Explaining my hiatus (long and opinionated - be warned)

 Read the response by Briar Rose further up on this page for a better idea of who the original post is really targeting. :) Asking questions is NOT the same thing as 'whining'. And, yes, we all need to get things off our chests sometimes but... After seeing dozens of "OMG, I only lost 25 pounds my first month and I'm SOOOOOOOOO disappointed" posts or "I had surgery less than a week ago, I'm in pain and I can't eat I REGRET THIS SURGERY" a dozen times... Seriously. I have to sit on my hands to tell those people they aren't being realistic and I honestly CAN'T be supportive even though, deep down, I know I should be. It's major surgery, what did they expect? Plus... It's not magical fairy dust. You know? It really can get you down after awhile reading post after post like that (or just seeing the titles, at least when they title it you can skip it altogether) when it's obvious they either have very unrealstic expectations or did absolutely ZERO research...  I often have to take long breaks from this forum to get away from the negativity so it doesn't bring ME down, too. 

 I think everyone goes through a period of regret. I would be shocked if anyone said they didn't at least have a flash of it. I dunno, I always figure if someone is posting something like that, they probably just needed to talk it out.... hmmm.... I get it, but...

Having said that *I* fully expect to lose 75 pounds my first month.
What?
;)

 Never had even a second of regret. Not even when lying in the hospital bed groaning because my whole abdomen hurt (yay for morphine, that lasted just a few seconds). I never once asked 'what the heck did I do to myself?' because I KNEW what I was getting into before I even got my surgery date. Now, I know knowing it and experiencing it are two different things but, I have had zero surprises because I researched my ass off. A shame I couldn't research it off literally. I have barely lost a pound in two months (freaking stalls) and I STILL don't regret it. 

Anyway, if people did more research in many (not all) cases, they'd know the first month can really suck. It doesn't always and everybody's recovery varies but if you go into this with realistic expectations there are very few surprises. You know what I mean?

I can honestly say I haven't gone through a single moment of regret YET, but I won't rule out that I might have a moment some day in my life where I do. This tool has done more for me than I ever dreamed possible. And I'm sincerely and truly grateful! I pass a mirror and am shocked that I've changed so much, and it feels fabulous! Isn't that why I did this? Yeppers!!

I DO remember what it was ilke! You betcha! And I'm NOT a vet yet ... I still have not reached goal and I'm not Miss Perfect. 

Hugs!!!

Aww Leanne...you were missed around these parts ...I thought it was me that pissed ya off or sumthin...I tend to do that to peeps ask Elina n Frisco hell...almost everyone!....lmao!!

Maybe ya came back too soon.  There is a VSG Maintenance Board...oh wait it was here already ...when you were...and since yer so close to goal...it just might be yer niche alright!
Here's the link anyway... http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/VSGM/discussion/

If ya ever check out the DS Boards...there is NO maintenance board...those guys 5-10 yrs out...readin the same kinds of ?s for YEARS!!  those vets express the SAME frustration/burn out.

Sadly Im not close to that magical number in the sky, don't fit in. I AM the Fonzie of VSG! plus I have no where else to go online or IRL....but YOU do...its time!! fly fly fly....I'll mind the fort for ya ;-)
and KICK ME SOME ASSES IN THE MEANTIME!! lmao!!

Don't be a stranger!!

Naw, you didn't **** me off! LOL! You are funny! I've always loved your posts, and you get what I meant, so kudos back, sweetie!

Hugs!

  Touche Leanne!  And as the title of this says, "opinionated, be warned!"  I too have stopped writing on this board because the same issues come up over and over.   My take on Leanne's post is that we all have the same common denominator, VSG, and we're all going through many of the same issues.  Read other people's posts to see if your answers are there. 

I stalked this site for over a year before my surgery.  I wanted to hear it from the horses' mouths on what the outcomes could be...the good, the bad, the ugly.  I learned more from READING these posts than sitting here typing and *****ing about not having pizza on our usual Friday night outtings or not losing 100 lbs in 6 months.

As a newbie, I don't recall posting about my stall right after someone else JUST posted about theirs.  Most of the things I needed to find out were already in someone else's RECENT post about it.   We're all in the same boat and chances are my 3 wk stall was no different than Curly, Moe or Jack's.  Point being - read back a page or 2, the same issue was probably already brought up. 
 
Seems this was one of the reasons why the vets started a new forum, besides being at different stages of progress.

I've had to take a break from here as well.  I can overlook the whining and just about everything else, but it does get to be too much at times because there are so many differing opinions.  Some here are addicted to the scale and I prefer not to let it run my life because it makes me neurotic, others are adamant about the type of diet one should be on and I am a believer in the "whatever works" theory, but again I can overlook it because if we were all the same, life would be pretty boring.   

Personally, I feel the format used here is poor.  Posts scroll off the front page very fast leaving some important questions or information ignored.  There's no organization, rhyme or reason and nothing is categorized.  There should be a section for OT's, for whining, and for some very important questions.  If I wanted to find out why I have not lost any weight in 3 weeks, I'd have to ask, just like a gadzillion others have b/c there is no category for weight stalls.  If I wanted some help in what to eat while I'm on liquids, again I'd have to scroll through many pages before I could find my answer.  Most of us don't have enough time for that.  

However, had it not been for this website, I would not have had some of the info I needed before I was sleeved or got to read how others felt about the surgery, so it serves a purpose and most important of all.... I've met some very, very nice people here!

 You make some really great points about the website, these forums are rather ancient in the scheme of things and while they're making all sorts of format updates to their news articles and stuff, it seems they're content to leave the crappy forums as are.

The search function DOES work, it kind of sucks, but you can find most information you need if you put in the right phrase. For instance "week 3 stall" and "stall" bring up a LOT of posts. Granted, you still kind of have to filter through for the information you need, but you'd have to anyway. 

Thanks Jeanette and Briar Rose ...that's exactly what I meant.

It looks like some people misunderstood or misread what I was trying to say, but others got it ....no worries.

I went through it all, yes, and I'm not above anyone, or better in any way. 

For legitimate questions, concerns, fears, and even flubs, I've proven to be supportive and responded sometimes when no one else did. That's not what I call whining ... come on, people!

Repeat questions, not a problem ....valid, valid, and more valid! Seeking information ... valid ...good for you! Having a bad day, tell me about it! I'll jump in and hold your hand, answer your questions, IM you or talk for hours on the phone! 

I've done so in the past, I will do so again. For those of you who know me from my posts ....I don't have to explain. 

Hugs!