Support groups: helpful or not?

[jdub81 8]

My surgeon doesn't have support groups. I am not telling anyone about my surgery except my husband and mom so I was thinking a support group may help especially through the pre op diet and following the surgery. Did anyone find support groups helpful? Any good ones in the LA/SFV area?

Alternatively, anyone see a therapist, and I'm not talking about just the one required for insurance? Was individual therapy helpful for anyone?

Thanks!!!

[sonya139 95]

I'm pre op and I've gone to mine three times and love them. I can't wait for the next month so I can go to it. I'm actually not going to the one this evening because there will be a plastic surgeon there and since I'm not at that point I don't feel the need to go.

[CaliGirlSlimmingDown 6]

I've been invited to a support group that meets at Kaiser Harbor City next Tuesday which I am going to attend. I am not a Kaiser patient but this support group is open to anyone. It's free and the gal who invited me is 4-weeks post-op and she says the group is awesome.

[hopeliveshere 294]

My insurance required that i attend 2 support groups. they were good and the people were very nice. I will probably go once in a while, as i am not much of a public speaker. I find this site to be my "support group"

[7 Bites_Jen 479]

It really depends on the one you find.

The first one my mother went to had a table set up with food and Snacks - including "no-no" foods like soda and cookies!!

The one that we'd been going to together was OKAY, but really they didn't share a whole lot that we didn't already know, and a lot of the people there were uppity and had the attitude of "no one should ever mess up on their diet plan ever".

The last one we'd been going to was great, but was, sadly, an hour away..

I guess what this rambling post is saying: if you can find one that suits your needs they are awesome!