What's your experience been with support groups?

I do the following:

-Online boards (Bariatric TV is my fav)
-My surgeon's support group - because he runs it we don't have to put up with contradictory info or misinformation like happens in some groups, plus there are guest speakers on occasion. I always learn something when I go.
-A group that meets monthly for lunch and to socialize, started on the OH CA boards - I go when I can but they are on Saturdays so I often have conflicts
-A patient-to-patient group that is okay but some of the stuff annoys me so I only go a few times a year

A good support group is priceless IME but a bad one is a waste of time.

I'm not a "support group" type person. I think I burned myself out with Weigh****cher type meetings, and my personality just doesn't fit into the personal support group forum.

My experiences have been pretty negative, and I can not stand a bunch of whining or wondering "why I'm still fat" when they sit there and admit to eating trash food, and not exercising. I think I'm just too blunt, and no nonsense to sit through a meeting where people coddle each other, and the "woe is me" card is played far too often. I'm not a fan of enabling bad behavior, or hearing over and over "It's okay, tomorrow is a new day" from the support group leader. Some of these patients need real help, need real intervention and not just "oh, it's okay, just put the cheesecake away".

I did attend one support group meeting that is attached to the military facility where I had my revision. The only reason I went is because the guest speaker was a plastic surgeon, and I had questions. I purposely showed up late to avoid most the "circle of friends" portion of the meeting.

I know that sounds horrible, and very crass, but it's honestly frustrating to go for support and to sit there and watch people struggling yet given no true direction.

This is why I prefer my surgeon's support group over all others. I can't imagine him putting up with a lot of whining with no constructive suggestions.