Greetings from a wonderful vacation in Florida :thumbup:. I'm going to schedule tomorrow, but I'm a bit concerned about needing psychological support after the surgery. I tend to be an emotional eater and have even suffered from bulimia in the past (it's been almost a decade, tho), so I'm worried about no longer being able to deal with my emotions that way. Has anyone else experienced it? I understand that I could get informal support on this board and through an occasional meeting with other sleevers in my area, but would you suggest getting a counselor or something? If so, should I look for someone who has experience in eating disorders or is any regular counselor ok? My concern is that I'm a medical student and personally know the ED specialists in my city, so I'd rather avoid going to them because of the professional relationship. Thanks for any suggestions.

I'm sorry I don't have any advice or help for you but I believe pre- and post- surgery counselling/psych support is going to be an important component in my own journey. I am a stress eater and have been known to eat things and not even remember doing it. So for me it is important to have another tool in my weightloss kit to help figure out why I do that and how to make it stop. My job is high stress and since I cannot afford to quit and have no income, I've got to overcome this stress reflex of overeating in order to help get the biggest "bang for my buck" with the surgery. Also, this is a life-altering event (the surgery) and I want to make sure I'm staying true to course and not sabbotaging myself with stress eating.

Best wishes on your journey...so glad to talk to others who have so much in common with me now I've made the decision to DO IT. Oh, and I am a wee bit jealous of anyone vacationing in FL, lol!

For one on one therapy it would be best to consult with several who have specialized in eating disorders and/or Bariatric WL patients. Ask your surgeon for references. I have found OA, Over Eaters Anonymous to be a GREAT place for group support. Meet ups are all over the globe and can be easily found locally using the www. Best wishes.

definitely look for additional support if you know already that you will need it, it makes perfect sense to set yourself up with a support network. This forum is a great resource but I will definitely be looking for more support after the surgery. Sleeve sisters and brothers are willing to help toO! :smile1: