Emotional First Aid: A Practical Guide to Navigating Life After Bariatric Surgery

Amazon Customer: I learned a lot from this book. It's almost like the Bible for bariatric surgery. It's a must-read if you are thinking of getting bariatric surgery.

United States on Aug 23, 2023

MDH: This book will help you process through the realities, challenges, and changes that come with Bariatric surgery. It also addresses many of the possible pitfalls and gives practical advice and strategies for dealing with those. I’m really glad I read it and would highly recommend it if you’re considering WLS.

United States on Jul 31, 2023

Garden Lady: I bought this for a friend. I read it first to make sure it was appropriate & worth their time, and I found it very insightful. It brought up many issues that I had never considered, but they seem like important ideas for folks who are struggling and thinking about some sort of weight-control surgery. It delivers a very honest and open dialogue about the realities of bypass surgery & variations of it. I like that it talked about the before, during, and after. Ultimately, my friend decided against the surgery, which the book addresses, and for some people that is the right decision. It carries on meaningful discussions about how surgeries of this sort are not a magic bullet and much work is still required on the part of the patient. It discusses if one is not truly committed to doing it right & following the plan the doctor gives, then it could become fatal. I would recommend this book strongly for anyone considering any type of weight control surgery. Reading it forced my friend to slow down & think through the day to day realities that would exist for the rest of their life. There is no changing your mind if you miss your old habits, but for some people, it gives...

United States on Jun 07, 2019

Cjr: Good book. Not quite what I thought it would be

Canada on Mar 18, 2019

Amazon Customer: Day late

Canada on Feb 04, 2019

chantal gravelle: A good read, highlights the importance of good habits for this life changing surgery.

Canada on Nov 25, 2018

Amazon Customer: really liked the information in the book, very hrloful

Canada on Nov 17, 2018

Marius Gabriel: Bariatric surgery can be a life-changing operation -- but it is up to each patient to maintain that change of life. The surgery won't do it for you alone.

This book is unique in that it is written not by a surgeon or patient, but by a very experienced family psychologist, Cynthia L. Alexander, PsyD. Her practice includes a large number of patients with serious weight problems, so she knows what she's talking about.

Dr Alexander deals in practical terms with the main obstacles to successful weight loss -- which are also often the emotional difficulties which urge us to overeat in the first place -- stress and emotional pain, in particular, as well as greed, familial pressure and bad lifestyle habits.

The book is also unique in that it deals with the pressures that arise AFTER the weight has been lost. Once you start to noticeably lose weight, you may find that not everybody is delighted with the new you. A variety of surprising reasons can lead people to want you to put it all back on again.

This book will prepare you for that -- and help you to keep the weight off for the rest of your life.

Written with compassion and insight, illustrated with...

United States on Feb 28, 2014

T. Smith: Although this is an american book, it follows all the psychology and advice that is given when looking at surgery here in England.
I went to my doctors and told him that my issue with food is all in my head and could he help, and he referred me to the 2 tier weight management program at the hospital.

Bariatric surgery will not be the instant fix you think its going to be. People eat for a huge variety of reasons and if you don't sort that out then the surgery won't work or you could just transfer one problem to another.

This book has reinforced all that I have learned from the hospital. Food will always be an issue but if you follow the advice of this book then hopefully it will help you maintain whatever you lose whether you have the surgery or not.

Edited to add that although the title says A Practical guide to life after bariatric surgery, this is essential reading for before bariatric surgery.

United Kingdom on Feb 16, 2014

Sandy from Texas: This is a great book with lots of info. Lots of suggestions and ideas of what to do with your relationship with food. I will keep it handy as I approach my lap band surgery. As I was reading it I found myself highlighting things. The only thing I really wish is that it was available on Kindle. At times when I will want to read it and keep on track, I do not want to share the title with others around me. The Kindle keeps what I am reading discreet. There are a lot of books on here that I would love to get and have for reference for after my lapband surgery. Just don't want to have to carry around a suitcase to read them. I bought my Kindle so I could store books and have them there when I need them. I just wish the Author and Publisher could see how nice it would be to have this available for Kindle. I really like that this Author is not sugar coating anything. She pretty much says it as it is. Lapband is just a tool and if you don't change your brain and how you think about food and exercise, you will not be sucessful. She gives techniques on staying in control and again makes it perfectly clear that you weight loss is only going to happen and stay off if you can get in control of...

United States on Jul 03, 2010