Any support groups in the Daytona/Orlando/Jacksonville area?

Hi...new member here. I live in the Daytona area but moved here 5 months post-op so I don't have any hospital here to contact about support groups. The first year that I moved here (2001) I looked all over the internet and even called bariatric centers trying to find support...with no help whatsoever. I'm 25 years old...had open surgery December of 2000...my husband and I found out I was pregnant 7 months post-op. I called my DR and nutritionist in St. Louis and they weren't HAPPY that I was pregnant...worried about complications and my body needing time to heal. I went from 324 lbs the day before surgery to 200 lbs when I found out I was pregnant. I'm 5'10...so I thought I was looking pretty good. I don't know what happened though...I quit my high-profile job because it was too stressful during pregancy. I was a radio show producer and the show I was on decided it would be fun to try and weigh me every day...and make me wear french maid outfits with a pregnant belly (it was all just to get people to call in and get ratings) but I couldn't keep it up. Inside, I was scared to death that I was going to have problems with the baby due to the surgery...and almost as much as THAT scared me, I was afraid of gaining all the weight back. Well, I'm there. I can't believe I'm even going to type this. But, I'm three years and two months out of surgery...and I'm up to 270 lbs. And all I have to show for it is the most amazingly healthy and gorgeous little girl you will ever meet. But I used all the stress of my pregnancy and career woes as an excuse to let me to stay home and eat myself into oblivion...and now I'm a stay-at-home mom pulling the tricks I pulled as a teenager. But instead of lying to my parents about how much I'm eating, I'm stuffing my face with horrible snack food all day and hiding the evidence before my husband gets home from work. I work out...only because I was lucky enough to become friends with two other new moms who are pretty health-conscious...and so we encourage each other to excersize...but when they're not around, I'm eating fast food and drinking soda and hiding food like crazy. I really need to find a support group because I want to start being honest with myself...and taking charge of my body again. Before the surgery...I thought...If I could just lose a hundred lbs...I'd never have a reason to be depressed again. It just doesn't work that way. Not for me at least... Help! Annie, Daytona Beach

Hi Annie, daytona here also. i'm hoping to have to surgery done. But to answer your question, yes there is a support group that just started at the hospital here in daytona. I attended the first seminar and support group last month, they meet every 2nd thursday of the month at 6:00 pm in the regional oncology auditorium at halifax hospital. The public information meeting phone number is (386)238-3205. I hope this info helps you out.... if you need more just email me [email protected] take care and keep in touch, Tammy :0)