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Only Sleeve In A Gastric Bypass Support Group Meeting ...



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My surgeon has Monday night support group meetings and sadly I think I'm the only sleeve he's done for weightloss. He does them for stomach cancer. Anyway, I like some of the people I met. One was a tiny woman who was 1 year out and a very large and tall woman 2 weeks out.

WHAT a cross section. A good majority found eating uncomfortable and a chore. One woman who lost 75 pounds in 4 months was sitting all grey and hunched over. She cannot eat barely anything. Some people are totally clueless or misinformed about their own surgery. A few people are afraid to move to solids. Others don't know that for bypass, sugar free is more important than fat free and mix Protein powders with WATER! No wonder they hate them. Nobody had the idea to mix any flavorings into them.

One lady got to goal, starting drinking and gained all her weight back. Another lady lost a lot of weight, but is surrounded by an incredible amount of excess skin.

The balance are people just on the journey without any issues.

It was interesting, but the disgussion was mostly geared to dumping syndrome and other things that do not affect me. I love this board, but I wish there were a bunch of sleeve people I could meet with over ... coffee, tea, Protein shakes ...?

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You have encouraged me attend the support group at the Bariatric Center tonight....

I would definitely hang out w/ you if we lived close!!!!

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I would totally go hang out with you if I lived there!

It did amaze me at all the different support group meetings and nutritional meetings I went to how clueless people are. And yes, 99% of them seem to be bypass recipients. "Yes, but I like pizza, when do I get to eat pizza" "So I can have beer on superbowl sunday, right?" (their surgery was 2nd week of January) The people left needing blood transfusions because they're so Iron deficient, etc. Its SCARY to me.

and I'm soooooooo sorry for saying this, but i couldn't help myself!

SAN DIMAS HIGHSCHOOL FOOTBALL ROCKS! :)

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I used to attend the support meetings that were held in West Des Moines. The support group was part of the surgeons group that did my lapband. There were about 50 people that would attend and there was a cross section of lapbands, sleeves and bypass. Since my insurance would not cover me to have the lapband removed and the sleeve done I went to Mexico and had my surgery with Dr Garcia. After I returned I call De Eibes office and was told that he would no longer see me as he did not do the surgery. This upset me as there was no way that I could have afforded the surgery here in Des Moines IA as BCBS denied approval. I do not feel comfortable going to that support group anymore as they terminated me as a patient of Dr Eibes. That is why listening to others on the chat and being able to get some support is so important to some of us.

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SAN DIMAS HIGHSCHOOL FOOTBALL ROCKS! :smile1:

"EXCELLENT!!!!"

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I have gone to a few support meetings as well and I have found a wide range of people. It seems like most the sleevers are in their 20's like me. There was a poor man with a lap band that he has had for 3 years and he is over 500lbs. I hope he consideres revision to Sleeve!

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This board is the best. I don't think I'd be doing as well as this without you all.

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I have gone to a few support meetings as well and I have found a wide range of people. It seems like most the sleevers are in their 20's like me. There was a poor man with a lap band that he has had for 3 years and he is over 500lbs. I hope he consideres revision to Sleeve!

Preach to him sister! :-)

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I haven't had great experiences with my local support group either. Several frustrated band patients, several RNYs, and maybe one other sleever. I'm not sure what exactly I want out of a support group, but that wasn't it.

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I have only been to one support group meeting so far. It is also a mix of bypass, VSG and band patients in varying stages of post-op.

I think it was somewhat helpful, but it was a little hard to remember who had what procedure. The issues are different to each, so I was trying to remember who had what and if the situation being discussed was something I needed to worry about for myself.

I will go again, I think it will be more helpful next time and as I get to know the people.

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I'd have to drive an hour to my surgeon's support group. I thought about going once prior to surgery but it was the day before Thanksgiving and I got too busy.

To attend, I either take time off work to go or have to go at night which involves childcare and I'm a single mom. I do use this board in place of a meeting environment for sure!

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I don't think I'll be back. I didn't get a thing out of it other than, "I'm sure as hell glad I didn't get gastric bypass!"

The lapband people meet on the 4th Monday. That might be an education.

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I am one of those people who went to Mexico to have their surgery. So haven't seen my surgeon since June, when I had my surgery. And to my knowledge, there is no support group in my geographical area. BUT I love this board, and it takes the place of a support group for me. I read it almost every day, and have learned SO much from the posts I have read. A BIG thank-you to everyone who was sleeved before me, and has posted about their experience. It has been a learning experience for me. I am SO happy with my sleeve experience! It has literally changed my life!

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Catracks, thanks for this post.. I went to support group tonight and it was AMAZING!!! A few chatty cathies... but, lots of support and encouragement... I talked about my anxiety and fear when it comes to eating.. got a lot of helpful hints.. the biggest being... GET Protein and Water in.. the weight will come off!!!! LOL

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Hey Catracks I attend a really good support group in Loma Linda. I know it's a while away but if you are interested you should come down. Next meeting is @ 6pm on:

February 28, 2012- Dr Mike Hill "Plastic Surgery Option after Weight Loss Surgery"

March 27, 2012 Dr Adam Arechiga "How to Get a Handle on Emotional Eating"

@ Loma Linda University Center for Health Promotion

24785 Stewart Street, Evans Hall, Suite 111

Loma Linda, California 92354

Feel free to swing by if you can. :welcome:

My surgeon has Monday night support group meetings and sadly I think I'm the only sleeve he's done for weightloss. He does them for stomach cancer. Anyway, I like some of the people I met. One was a tiny woman who was 1 year out and a very large and tall woman 2 weeks out.

WHAT a cross section. A good majority found eating uncomfortable and a chore. One woman who lost 75 pounds in 4 months was sitting all grey and hunched over. She cannot eat barely anything. Some people are totally clueless or misinformed about their own surgery. A few people are afraid to move to solids. Others don't know that for bypass, sugar free is more important than fat free and mix Protein powders with WATER! No wonder they hate them. Nobody had the idea to mix any flavorings into them.

One lady got to goal, starting drinking and gained all her weight back. Another lady lost a lot of weight, but is surrounded by an incredible amount of excess skin.

The balance are people just on the journey without any issues.

It was interesting, but the disgussion was mostly geared to dumping syndrome and other things that do not affect me. I love this board, but I wish there were a bunch of sleeve people I could meet with over ... coffee, tea, Protein shakes ...?

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    • Doughgurl

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      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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