There’s no question that support is one of the biggest keys to success after weight loss surgery. Bariatric support groups can be a major source of support. They come in all forms and play all kinds of roles for different patients.

As a way of helping other BariatricPal members who may be looking for a support group or who would like to get more out of their support systems, here are a few questions that I’d love for you to answer!

Which support groups do you belong to? Are they in person or online, such as BariatricPal? How often do you attend meetings or login? Did you find them through your surgeon, or did you find them another way?

What do you use your support systems for? Is it generally for information about weight loss surgery? Do you get ideas about food and recipes? Do you look for recommendations for products and healthcare providers? Is it to make friends that you can meet outside of the group? Does the group help keep you accountable?

Do you feel as though anything is lacking from your support groups? What would you like to have that you do not already get?

Thanks for your help!

I've never attended a support group, and don't intend to join one since I'm 16 months out and maintaining a weight that is well under my original goal. My parents, husband, and my doctors are the only ones who know I've had WLS, and really the only ones I've ever felt I needed support from throughout this experience. I have found sites like this one to be useful for learning from the experiences of others, gathering information, and asking questions. I don't really seek support here but feel like there's plenty of kind people who would give it to me if I ever did. Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube have also been great resources for finding recipes, meal plans, and tips from others who've had WLS.

online I participate regularly on this one and OH. I've logged into Thinner Times a couple of times, but that's it - so not a regular participant on that one. I go to local support groups occasionally. Early out I used them to get information; now I use them mostly because they keep me focused on my weight loss. I login at least once a day - and usually two or three times.

I don't have a physical support group. There is one locally but I found it to be nothing but a bragging of what and how much they could eat and get away with. I deal with enough of my own demons I sure didn't need that. But I have a few online groups I go to. I have this one and one other that I keep close tabs on!! Sometimes it's just knowing that someone deals with the same stuff I do is enough. On the other site there is a recipe place and I go on PINTREST and a couple others for recipes. I forgot about this site for quite a while and was so glad I found it again. Lots of good information on here. Thank you for starting this site.