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"If you think you can or can't, you are right"

*** This page is currently under construction awaiting our move.  It will be updated with more information hopefully by the end of July-August 2008, so please check back then!!!! *******

            Raleigh, NC           

Weight Loss Surgery Support Group

Visit our new ObesityHelp Group Page with Support Meeting Info, Chat, Blogs, Photos, & More Here

Lisa Brown Certified ObesityHelp Support Group Leader		Kevin Bentz Certified ObesityHelp Support Group Leader
~ Coordinator ~ WLS RNY 08/21/2001		~ Co- Coordinator ~ WLS RNY 06/19/2001

Meetings are normally on Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. (always check calendar for current meeting date and time)

For more information:   

Support is important in all stages of weight loss surgery.  From those just learning about surgery, to those scheduled to have surgery to those several years post-op, everyone needs support.  We encourage you to join us each month to talk & learn about pre-op & post-op experiences and care. 

Pre-ops:    Come and meet others who know what you are going through, who have been there.   Ask questions and find out what is in store for you if you choose to have weight loss surgery.  A whole new life awaits you, but you should know the risks and the joys of what is to come.

Post-ops:    Come share your stories with others who can learn from your experiences.  Discuss post-op aftercare and take charge of your new health & life.  Be sure to bring your before picture for us to see.

Family members and friends are welcome, as they are also an important part of our support system.

We try to include much of the follow at all or many of our meetings:

• Have group discussions regarding important WLS issues at most all meetings.  This will only change if we schedule a speaker for a special meeting.

• Provide an on-line e-mail support group.  This way you are not alone the rest of the month in between meetings.  A great way to continue support anytime you need it.

• Exchange clothes. Bring all those good clothes that you can't wear anymore.  Someone else is sure to be able to use them & you can hopefully pick up some clothes for yourself too!

• Exchange recipes.  We will gather great recipes for the post-ops new diet that will be low/sugar free or higher in protein and hopefully taste good too! 

• Have sometimes scheduled speakers with pertinent information useful to the pre-op & post-op WLS patient.

• Make available "restaurant cards" for post-op patient's convenience.

• Take "before" and "after" pictures to document your progress along the way.  Pictures show more than we can ever see in ourselves otherwise.

• NOTE: We have started to address heavily the emotional aspects that this surgery has after surgery.  Many people are not aware and do not know how to deal with what comes along afterwards.  The food addictions, the transfer of addictions, the emotional eating, the gain-back after being a few years out.  So PLEASE join us if you need help with these issues.  We are here for you!!!!!!

•  ***** GREAT NEWS:  In becoming Certified by ObesityHelp as Support Group Leaders, not only do they advertise our support group meetings for us on their support group page now on www.obesityhelp.com BUT, they also do great things for us for our members and meetings.  They provide all of our members with free Obesityhelp magazines (starting in about 3 months after our certifications, so the first issue will come around January or February hopefully for the meetings. That is awesome!!!!  We can order free samples from vendors for our support groups, so we plan on doing this soon also, although vendors may be limited and vary from time to time, hey, it's more than we had before!!!  They provide us with handouts each month, and we have archives that we went back through and printed up some great articles to bring with us to the next meeting too!  They will be giving us our own "webpage" on ObesityHelp to go to, with our own  messageboard to post on, post pictures, and do all kinds of stuff, which is VERY cool.  That will be coming around January 1, 2008.  So look forward to new & great things to come.  This will help us get the word out about our support group to those who are looking for support, access resources we couldn't before, network with other leaders to learn more and maintain training along the way.  How cool is that?!!!!!! On another note, Kevin also has become certified as a leader, so congrats!!!! He will be able to have separate membership, so he can start up a separate group later if we need one (like for men, or for further out post-ops, or whatever the greatest need is), but we get to order extra stuff for our members this way! :)  (Posted 11/9/07)

If you would like to join us in making the most of your WLS experience, then mark your calendar & plan on coming.  We can't wait to see you there!

Visit the Association for Morbid Obesity Support (AMOS) at ObesityHelp.com  Website

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This page last updated:    July 06, 2008 

              Email: lisa.wlsgirl@gmail.com