IRL Support System

Do you have a 'in real life' support system of people?  who do you talk to or look to outside of the board when it comes to WLS matters?

I have a couple folk - my 'mainstay' is my mentor and real good friend - she lives in Phoenix, we have actually only ever met once in life - but I talk to her a lot.  She had WLS back in the early 80s and is a very great person for me to talk to - she has helped me work through a lot of WLS related and non related issues. 

As for family - can't say I have family that are supportive of me in my WLS journey.  My mother is accepting - but not supportive.  Why do I say this?  It's nothing for her to push a cake or pie up on me, or have a dinner with a lot of things she knows I can't have, shouldn't have or might have trouble with - and she is forever with the 'just try a little taste if you're not going to eat it'.  

I have a couple friends that have had WLS - they don't do all the things they are supposed to all the time, so I can't really talk to them when I am having trouble with my eating plan or whatnot - but they have been through the process so it's easy to talk to them on some things. 

I'm curious if anybody has a strong 'real life' support system in addition to being here on the board - my guess is not - and that's why you are here!!!  LOL - BUT - thought it would be interesting for newbies to know what to expect or what others have experienced in regard to 'real life' folk being your support.  So....... speak up and do tell!!!! 

I have a support system of sorts I guess. My aunt has had surgery and is 6 years out. She made it to goal and is still maintaining. So she is a really good resource for me. I have found in my experience that people who have not gone through it don't seem to understand it. They often don't understand why you are doing it and think that you are taking the easy way out. I have a friend who's husband wants to have the surgery and she told me while she thinks I would be a good canidate she didnt think it was for her husband because he likes to exercise so he should just stop being lazy and just do it. My mom thinks I won't be successful because she says I have never met a vegatable I have liked yet so why am I going to have major surgery just to fail. So I really don't have conversations about wls with the people around me. I have met some friends from BAF that I call and talk to for support but that is about it.

I feel you on the 'folk who ain't been through it' tip - my BF loves me to def - but boy..... he gets me mad than a mofo when he says 'how come you just couldn't eat this little before and lose weight?'

GRRRRRRRRRRR.................  lol!!!!

your friend with the husband who likes to exercise has me confused..... since he likes to exercise that makes him a BETTER WLS candidate....... or did I read your post wrong??  

no you read it exactly right and that was my exact thought. If he likes to exercise then he probably will do well with this surgery. I sent him an email after we had that conversation and told him I was not trying to influence his decision but if he wanted to research this further then to check out this OH site. He thanked me he said he thinks his wife just doesn't want him to have it because she doesn't want him to get slim and sexy.  And he is probably right.

  ah ha!!!!  Well - it's refreshing to know that I am, indeed, NOT retarded and did read that right!  LOL

And yes - sounds like wifey is a lil worried - and sadly - that happens a lot.  But - like others have pointed out on this board and others - WLS doesn't CAUSE problems in a marriage/relationship - but it will surely help bring them to light!!!!  

Hope he does what's best for his HEALTH and that everything works out for them.....

I have Becca, it is nice living with someone who has the surgery and who maintains their weight, but that part can be annoying to when you gain.

So does it frustrate you that Becca maintains easier than you do?  Does she have bad habits that she tries to work on (like you and the M&Ms lol)?

Yeah she has bad habbits but she can stop eating junk for like 2 days and be back down to freakng 125,  I HATE IT.    Me on the other hand takes months to lose one dam pound.

All my family and friends are pretty supportive. I have y surgeon's office that I talk to, the support group from the hospital, and there are also quite a few folks that I've met on OH or BAF that I speak with on a regular basis.


Funny thing is the people that I know that have had the surgery actually don't talk to me because they have backslide and gained the weight back. Now don't want to talk about it.

Come on now - if YOU had lost from WLS and gained back and then some skinny mofo comes along chirping about her loss - wouldn't YOU hide from YOU???  LOL!!!!!