Support Systems

S – 36 days

Tonight I went back to the Bariatric Support Group for the second time.  When I had my first appointment at the surgeon’s office they handed me a schedule of support group meetings.  The nutritionist I was seeing suggested I go.  I went in March, but the group meeting in April was on the day of my father’s funeral, and the May meeting fell on a night I had a conference call.

I know, from my days in Weight Watchers, that being part of a group and sharing your experiences with other people who are in similar situations is a valuable asset to success.  In addition to this support group I have joined the Bariatric Friendly page/discussion on Facebook and the online Banded Living community (www.bandedliving.com).  The support group at the hospital meets once a month.  These three tools – just like the surgery is a tool – give me the opportunity to a) socially network with a large community of Weight Loss Surgery patients, b) socially network with patients who share the same surgical procedure, and c) meet face to face with medical professionals and other patients in my area to share stories and, possibly, make new friends.

Tonight’s group meeting was a 45 minute general meeting with an LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) who talked about Food Pushers – people for whom eating is a family obligation or is of social importance.  (The March meeting was about Mindful Eating).  The group then broke into smaller groups by the kind of surgery each of us have had or are going to have.  This was very helpful because it gave me chance, with a health care professional, to get answers to specific questions of relevance.  For instance, I’ve been reading so many comments from all kinds of people in the last few days that some raised concerns.  I had a big disappointment when I read “no starchy potatoes” and “no raw fruits or veggies.”  I ran this by the Lap Band gals in the group tonight and discovered that these are not necessarily true for the Lap Band procedure.  So I’m learning a bunch of things  and getting to “check in” on the reality of what I’m learning with people who have gone through it.

This is another reason why I feel a support group is so important.  I’ve met people who have the same fears, share the same concerns, and experience the same trials (I will have).  These people are my guides through this daunting process.  Afterwards, this same group of people will help keep me on track, give me the encouragement to keep up with new lifestyle, even when I reach the maintenance stage.  At some point, I shall become a guide for someone else getting ready to make his or her journey.

Having a good support system at home, with spouses or other family members, is an absolute given, because we will all need someone to hold our hands at various times through this journey.  But consider setting up additional support systems to give yourself a greater chance of success along the way.

Because sometimes we need all the help we can get.