Getting Friends' Support Before and After Weight Loss Surgery

Thursday, 28 January 2010 13:13

Whether you are a pre- or post-op bariatric patient, having friends around you to support you during your weight loss surgery journey is crucial to your success. They provide you the intimate, established support you need. Your friends and family have seen you before your bariatric surgery and will watch you change after your surgery. Below are some of the mediums that you can communicate with your friends and family during the bariatric process.

In-Person

If possible try to meet with a close friend in person once a week. Setting a time and day helps you get into the routine of monitoring your weight loss and helps keep you accountable. If you have a friend who has also had bariatric surgery or who is also trying to lose a large amount of weight through diet and exercise, ask them if they'd like to be your weight loss partner. Setting up a reoccurring time that you will almost always be available for-- say, 10 am on Saturday at the local coffee shop-- will make it easier to make the appointment since it becomes part of the weekly routine.

Phone Calls

Another weekly routine you can set if you have a busy schedule or close ones that do not live close with you is a regular phone call. If the person you want to talk to lives far away, you can use video instant messenger chat or Skype, both of which are free. All you (and the person you're talking to) need is a computer with a webcam and internet access. Before making the phone call or turning on your webcam, make a list of things you'd like to talk about-- these can be goals you're progressing towards, accomplishments you've made, struggles you've had, and what you want to do better next week.

E-mails

E-mail is probably the easiest way to stay connected to friends and family during your experience with lap-band or another type of weight loss surgery. E-mails are usually instantly received by the recipient and therefore, they can be instantly responded to. To keep track of emails of a person you correspond with regularly, consider putting the day of the week and/or the date in the subject line. E-mail also allows you to share photos easily.

Blogs

Keeping a blog for family and friends to keep track of your progress is a great idea if you'd like to share the same thoughts, goals, and photos with a group of people. Keeping a daily blog can also be a very therapeutic undertaking-- daily journaling and writing has been shown to lower stress levels. You can get a free blog at wordpress.org or blogger.com.

Support Groups

If you don't have a lot of close friends or family, or you'd like some peer support from people who have had bariatric surgery or are looking into weight loss surgery, consider a support group. Many times, the bariatric center where your surgery was performed will hold one or more support groups or local hospitals may have some as well.