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Bay Area CA support groups?



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I'm looking for a support group that meets in the Bay Area (preferably in San Jose). My surgeon (Dr. Cirangle) hosts one once a month, but I haven't found it particularly helpful as a support group; it's more of a seminar for people interested in being sleeved, not those who have already been sleeved. I'd like to find a group for already sleeved people with whom I can discuss challenges, get advice & support. A web search didn't turn up anything.

Does anyone know of any existing groups & where they meet?

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I'm looking for a support group that meets in the Bay Area (preferably in San Jose). My surgeon (Dr. Cirangle) hosts one once a month' date=' but I haven't found it particularly helpful as a support group; it's more of a seminar for people interested in being sleeved, not those who have already been sleeved. I'd like to find a group for already sleeved people with whom I can discuss challenges, get advice & support. A web search didn't turn up anything.

Does anyone know of any existing groups & where they meet?[/quote']

Hello! I do not know of any in San Jose, but I know of post op support groups in Oakland and Alameda. They are not just for the sleeve, but post op of any WLS. I am going to go to the one in Alameda 7/20. If you would like to get on the list serve, please forward me your email address. Have a great weekend!!

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I'm looking for a support group that meets in the Bay Area (preferably in San Jose). My surgeon (Dr. Cirangle) hosts one once a month' date=' but I haven't found it particularly helpful as a support group; it's more of a seminar for people interested in being sleeved, not those who have already been sleeved. I'd like to find a group for already sleeved people with whom I can discuss challenges, get advice & support. A web search didn't turn up anything.

Does anyone know of any existing groups & where they meet?[/quote']

Bari Bytes Good Samaritan Hospital/WLS Support Group

Facilitator / Bariatric Coach Sue Lassetter. M.A., CLC

1(408) 772-8071/ suecoach@mac.com

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Hello! I do not know of any in San Jose' date=' but I know of post op support groups in Oakland and Alameda. They are not just for the sleeve, but post op of any WLS. I am going to go to the one in Alameda 7/20. If you would like to get on the list serve, please forward me your email address. Have a great weekend!![/quote']

Thanks Kat C! Oakland is a little far for me, but I'll keep your info just in case. Thank you!

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Bari Bytes Good Samaritan Hospital/WLS Support Group

Facilitator / Bariatric Coach Sue Lassetter. M.A.' date=' CLC

1(408) 772-8071/ suecoach@mac.com[/quote']

Thanks Conemjo! You've been a great source of info, I really appreciate it! I will look into this one, its not far from me!

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Hello! I host the San Francisco/Bay Area Support Group once a month in Union Square (downtown SF) if you are interested. It may be a bit of a drive, but groups are held on Saturdays mornings and there is a convenient parking garage located across the street.

If you are interested, you can email me at taragriffithmft@gmail.com or join our meetup page www.meetup.com/SF-WLS-GROUP.

Our group is not affiliated with any particular surgeon/medical group and is open to anyone!

Best,

Tara Griffith

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Kaiser Fremont Bariatric Program Guidebook has a section with local support groups:

http://mydoctor.kaiserpermanente.org/ncal/Images/ADA-06-Support%20Groups%20-%20Where%20they%20are_tcm28-532134.pdf

I have been to the one in Fremont and the one at Good Sam. I am planning to attend the one in Saratoga on Wednesday, August 7. They will have a speaker ( I think a Dr.) who will talk about weight regain. Maybe we can meet up at that one?

I think most of these groups have a lot of pre-ops because some insurance co.s require you to attend a few support groups pre-op. Fremont has one specifically for long term post-ops, but I haven't been to it yet.

Lynda

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Oh and the support group in Saratoga and the one at Good Sam both charge $5, even though it says free in the Kaiser guide. Kaiser WLS support group meetings at all locations are free.

Lynda

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Kaiser Fremont Bariatric Program Guidebook has a section with local support groups:

http://mydoctor.kaiserpermanente.org/ncal/Images/ADA-06-Support%20Groups%20-%20Where%20they%20are_tcm28-532134.pdf

I have been to the one in Fremont and the one at Good Sam. I am planning to attend the one in Saratoga on Wednesday' date=' August 7. They will have a speaker ( I think a Dr.) who will talk about weight regain. Maybe we can meet up at that one?

I think most of these groups have a lot of pre-ops because some insurance co.s require you to attend a few support groups pre-op. Fremont has one specifically for long term post-ops, but I haven't been to it yet.

Lynda[/quote']

Thanks Lynda! Laura-ven mentioned this one. I had to work during the last Saratoga one, but I will be off on the 7th, so I was planning to try it out. Would be great to meet some local sleevers!

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Thanks Lynda! Laura-ven mentioned this one. I had to work during the last Saratoga one' date=' but I will be off on the 7th, so I was planning to try it out. Would be great to meet some local sleevers![/quote']

I plan to be there. Maybe we can meet a few minutes early and get some personal chat time in. It starts at 7. Maybe meet up 15 minutes or half hour early?

Lynda

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I plan to be there. Maybe we can meet a few minutes early and get some personal chat time in. It starts at 7. Maybe meet up 15 minutes or half hour early?

Lynda

Sounds good to me! I can be there at 6:30. Thanks for reaching out, looking forward to meeting you!

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OK. And I'd love to meet up with any other Bay Area VSG peeps.

See you at 6:30 there.

Lynda

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Does anyone know of a group that meets over the lunch hour or before 7pm? I really need to get connected with others, but I work in Sunnyvale and live in Gilroy. The Kaiser meetings are on days my husband is on shift. M,W,F.

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There's a monthly support group at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View that is the second Thursday of each month from 6-7:30pm!

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Does anyone know of a group that meets over the lunch hour or before 7pm? I really need to get connected with others, but I work in Sunnyvale and live in Gilroy. The Kaiser meetings are on days my husband is on shift. M,W,F.


I live in Hollister... have you found one yet? I can't find anything to go to.


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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.
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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. 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.

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