Support group meetin

[heav85 123]

The hospital that I am hopefully getting my surgery offers support group meetings to mainly people in post op. I am currently in my 5th month of supervised weight loss and I am going to attend. I need to ask questions lol. Any ideas. Have any of you gone through these?

[BigGirlPanties 957]

I attended pre op and still attend post op meetings... I really don't have questions planned...I have a notebook in case something comes up that I want to make sure I don't forget

Especially for the first class, you may want to listen...I'm sure something will come up that you will have a question on

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

The hospital that I am hopefully getting my surgery offers support group meetings to mainly people in post op. I am currently in my 5th month of supervised weight loss and I am going to attend. I need to ask questions lol. Any ideas. Have any of you gone through these?

My program requires you attend and information seminar before they will even schedule you with the surgeon, I then had to attend at least one support group meeting before my surgery. I would go in with a pen and pad to listen and takes notes.

[Rogofulm 2,440]

Bariatric Support Groups are great! I consider sharing my experience with pre-op patients to be an important part of my program. Whether it's in person, or in forums like this one, I want to provide tips and set a good example for newbies, and that helps me stay on track. At our hospital support group, most of the session is spent answering the pre-ops' questions. The flip side of that is the post-ops don't get much of a chance to discuss their issues and get the support that they may need. So our group has started having two back-to-back sessions: one for everyone, and one for post-ops. We time it so that the post-op session begins as the pre-ops leave for their nutrition class/weigh-in. And the post-op folks are encouraged to attend both sessions. I share this as an idea for other bariatric support groups out there who may be facing the same dilemma. We've only done it once so far, but it worked very well so I expect we will continue it.

[heav85 123]

I kept forgetting about all the other meetings but I am having withdrawls and getting anxious and really want to have the surgery so I'm hoping this helps

[Julie norton 2,850]

I find the support groups very helpful. Even years out.

I must admit that the pre op or newbies take a lot of time and have long winded rants and advice(!)

Perhaps a new group for seasoned vets would be helpful for exchanging info for years to follow. Thanks for the info????

[heav85 123]

We just went around and introduced our selves and ate bariatric friendly foods lol. It was a good one to get me introduced.

[athena3127 199]

I attended my first support group meeting last week. I should have gone preop. However. I certainly am glad that I'm going now. Once per month we get together. Being my first time and now being post op I could ask questions much like here on the forum and get answers. The difference is the personal interaction and most everyone had a before picture to show and now before your very eyes the new post op version. Sharing the experience was wonderful. One beautiful woman had just weighed in that day at 198. She isn't even 1yr out. She was sleeved 1-7-2014 and was down almost 200lbs. our dr attends support group meetings and asked her to share with everyone where she was in 2009 and this tiny 5' 4ish lady was at over 650. She last weight preop and has done remarkable post op. She is a true inspiration! I would recommend to anyone going to the meetings. A great way to have a meet and greet with those in or already through where u are now.

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

My program requires attending an informational seminar before you can even schedule a appointment with the surgeon and at least one support group meeting before they will schedule your surgery. I haven't made one since post op, but I'm going to try and make one this week. The seminar meetings are separate from the post op meetings.Which I like, but at the end of the seminar they usually have a few post op vets stop in and speak.

[BitterSweet* 835]

My program also requires attending at least one support group and I did one and that's all. When I walked in the ladies were chatty and seemed welcoming. All of them were big ladies, most of whom were bigger than me, so I was interested in what everyone had to say about reaching "bottom" and what type of WLS they planned to have.

Imagine my surprise when the introductions began and all of these obese women were in fact post-op, not pre-op, and most of them were one year and some change beyond surgery. I was astonished. On top of that, most of them looked at me like I DIDN'T BELONG! I have 90-100 lbs to lose. I'm only 5'1, with a BMI of 44. Seriously.... It was fat shaming at its best AND I knew more information from reading threads on this forum than post-op folks did from having experienced it. It was not my cup of tea and I haven't been back since.