"Forum nanny"? I keep reading this, and the more I read this, the more I realize that you people spend way too much time online. 

I am a newbie.

I agree with a lot of this until I hit this verse/stanza/paragraph.

And if a person's chronic mistakes result in them receiving a revision,

then let's not make them hate themselves and feel that they have to hide their true behavior..

My thoughts are-if this person has "chronic mistakes" it is not a mistake. It is an unhealthy pattern and/or an addiction that SHOULD be corrected.

If said person makes these mistakes "chronically" they DONT want to change. They are a bad candidate for the surgery until they can change their long term behavior.  They will FAIL THE SURGERY. And then insurance companies, medical research and others will write-the surgery failed them. No. They failed the surgery.

If one keeps doing what they always did, they will get what they always got. With or without surgery.

And then, to willfully make "chronic mistakes" that get revision....why?  What is the point?  So one can KEEP making the same chronic mistake?  One can continue to do that (i.e. making chronic mistakes) without the second surgery.

You had me up until "chronic mistakes"

It's the reason you will find people on here that have had 3 or more revisions ...   and haven't been what would normally be deemed "successful" (ie get to a healthy BMI - normal or slightly overweight) with any of them!

I truly can't believe that anyone is THAT special they can't lose weight with ANY of the available WLS

"Chronic mistakes" are called... drum roll please... CHOICES!  A mistake is made one time (maybe two if you're really clueless).  You are suppose to learn from making the "mistake" and choose to not make the same "mistake" again.  If the "mistake" keeps happening over and over again,  you are CHOOSING the behavior.

Food addicts (or any addict for that matter) are masters at making excuses for their bad behavior.  We are the best at justifying, rationalizing, and lying to get our drug of choice.  I read posts almost daily about how people are not losing weight but they are only eating 800 calories and are working out like a fiend.  I call BULL****!  The sooner we face the TRUTH, the sooner we can get on with succeeding in this weight loss journey.  If you are not losing... you are making WRONG CHOICES.... PERIOD.

*steps off her soap box*

"So many" vets are drinking lots of soda or beer-- got any names? Or posts to share? I'm highly suspicious. 

Yes, we're all different, but if someone's "more" mistakes is a bag of potato chips every day, no, that's not okay. 

And as far as "no more condescending attitudes," this seems plenty finger-waggy and judgmental. Might be wise to practice what you preach. 

Interesting that you peg yourself as a regular drinker, BTW.

Oooooooooooooooh snap.  She nailed you, girlfriend. 

Read my post and comment history and you will find the comments that I mentioned. I find it sickening and pathetic that "so many people" commenting on my post are making the assumption that I made this up...

Seriously people? 

Did no one get the point of my post?! 

I'm a data scientist and skeptic by trade. It's not uncommon to see a few things that stick out and assume that there are many, many more just like it, but it doesn't mean a thing until you have enough observations to truly establish a pattern. (Mathematically speaking, you're looking for at least 30 cases, and even then there are a lot of other things to be considered.)

I don't doubt that there are indeed people who drink a lot or alcohol and/or soda.

I'm skeptical of the suggestion that there is a soda epidemic among posters who are several years out.

I got it and completely agree with your original post. Maybe we should start a "positive reinforcement" group or something. I've lost weight in the past and felt myself being judgemental to fat people when it was so easy for me to lose. I think many of the "mean" posters here are forgetting they are imperfect too. Always will be no matter what the scale says. We have probably all (or most) have, or have had people in our lives who put us down for being fat. Losing weight doesn't give you the right, nor invitation, to become that person. I mean, in the grand scheme of things, if someone you don't know eats themselves to death, what's it to you, really??