Weight loss surgery, also known as bariatric surgery, is a procedure performed on obese individuals to reduce weight and limit the size of the stomach. Bariatric surgery is one of the most popular methods of weight loss. One trend report by the National Institutes of Health found a six-fold increase in the surgical procedure between 1990 and 2000. People join support groups to talk about how to diet, exercise and cope with life after surgery.
Online Communities
ObesityHelp is a bariatric support community with about 1.5 million members. ObesityHelp was formed in 1998 to offer support and education to weight-loss patients. You can join an existing group on the website or start your own group. Because it's an online forum, there is no limit to the number of members a group can have. You can join any number of groups, including one that helps you cope with emotions and another that appeals to your hobbies. Some groups have events where members can meet and socialize. If you have leadership qualities, you can apply to become a support group leader so that you can use your skills to help others.
Anne Collins Weight Loss Forum has more than 21,000 members and about 7,600 different discussions you can read through and post on whenever you want, as of 2010. There is a membership fee to join the forum. With membership, you get a weekly weigh-in forum to help you stay on track with your weight-loss goals the ability to send Anne Collins personal messages and questions, a personal log forum that allows you to keep a private journal or grant access to other forum members so they can see how you're doing and the diet discussion forum where you go to discuss topics important to you including a confession center, how to have a no-cheat weekend and more.
Local Support Groups
The Weight Loss Surgery Center has a support group locator categorized by state. Nearly every state has at least one support group listed on the site and some states have half a dozen or more. Support groups listed on the WLS Support Group by State page has the name of the group's contact person along with the location of the group and contact information.
Bariatric Support Centers International, known as BSCI, has a support group registry that lists meetings all over the country. Meetings are held in hospitals, doctor offices and BSCI centers.
Telephone Support
Telephonic Support Groups by BSCI is a free group for women who are considering getting weight-loss surgery or those who have had surgery. Other participants include BSCI staff, patient supporters and anyone who is just interested in learning about weight loss surgery. The phone-in groups are held twice a month and run for approximately 60 minutes. Callers can come and go as they please. Topics range from the latest surgery developments, dietary supplements and more.
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