Online Support Group?

Haven't been around OH in a while but wanted to pop in and ask a question!  Does anyone here have an online support group that is provided by their surgeon's office?  If so, will you share that info with me? 

I know that there are many other avenues of online support, OH being one of them, as well as groups on FB and YT.  But I'm specifically interested in finding out if there are any surgeons' offices offering support groups online for their patients who, for whatever reason, can't travel to face-to-face support groups. 

Anyone?  You can respond here or e-mail me directly (sharing here will share with everyone, though, so you could do both!).  [email protected]

The bariatric program I went through offered a Yahoo-Group.

It's damn near defunct -- there's a single email that comes through with a random personal update from someone... no support.  

I don't know where new patients of the practice get their online support.  I hope they DO have something available -- but I don't find that many do.  Some surgeons' have a Facebook page or group -- but again -- not often about support.

That's what I would worry about with an online group because the office would really need someone to be able to dedicate to the online support group.  I honestly don't think I have enough hours in my day to do what I have to do in the office, let alone adding more time for online in order to really do the service right.  And if you're gonna do it half-assed, why do it at all, right? 

 Dena , My Doc offers a On line support , it has it's ebbs and flows. Mostly the same posters ...  Not Much Doctor Provided Information or e news letter etc.  I do think many surgeons keep the "On line support" for  their specific practice and patients ,  Unless at a  larger  hospital ?  This is my issue for support, my surgeon is  several hours away , no local support groups  WLS based.  The  one local WLS  Doctor will not  accept any WLS  Patient unless they are in his Group,  preformed their WLS   and the Patient  has paid  the  life time " Program Service Fee" ($ 5000.00)  that covers meetings , support groups etc. ( Kinda sad).   My only other option for  ACTUAL  WLS support meetings are a  1.5 hour Drive or a 3 hr Drive to Bariatric Hospitals that are Centers of Excellence and  allow  any WLS  Patient to attend WLS support meetings. OH is all I have ... basically, my TOPS group closed which was my weekly accountability support. I would be interested  in any other on line groups also.             

WoW ... what a pricey program fee!  And our patients balk at the $750 program fee we charge (which covers psychologist, bariatrician, registered dietician, and exercise physiologist evaluations!).  Our meetings & support groups are free.  Does that $5k cover the consult fee, too?

I would like to know too.....also Dena if you know of any in-person support groups in the tampa bay area Id love to know....I have a feeling Im gonna need a lot of support

You can attend the support groups at Tampa General Hospital in person.  They're held once/monthly.  Call me in the office and I'll give you the date of the next one coming up in February.  813-844-7473 is the office number.  Heather, Melissa or I can give you the info.  Dr. Murr is the bariatric surgeon I work with, and his groups are open for anyone to come to whether he did your surgery or not.  There's no fee to attend. 

The reason I ask about online is that one of our patients called and stated she lived too far away and the expense of driving to Tampa was a hardship for her and she was inquiring about online support groups.  I have never known of any, so thought I'd ask here where I knew I would get some info about others' experiences. 

I do think you need support, and I prefer the in-person variety myself, but I do understand the rationale behind the online variety, too.  It's ALL important, no matter how you get it!  And online is available (I would hope) more hours of the day, more days of the week, than the in-person groups.  So I can see the benefit.