My first support meeting

Went to my first support group meeting last night at Barix in Langhorne - met some really interesting people...lol. Had my eyes opened - I am only 3 weeks out and have had really no problems except getting all my fluids in, heard some good tips - but mainly was scared to death. Apparently my GBS is not a miracle cure. I am actually going to have to WORK AT MY WEIGHT LOSS!!!!!!! AAAaaaarrrrggghhhh. But seeing how happy and cheerful everyone was even though they are struggling was good. After listening to a lot of stuff I decided I am not going to attempt ANY "cheating" (of course I say that now, only being 3 weeks out). It was interesting to hear how different us "newbies" were doing - I feel great - have had 0 problems, but there were some who had a few difficulties. I love that everyone was so honest - that is what I need - not a bunch of bull crap. Hope I can make it back - it's kind of far for me to drive, but everyone stressed that support is key. If anyone is on here that was there last night - thanks, and it was great meeting you!

Cindy

I am so glad you were there Cindy - I was not as I was at the Phillies game - but I don't miss many meetings.  They are truly the key for me.  Between those meetings, checking in here daily, and trying to go to cooking classes once a month - I have found this entire process to be very successful.  I look forward to meeting you at future meetings.  Keep on working the tool.... am sure you too will be successful! :)

I am 3 1./2 years out and I have had some rebound weight gain. It is hard, but not something that cannot be dealt with. The weight gain taught me what I need to work on and I have been. My current weight and situation is still 200% better than i was.  Remember regardless of how you lose weight you would still have to work at it, and you would still have to address the reason why you got heavy in the first place. At least with this..you have a tool to back you  up and a better chance at success

Cindy I am so glad you were able to make to the meeting last night and we do speak the truth it is never to be mean but to make people see that this is work and it is also now a way of life. If anything you will find hard truth but with it you find love and compassion amoung us. Last night there were not any ters but that room of amazing people have laughed together and cried together on more then one occassion our circle is always big enough to let more in to the fold of support and we welcome it.

Best of luck on your journey and looking forward to following your progress.

Cindy,

I was at the meeting last night. Sorry that I didn't get a chance to talk with you. I am 11 months out and it was interesting to hear what the "newbies" had to say! We have all been where you are and feeling the same feelings that you do. The support group is definitely the place to be! All of the people there are so accepting and supportive. Hopefully you will be able to come next month so you can celebrate my one year surgiversary with me and see how far I have come! Look forward to speaking with you, either on OH or at the next meeting!!! Glad you went last night and it sounds like you were glad as well!! :-)

Take care and keep on successing!!
Beth

I usually only get to the first Saturday meetings at Barix but find it most helpful to key in on the people who are just a couple of steps ahead of where I am...especially early out. (With the longer drive, can you consider Saturday? I come about 1 1/2 hours...others drive further for that meeting).

I have learned a tremendous amount from the examples of others!

Hi Cindy,
I thank you for joining us and really hope you can see us again. As Lynn mentioned, our 1st Saturday meeting may be better for you with your travel and all. You'll be in your honeymoon period for some time and you will be amazed as to how well your surgery will work. It will work best if you stay as true to the rules as you can, especially your first 12 - 18 months. You'll achieve your maximum weight loss and learn many lessons for future good health. Good support is one of the many keys and you'll always find it here and at Barix.
Thanks again for spending a good evening with us,

Dennis

Hi Cindy,

It was nice meeting you last night at Barix.  Sorry we "scared you to death" but that fear is something that can work in your favor, keeping you honest and sticking to the program so that you DO continue successing.  One thing we usually say (but I don't recall any of us saying last night...):  "The doc operated on your stomach, not your head... but your head is where the problem originates."   For most of us the journey is about getting our HEADS into the game and your honeymoon period is a time when you're "free" from some of the physical things that may have prevented that in the past.  It's a time when you can really make the most out of getting healthy in your relationaship with food.

I hope we continue to see you there AND here!

Welcome!
Karen

Cindy,

     I am glad that you made it to your first support group meeting last night.  I was there also and just so happy to see the faces of people that I now consider friends.  It was very difficult for me initially to stay with the program and in the moment.  I have had slips along the way but there is always the next day for me to recommit myself to the program. 

     Last night I spoke about feelings and how difficult it has been for me to cope with them this past year since I was not using food to stuff them down.  Support is key and so are the people on this board and in the rooms at Barix or at any other support group.  This journey would not have been possible for me if not for those who have gone before me and those who have come after me.

     Hope to see you at more meetings.  Congratulations on making one of the best decisions of your life.  Take care of yourself.

Donna

Donna - I heard quite a few people including you talking about coping with things and not using food to "stuff" it away - I've been overweight for all my life (I'm 52) and even with counseling, reading, diets, ww, overeaters anonymous....etc. etc. -  you know what? I never could really figure out why I eat the way I do!  It finally occurred to me - I may never know this side of heaven why God made me like this, and for what reason I eat. And honestly - I don't think I want to waste any more of my time here trying to figure it out. The reason I had the bypass surgery is because I cried "Uncle". I couldn't "fix" it myself. I said out loud to my surgeon "I need help and I'm sick of living my life this way - dieting, gaining, losing, dieting, gaining, losing - I think it may have been Dennis who said one day he just didn't care if he ate again or not and that's exactly where I was when I got wheeled into the operating room that day - I wasn't nervous, I wasn't scared - I was ready to change the way I was eating and living because it just wasn't working for me! I may have been a little glib in my original post in this thread about being scared to death and having to work hard to live this way - but I knew going into it I was going to HAVE to change or I was going to die on my bed in front of the TV overweight and unhappy because I had wasted my life when I could have done something about it. That's why I had the surgery.  Whether I ever find out why I am the way I am is sort of irrelevant to me at this point.  (and I'm not knocking it for anyone else who is on that path - it just isn't for me anymore) If I had cancer I wouldn't spend the rest of the time I had in this life trying to figure out why and how I got it - I would spend the time getting the treatments and learning to make positive changes in my life to stay as healthy as possible for as long as I had left. I do love the term "successing" (which I heard for the first time last night) - it says HOPE to me. If you're successing there's always another day to do things differently and/or better than today or yesterday.

Thanks for all your kind words and warm welcomes! I hope to get to know everybody better real soon.