Lack of Support Group/Coach/Trainer

[Ashleycatx 0]

Feeling a little frustrated after searching high and low for a local support group in Austin, TX. Even tried looking for a coach or trainer just to have some support, accountability, and guidance with no luck. Are we really that small of a community? I'm almost 2 months post op and feeling a little alone in this. I had my surgery in Mexico due to insurance not covering and they do offer free consultations with a nutritionist, counselor, and dr but really wanting something more for accountability and just talking through the struggles. Anybody else out there had any luck? Thanks in advance!

[summerseeker 1,858]

I am sure the good people on here will help you out with finding a group. Lots of us have used this forum to chat and find advice. Its a wonderful group, we have all be through it and between us have had every problem going related to the surgery and recovery.

[SleeveToBypass2023 1,841]

I came to this group before my surgery because I wanted to talk to people in all stages of the process. I was excited and overwhelmed and had absolutely no clue what to expect at all. My area offers online support groups, but nothing in person. I do have access to a nutritionist through my surgeon's office, and I've used her on occasion, but not as much as I thought I would. For a coach, well, I don't have one. I kind of had to become my own coach. I have a personal trainer through my gym (and my cousin, who does that for a living, so the coach at the gym helps with the equipment and my cousin helps with the exercises and whatnot). I decided that if I was going to have an online support group, it might as well be here on this site, where I've established relationships for the last year and a half. People on here actually GET IT, you know?

[Kri-star 6]

On 1/6/2024 at 8:39 PM, Ashleycatx said:

Feeling a little frustrated after searching high and low for a local support group in Austin, TX. Even tried looking for a coach or trainer just to have some support, accountability, and guidance with no luck. Are we really that small of a community? I'm almost 2 months post op and feeling a little alone in this. I had my surgery in Mexico due to insurance not covering and they do offer free consultations with a nutritionist, counselor, and dr but really wanting something more for accountability and just talking through the struggles. Anybody else out there had any luck? Thanks in advance!

Hey Ashley, are you a gym member? I would assume most gyms have a trainer that you can get started with. The hospital that I had my surgery at has multiple support groups and some are done through zoom. Try contacting a local hospital that offers weight loss and see if you can join their groups.

[ChunkCat 689]

What surgery have you had?? It is much easier to find a support group for, say, a sleeve patient than for a DS patient. I agree with @Kri-star, check with the local hospital that does bariatric surgery. Austin is big enough to have a few support groups around, but a lot of the hospital support groups still meet online thanks to Covid!

I'm in a DS support group on FB that I love. So you might want to check around on FB and see if you find one you love. Often you can post in the big ones looking for people in the same area and plan a meet up!