Help to prepare yourself for the pyschological effects of having WLS

I've been reading that a lot of people turned out to be unprepared for how WLS affected their lives; people had great moments they never counted on, and a surprising amount of negative ramifications (often stemming from poor relationships and/or poor self image).

I've been reading up on potentialities for my upcoming surgery, and I found this text to be pretty helpful:

Obesity Surgery:  Stories of Altered Lives

It focuses on RNY patients, but the life changes seem universal through WLS.  I found it illuminating, perhaps someone else will as well.

Thank you for sharing this link! I just bought the book. I had RNY gastric bypass in January 2007, and I have lost 160 pounds. I weigh 107 pounds now - and in some ways, it is great, and in others, it has made my life very difficult - particularly my marriage. I am afraid I am headed for divorce. Apparently, I've become intolerant and a b***h (my husband's words!) since I've lost weight. I guess I just don't feel I have to put up with certain things. The dynamics of our relationship have really changed. There are also people in my family who look disappointed when they ask my mother how I am and she says I am doing great. People who formerly closed a door in my face at work, now walk BACK to open security doors for me so i don't have to expend the effort of swiping my card, apparently. I can't wait to read this book! Despite my "negative energy" at the beginning of this post (and I apologize for that!), i would do it all again in a hearbeat. Thanks again!

Thanks for sharing your life situation; I definitely think that you'll be able to empathize with a lot of the other patients in this book, especially about your marriage and how people treat you differently at work.  I'm sorry to hear about your marriage; one thing the book can help with is to communicate with each other what they really want in the marriage; that is, to go back to the blueprint and see if each other want the same things now.  One husband wanted to leave his wife after she lost weight, because he wanted to be controlling her, and could do so when she was massive, because she'd stay home all the time.  When she lost weight, she left the house to do things and he felt out of control. 

One story that suprised me in this book was how people would lose enough weight, and then be included on "fat conversations", such as "so-so has gained so much weight, they look like a walrus now" even though their coworkers knew they had a weight issue a year ago!

Thanks for the info.

I'm sitting here updating my what to buy list.

I have 2 more days til' I re-test hpylori. wooooooooooooo hoooooooooooooooooooo!

  Thanks for the book recommendation. It looks like a good one, on my to buy list.