Support group meetings - a sales pitch

I stopped going to my support group meetings after a year and a half because every meeting was geared toward potential clients listening to post op stories. Even though I suggested more than once to please focus on topics like vitamins, what posts ops struggle with, to discuss things in an open forum rather than listen to a lecture that was repeated verbatim from one year to the next, things like that, it never came to pass. Very disappointed for this reason. What kinds of things are/were discussed in your support group meetings, if you still attend or when you used to attend them?

I used to go to them in my first 3 years.. Our meetings were weekly - for post op people.. They covered so many issue for post op people... from vitamins, to proper eating, psychological issues ( dealing with stuff), food issue - dealing with family members and holidays, even cooking, and exercise classes, and even how to dress...  etc etc etc..  but the longer I am post op - the least relevant these meetings are for me.. they are geared toward newer post op......  I stopped going because by now I probably can teach class like that... Mostly the clasess were form of a discussion - or presentation with discussion that followed. 

The classes were / are organized and sponsored by the clinic - and we paid a fixed program fee that went toward paying for those classes/meetings...

 

Hi I had my RNY 6/30/08 hw 292 SW269LW 127( too low) CW  190. Ideal weight 155 165 I have not went to support groups in a few years. Tomorrow. Going back to the basics need to get back on track. 

I had my RNY surgery May 26, 2009 and still attend support group.  I attend once a month and we do not actually have a subject matter but are changing our meetings to include one.  We discuss whatever anyone wants to discuss.  When new people come they have questions and some do not because the only reason they are there is because their doctors office requires for them to attend one support group meeting.  But I attend and have the attitude that I take what I need and leave the rest at the meeting.  What I mean by that is you probably will not get something out of every meeting the further out you are.  But what I have learned is the doctors are coming up with new things to look at and make sure you are getting checked for that vitamin or mineral.  For example when I had my surgery they did not know there were quite a few of us that are low on Vitamin D.  I actually learned that in a support group meeting where someone mentioned they needed to take extra Vitamin D because of not having enough.  I know they are finding more and more of the general population has the same problem due to us not getting into the sun very often.  I feel if I was not attending support group even know most who attend are within the first year out or have not had surgery yet I am maintaining the weight loss I did have from the surgery.  I began my journey at 370 pounds and am at 256 currently and am again trying to lose more weight.  My lowest weight was 1 year out at 242.  I think I maintained that for a month or 2 then leveled off at 250.  I recently was up to 274 and have lost almost 20 of that.  But if I did not attend support who knows where my weight would be. 

Being with others who have experienced the same thing we have or are getting ready to begin their journey is so important.  The further out we are the harder it is to find support for ourselves but on the other hand I feel great answering questions of those who are beginning their journey and helping them understand what can happen and that this was the best decision I ever made in my life.

Our support meetings are really poorly scheduled for my life, so I have never gone.  I wonder if I am missing out.