Online Bariatric Support Groups

By Kristen at 28 October, 2009, 1:44 am

No matter what stage of weight loss surgery you are at – considering options, preparing for surgery, or maintaining your new lifestyle years later – bariatric support groups can have positive effects on you and your success. Bariatric surgery will not only result in a drastic new you, but also in significant changes in your life.

Most likely you have found support in your family and friends already; that’s great!

Encouragement from your loved ones is vital to your confidence and motivation. But perhaps you feel like you also need something more – the encouragement, compassion and advice that comes from others who have already traveled down the road where you are about to journey.

Through bariatric support communities, you can connect with other patients, get answers to your questions, find the motivation to stick with your new lifestyle and create new friendships through your experience.

The best part? You don’t have to leave your home to find bariatric support groups or fit meetings into your already busy schedule. With online communities, like the ones below, bariatric support is at your fingertips.

The Weight Loss Surgery Connection

WLS Connection is hosted by a couple, Melissa and Dan, who went through bariatric surgery together in 2003. Now they share the support they have found in each other and provide a place for others to find bariatric support as well.

The online forum offers useful information and ways to connect with other bariatric patients. Here you can meet members in your region, share success stories, or get moving with the exercise support forum.

NAWLS Network

The National Association for Weight Loss Surgery (NAWLS), offers this website as a way for weight loss surgery patients and professional to connect by providing resources, information and bariatric support.

There are a number of unique bariatric support  groups on this site from “Banded Together” and “Low-Card Lifestyle” to retreat groups for specific regions. Although the bariatric support groups and forums are not as active on this site as others reviewed here, there are unique personal elements to the site. Most notable are the member blogs where registered users add their own postings, sharing their personal experience.

Renewed Reflections

Renewed Reflections will help you “love the new you”! The site provides bariatric support on its  Gastric Bypass Surgery, Obesity and Weight Loss Surgery forums.

There is little activity in the group section of the site, but the forums are lively with members sharing personal thoughts, advice and their most exciting “wow moments”. Introduce yourself, share your experience, then head over the recipe forum for members’ gastric bypass recipes – discover a protein shake for everyday of the week!

Obesity Help (OH)

OH began as a website dedicated to community support for those living with obesity. Although it has since evolved to include educational resources and even more ways to connect with your peers, its’ roots as a community-based site are evident. Bariatric support come in many forms at OH, with both  active forums and bariatric support groups.

Most of the groups – with topics ranging from success stories to motivation for staying on track post-op – have over 300 members and over 30 activities in the past month. There are questions and stories posted everyday to the weight loss surgery forum, where the community members share successes, setbacks, inspiration and offer and seek advise.

There is a lot of personal attention to the bariatric support at OH. The “People” section includes a list of members’ names and surgery dates, where others can leave notes of encouragement for them. In addition to the valuable content, the site’s clear layout and easy-to-navigate sections promotes user interaction.

Online bariatric support groups and forums, can help increase the success of your surgery. The road can be bumpy at times, but with the online resources combined with your own determination, you’ll cruise through to a new, healthier you!

Categories : Weight Loss | Weight Loss Surgery