery yet, and was so smug as to say she can give as good of advice as others who are 5 plus years out.... and to tell me what she learned in AA.... Ok not even to go into the addiction and transfer part of her problems.... I love to learn form others who are further out than myself and think their advice is invaluable. what do you say to someone like this? what have you learned begin more than a year out that you did not know pre-opp?

I use it all the time and love it