Now I am not telling anyone what to do or not to do...the choices I make are my own, and I am prepared to own them.

I made all the same switches mentioned above...decaf cut out the cream, switched to milk and sweetener.  About 3 months after my surgery I asked the Dietitian about coffee point blank because I just didn't enjoy it with all of the "good stuff" taken out of it.

She told me and I quote "If you are only drinking one or two coffees per day, go ahead have the full caffeine".  And I limit my fat in so many ways, that I allow myself the indulgence of cream in my coffee.  I still don't use sugar, I have kept the sweetener as that really wasn't noticeable.

 I need the changes I have made to be for life...and giving up coffee that I enjoyed drinking just wasn't something I saw doing for life...and my dietitian didn't have the slightest issue with it.

That said, if I want more coffee than my one or two in a day, any "extras" are always decaf.

I'd never give coffee up no matter what but I would make adjustments so that I can still enjoy my favourite beverage.  Years ago I had to give up regular coffee and easily transitioned to decaf.  I drink mine black so the other stuff isn't an issue at all.  I went back to full caf a few years later and have been drinking it ever since.  With a band we don't have to give up caffeine so I am still drinking my full caf daily.  As for stevia, I have tried a few and they are bitter but if you don't mind some flavour, the Krisda cafe caramel stevia is wonderful in coffee and no bitter taste.  I often make lattes as well to get the extra protein from the skim milk and still get my coffee hit from the espresso.

switch to half decaf half regular for a bit. Can't speak about sweeteners, dont like my coffee sweet at all.

I used to be a four to six per day coffee drinker before wls but now I have MAYBE one cup a day. The way I cut out caffeine was cold turkey. Once I cut it out completely I didn't crave coffee anymore. Now when I feel like something warm I make a cup and rarely finish the cup.

Have you considered switching to tea instead? You need a lot less milk and sweetener with tea than coffee and most of the decaf tea and herbal teas have more flavor...

Conversely I never drank coffee pre-op. My caffeine of choice was diet coke. Several diet coke a day as a matter of fact. TWH does allow moderate amounts of caffeine/coffee but no carbonation. So I quit diet coke cold turkey the night before surgery. It was my salvation during optifast!!

About a month out of surgery I discovered coffee!!! I could add beneprotein and my coffee of choice was Timmies with double milk and double splenda. 

Then Karen mentioned adding chocolate protein shake to her coffee... Oh sweet jesus is that **** good!!! 

Thanks Karen for the new addiction!! LOL

So now every morning I take half cup of black coffee and half cup of the costco premier choco protein shake.  Sometimes I just drink the rest of the protein shake straight up some mornings it takes a couple more half cups of black coffee so I can find my get up and go!

Chris

disclaimer: just my choice and what TWH program allows ;)

There is no need for you to transition to decaf, the TWH program allows caffeine post-op. I would try Splenda, I find it the most natural tasting of the artificial sweetners. When you try it though you might want to try one or one and a half as I find it sweeter than sugar, serving for serving. If you plan to low-carb it post-op, you may want to consider switching to cream instead of milk, it has fewer carbs and might make the change from sugar to splenda more palatable. Have fun experimenting.