While gastric bypass surgery is a very serious procedure that should only be considered as a last option, for many people it is nonetheless a necessary procedure.  If you are preparing to undergo a bypass operation or have already undergone one, you know the risks involved, and you realize what a scary and potentially life-threatening process it is.

Having any major surgery can be a stressful situation, and to make things worse, stress only makes the risks involved greater.  Stress affects both your cardiovascular and your gastrointestinal functions, the latter of which will be very delicate during and after surgery.  Therefore, finding ways to reduce and cope with the stress in your life is essential to ensuring your safety and the success of your operation.

Not only does this operation put your life at risk, but it also comes with a lot of changes in the way your body works, particularly concerning your metabolism.  As with any change to your metabolism, changes in your mood can result as a side effect.  Having support from people that know you and care about you is very helpful in reducing your stress levels.

Unfortunately, not everyone has somebody they feel comfortable talking to openly, and, for those of you who do have somebody to talk to, that person has probably never had gastric bypass surgery themselves and therefore doesn't fully understand what you are going through.  If this is the case for you, or if you simply feel you could uses the extra support, you may find one of the many available gastric bypass support groups helpful.

These groups take many different forms, ranging from regularly held group meetings to Internet forums.  Many people find the in-person group meetings to be much more useful because they allow bypass patients to speak about the things that are troubling them and to know without a doubt that they are being listened to.  Of course, this in-person scenario also has its limitations. For example, a person may feel less comfortable expressing his or her feelings with strangers present.  Likewise, some people might not be able to arrange their schedules around a set meeting time.

With online gastric bypass support groups, on the other hand, many people feel more comfortable expressing themselves because of the feeling of anonymity associated with Internet forums.  While there is no guarantee that people will read and respond to your posts, it is actually more likely that you will find someone going through troubles that are similar to yours if you are not restricted to a group of people in a small room.  Also, the Internet is better for people with limiting schedules, and it allows you more discretion concerning whom you talk to.

Many people even choose to use both forms of gastric bypass support groups, regular meetings and Internet forums, to help them manage the stress, fear, and loneliness that gastric bypass patients often feel. These people typically fare better through surgery and recovery than people who do not take advantage of gastric bypass support groups.  Check the Internet and local listings and newspapers for groups in your area.  Finding the right online support group is simply a matter of searching through your options until you find one you are comfortable with.