The problem is that different doctors say different things. People also have different hormonal reactions after surgery that no one talks about. Doctors do say that you will not feel ANY hunger, and "research" can leave you more confused than before. Also, some docs let people have puréed or soft foods on day 1!
Just because you did research and don't regret the surgery does not mean that those that regret it are just stupid or didn't read into it. I don't know how I feel about the surgery 7 weeks out. Some of the things the doctor told me just weren't true. I'm doing exactly what she said and haven't lost weight at the rate she promised. I did not have any co-morbidities, so sometimes I wonder if I could have done the same on my own. I also have small children, and the lack of energy makes me feel like a bad mom.
And yes, I did TONS of research. I've worked as a researcher, and I'm about to start my counseling internship, so all I DO is research. But it's almost like marriage, you don't know what it's really like until you're in it. You can't research how it will "feel". And some of you are a LOT older. Facing 30-40 more years or life with a reduced stomach, and having been unhealthy for SO long might feel different from facing 70 years with a reduced stomach after 5-15 years of being an overweight adult.