Does your doctor offer a support group? If so do you go to the meetings?

What are they like?

My doctor offers them and requires that I attend so many a year in order to get my fills. Right now though I have no clue when I'll be able to make one. I only have one babysitter and her mom is in ICU right now.

Amanda,

My dr offers a monthly support group that is led by the dietician. I have been 2 times, both right before my surgery. I have found them to be very helpful, I liked being able to talk to people that live near me that have been thru the same thing; they have offered so much help and advice. The leader has a brief informational session on things from how to prepare certain foods, to exercise; then the group is allowed to ask each other questions etc. Depending on the age of your child, some people bring their children to our group, they sit and color and have been no bother.

My doc. offers a monthly support group run by the psychologist. I find them very helpfull. There are a group of vetrans (18 month post-op for more). They read an article and discuss it. For the second half it is open to the non-vetrans.

I went to my first support group meeting this past Tuesday. Each hospital has their own support group and the one I went to was run by the bariatric coordinator for the hospital. For the first hour the girls did a Zumba exercise class which I did not participate in and then the last hour the girls just talked about any problems they were having. Next meeting we are all bringing our favorite holiday recipes and coming up with a menu then it will be turned into the dietician and chef for the hospital and they are going to come up with ways to make them bariatric friendly. Then the next bariatric cooking class they are going to make some of the items that we brought in! They have the cooking classes 2 times a month!

The hospital where I had my surgery offers 2 support groups p/mo: one for those banded 1 yr or under, the other for 1 yr+ bandsters. I was banded just over 1 yr ago, and have not gone to the later group yet. I have gone sporatically to the first.

I found it very helpful going the first few months after surgery, but then found that most of the time the issues are the same, and the same few people tend to monopolize the conversation. However, I usually did pick up some new tip.

They also offer a nutrition class once a month. I enjoy these more.

The best part of both of these is meeting other bandsters and talking with them befor or after the sessions.

I'll probably try the 1yr+ group soon.