I’ve seen a few threads pop up recently about post-op patients who are having trouble with their social lives. Specifically, they don’t seem to be compatible with their old groups of friends anymore.

A lot of times, pre-op socializing revolved around going to the bar or meeting for brunch, lunch, dinner, or watching the game on TV while eating unhealthy Snacks. Post-op, you’ve moved past drinking and overeating, but maybe your old friends have not. Maybe you’ve discovered that eating and drinking were all you had in common with them, and now that bond is gone.

Have you found that since surgery, you are not able to get together with your old friends like you used to? How are you handling it? Have you hung out more with other groups of friends who don’t need your meetings to revolve around food? Have you found new friends as you’ve expanded your interests and abilities as you lose weight? Or have you been able to persuade your eating and drinking buddies to become buddies for walking, shopping, sewing, or something else not related to food?

Do you have any tips for other WLS patients who may be feeling lonely post-op as they need to change their social habits?

I am a lot more assertive now, I am a little more social as well. I probably eat out more as well, just different food and amounts.

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Wow, thanks for all the responses! It looks a lot of you have had positive experiences, either because your friends are accepting or because they don’t know about your surgery. A lot of you (like @catwoman7) seem like you’ve been able to figure out how to keep up with the same friends while changing your own behaviors like ordering smarter or going for coffee instead of a meal.

@@LisaMergs, I am so happy for you! Congratulations on getting back to your old friends and regaining your confidence. That’s exactly what we all hope for with weight loss surgery!

@@AvaFern, I am happy for you, too! I am glad your friends have stuck by you; it sounds like you picked some good ones to be close to. I am sure you were never a burden on them, but I am glad you no longer feel that you are!

It is truly great to hear about how so many of us have kept old friends and often made new ones – like with your group marathon training, @mngreeneyes. It’s definitely heartening.