Alright, so I'm due for my surgery November 20th. I'm not at all nervous about the surgery itself, it's the after I'm nervous about and have questions about.

What's this about not being able to use straws? (That's all I use!)

Is reconstructive surgery really a MUST?!

How long is recovery and will I need someone to stay with me during recovery?

These are just a few of the questions I wonder about.

Other questions I'll ask in a different post. I'll leave it as is for now. But if anyone could help me out here, I'd appreciate it. Thanks so much!

Straws supposedly introduce extra gas into your new tiny stomach and make you uncomfortable. I've used one a couple times and had no problems, as have many other people. But for some they do cause a problem. It just depends on the person.

I don't know about the reconstruction because I'm only 8 days out. My surgeon told me that it just depends on your genetics. One thing he said that helped me stop worrying about it was: "let's hope you're successful enough for that to be a problem you have!" Ultimately, it's a problem I want

I needed my mom to take care of me for a few days after, but probably around day 4 or 5 I was pretty self-sufficient. I'm 20 though, so I think I healed a little bit faster than most others. You don't need like an around-the-clock nurse, but I would definitely suggest having someone to help you out some, at least for a few days.

What's this about not being able to use straws? (That's all I use!)

Some people can't use straws because it makes them feel bloated or gassy because they get extra air in their tiny new stomach. It wasn't a problem for me. Keep in mind that this is going to be a big change for you in many ways, and you have to be willing to be flexible, learn new habits, and change things that you consider to be "ingrained" behaviors. It may or may not be straws, but it will be something. Try to shed the mindset of "this is the way I do things."

Is reconstructive surgery really a MUST?!

No. It depends on how much loose skin you end up with and how much you can tolerate. I have some loose skin after losing 180+ pounds but no one can see it unless I'm naked (or close to naked) and standing up, and it doesn't bother me very much, so I'm not planning on it.

How long is recovery and will I need someone to stay with me during recovery?

Recovery varies a lot from person to person. I took two weeks off of work to get my energy back, get over some residual pain, and make sure I had time to focus on getting all my fluids and Protein in correctly. I didn't need anyone else at home, but I did make sure I had all heavy lifting and strenuous household chores done before surgery -- laundry, yard work, kitty litter changed, etc. I had my housekeeper come by for one extra visit during my recovery because I didn't feel like cleaning house and I needed someone to change the kitty litter again -- I took the lifting restrictions seriously! Other than that I didn't need anyone around, and was actually glad not to have anyone hovering over me. I think most people don't need anyone with them unless they had severe complications or just get really unlucky in terms of their recovery.

Good luck to you!