TX - DFW

[blondegal_ 1,028]

Weekends work for me...

Thanks!

[woo woo 872]

I prefer a weeknight, myself.

[ready2Bslim 19]

I'm open to weekends as well. But will still participate if it's during the week.

[Sirena12 24]

I'm in Plano. I can do weekends or weekday evenings

[KevLev12282012 25]

You are invited you to..

THINspiration's WLS Support Group Meeting

at

*** Sonny Bryan's ***

1251 W. Campbell Road ~ Suite 240 ~ Richardson, TX 75080

Saturday, August 16th @ 12:30 PM

If it's your first THINspiration meeting... Welcome!

You're about to see what everyone else has been talking about!

Please RSVP to wls.thinspiration@gmail.com so we can get an accurate headcount by Thursday, August 14th.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email as well.

[KevLev12282012 25]

[SleevedShannonMac 15]

Hey everyone, my surgery is September 25th. Are any of these groups still active?

[KevLev12282012 25]

Yes. If you'd like a current list of support groups please email me at

WLS.thinspiration@gmail.com

[nana27 4]

I would love to find a support group in Azle/Springtown/Weatherford area.

[smithpy 117]

There are several support groups that I attend in the NE Plano area. Near Allen, Frisco, Richardson. We have one guy that drives from Forney to attend. There's a group of us that have impromptu get togethers as well. Ten of us met today at an area Starbucks, we do things like this on a fairly regular basis. If you're interested, email me at curt_frisbie@msn.com and I'll add you to our list, I'll make sure you're included.

Where in Richardson and NE Plano? I live in Wylie and would like to find a closer support group.

Pamela

[Keeper 218]

Did anything ever get set up for Irving? My band is Monday. Would love to have local support, especially from people who have been there, done that.

[Texasmom65 23]

Hi Everyone.

I'm 3 1/2 years out with VSG. I'm quite active in the WLS community on youtube and Facebook. Haven't been on this site much in the last couple of years. Didn't realize that a local chapter had been started. From what I can tell, no actual meetings have been set up as an on going monthly or bi-monthly meet up.

How many are still interested?

I'm in the Allen area.

Robin

[4ALongerLife 329]

I rarely log into bariatric pal anymore; however, there are active support groups in the Plano area - a few in fact. There are also a couple of active (and secret) Facebook pages for discussion/meet ups/luncheons, etc that several of us in the area do. The reason the pages are secret is that not everyone is "out" about surgery on their main pages.

I think most of the folks that I know in these communities/fb pages generally go to the one time a month "big" group meeting at Baylor Plano (we meet the second wednesday of each month at 6 pm in the garden level of plano's main hospital and the group is led by a clinical psychologist with vendors/various bariatric person's who come to speak to us). That is a great way to begin to "get connected" in the DFW area and to get introduced into the fb pages. If you want more info on the baylor plano meeting, go here: https://www.baylorhealth.com/PHYSICIANSLOCATIONS/PLANO/SPECIALTIESSERVICES/WEIGHTMANAGEMENTSURGERY/Pages/SupportGroup.aspx or google baylor plano bariatric support.

Additionally, there is a support group at Baylor Grapevine for those in the metroplex that are closer to the Tarrant County side. Those meetings are second tuesday of the month at 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm on Ball Street and are led by a dietician who is also certified as a counselor. I don't know that it is posted online anywhere. I found out about that meeting from a friend in the active fb pages. (But you could call Baylor Grapevine and ask for the bariatric coordinator or nutritionist dept for more information.)

Both personnel that lead these two groups have been trained and also worked at the Cooper Institute. Point - they are both very qualified individuals with years of experience. I have attended both groups and find them to be well worth your time IMO.

The groups are free and are educationally focused - meaning there is structure to the group, with a specific topic, but they also encourage mingling to meet others. These meetings are conducted in a structured manner and focus on skills to learn for longevity of success (i.e. 12-18 months when your hunger returns after sleeve, what other tools will you use to fight obesity/the reasons that got us there in the first place/how we look at food/coping mechanisms/barriers to success/etc). I am very active in these groups as the way that I look at it is, it took me 30+ years or so to establish these thoughts / behaviors / maladaptive ways to cope, it's going to take me longer to undo them so I continue to go. Repetition in my mind is key!

Should you want something not so "clinical" or structured, there are also two patient led support groups that I can tell you about (one is in Dallas, one is in the Plano/Addison area). There is also another group that has spun off of the Plano group that meets in various locations for luncheons, etc. We also have other pages if you are a runner, want to start walking, doing activities but you want partners to begin with. All of this has spun out of the patient led groups and this message is an fyi that there are other options in the area should you be interested.

My name is Stephanie Coutee and should you need any further information, connection, etc to local support groups, please find me on facebook where I am generally much more active than I am on bariatric pal (around a very busy work schedule lately tho, fyi). I am also very active (daily) on myfitnesspal under the same name as I have here, 4ALongerLife. <Information all given due to my infrequency of activity on this site.>

Social support is the #2 tool that predicts weight loss success long term. I do highly encourage you seeking out - and making time for something like this, even if it's not in your comfort zone. I still have my thoughts of limitation, where at my heaviest I didn't want to meet others. That's hard to change, but I challenge you with this thought: change occurs outside of our comfort zones. You aren't alone should you dread going outside of your comfort zone, but I can say, when I have pushed myself - it's generally been with a good pay out. I hope to meet you soon! (Seek me out please!)

Wishing you all best of luck! Thanks, Stephanie

Edited January 11, 2015 by 4ALongerLife

[Keeper 218]

I had my surgery in Plano and there are support groups in that area. However, my husband and I share a car and Plano is a little too far for frequent trips.

I am interested in a local group in the Irving/Dallas side of DFW. I have a friend who is a therapist who had bypass done in 2002, and she would love to facilitate a support group. I just had lap-band this past November.

If interested just let me know, either here or by message!

Cheers.

[itsmekarenlee 129]

HELP please!! My friend is in dire need for a gastro dr who treats bariatric (rny) patients immediately! Any recommendations?