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Hello all, I live in Winter Park but got sleeved in Miami two weeks ago. Does anyone know of any support groups in the area that would be open to patients from other surgeons? Would love to get to know some folks locally.

My surgeons office offers a group open to everyone. I attend regularly. You can find the info at JawadMD.com. We meet at the Orlando Health Cancer Center downtown. Hope to see you there!

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Hello all, I live in Winter Park but got sleeved in Miami two weeks ago. Does anyone know of any support groups in the area that would be open to patients from other surgeons? Would love to get to know some folks locally.

My surgeons office offers a group open to everyone. I attend regularly. You can find the info at JawadMD.com. We meet at the Orlando Health Cancer Center downtown. Hope to see you there!

Thank you so much! I went to the info session there and liked them but ended up going to my original surgeon because I have always had a relationship with the office through the years. I would love to join as it is really close to my home. If you could post or message me as to the next meeting and whether I need to contact them to say I would like to join I would be very grateful!

Edited to add that I found the info. Thanks so much. Hope to meet you and others soon :)

Edited by VDLT

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The next meeting is this Wednesday at 6, they have a plastic surgeon as the guest speaker. Bethanne runs the group if you want to reach out to her but I don't think it's required. Her email is Bethanne.Wilson@orlandohealth.com

Hope to see you there!

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@nikkiperezcassar Thanks so much! I will be there today :) Is it just the plastic surgeon or will there be general discussion. I feel bad being from another surgeon but glad it is open :)

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Hi all. Just stumbled upon all of these Orlando/central Florida tips lol. I am currently in my Preop phase and have my psych eval tomorrow and seminar on Saturday. I will be having my surgery in February I hope with Dr.Beltre.

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I live in Orlando. I had sleeve surgery in Aug 2011. Because of horrible reflux I had revision surgery to a Mini Gastric Bypass. I used BariatricPal and had surgery in Tijuana, MX. It was a very good experience. My surgeon was Dr. Illan at florence Hospital.

I would like a local support group too. Once a month a least.

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For all of you local to Orlando peeps. Have any of you needed plastic surgery after your weight losses? I have gotten rid of 119 lbs. since October with 28 lbs to go and starting to look for plastic surgeons for breast reduction. Possibly more (tummy, upper arms and thighs) but that is a MUST. Hoping insurance will pay for it because of all my upper back pain.

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I am having plastic surgery Dec. 19 of this year. My sleeve surgery was July 14, 2015, and I've lost 100 pounds and am now at my goal weight....actually a few pounds below goal. I am having a Tummy Tuck and a breast lift/reduction and CAN'T WAIT. I am paying out of pocket, but my breast reduction is minimal. Insurance would never pay for it, for the small amount I am having removed, and I don't have any back pain. Just am tired of DD cups and want smaller, and since I'm already having the breast lift, the doctor said he could easily take out some mass while he's working on them at no additional cost.

Apparently insurance companies have really gotten stricter on breast reduction requirements. A certain amount of mass has to be removed before they will pay, and you have to prove you have tried other things before surgery (weight loss, pain relievers, etc.). Check with your insurance for their specific requirements. It would be awesome if insurance covered that, because while you're already on the table, it would probably be economically feasible to have tummy and more worked on too, since you would have the hospital fee, anesthesia, etc. already covered by insurance!

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Hi all. Just stumbled upon all of these Orlando/central Florida tips lol. I am currently in my Preop phase and have my psych eval tomorrow and seminar on Saturday. I will be having my surgery in February I hope with Dr.Beltre.

Did you have your surgery and did you like Dr Beltre? I am researching places

Sent from my SM-G920V using the BariatricPal App

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I decided to not have the surgery after my GI doctor talked me out of it. I have found a health program and have gotten rid of 110 lbs. so far. Now, I am starting to research plastic surgeons for breast reduction and possible upper arm, thigh work.

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Anyone from the orlando area still around? My wife and I are both scheduled to be sleeved with Dr. Jawad soon.


Starting Weight: 329lb 1/19/2017
Surgery Weight: TBD 6/27/2017
Current Weight: 313lb 5/9/2017
VSG, Dr. Jawad, Orlando, FL

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Anyone from the orlando area still around? My wife and I are both scheduled to be sleeved with Dr. Jawad soon.


Starting Weight: 329lb 1/19/2017
Surgery Weight: TBD 6/27/2017
Current Weight: 313lb 5/9/2017
VSG, Dr. Jawad, Orlando, FL


Hi, I am having sleeve surgery with Dr. Tiexiera. Surgery not scheduled yet. Currently going through my 3 month diet and other required appointments, etc.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using BariatricPal mobile app

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Best of luck, the 3 months will be over before you know it. We have pre-op next but not quite sure what it entails.

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I am. I had VGS in 2011 and gastric bypass in 2016 in Mexico. Wish we had a support group more central to Orlando.

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    • LeighaTR

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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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