How did you first find out about bariatric surgery and what were your initial impressions of it?

A few years back I did some ligth research online and I felt like that was a last resort and I was not ready or at the point where I needed to make that kind of drastic decision.

Describe your experience with getting insurance approval for surgery. What advice, if any, do you have for other people in this stage?

Easy because I had an extremely high BMI.

What was your first visit with your surgeon like? How can people get the most out of this meeting?

It was very odd because I felt like the surgeon was "out of it" in the sense that he seemed to be in a hurry and not real informative. But this was due to the fact that when I first met him I was still not "ready or prepared" for the surgery. I was taking it as a joke.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

It was going to be a positive change to help prevent complications in the future.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I wanted the safest and best results method to be done on me.

What fears did you have about having complications or even dying from from the surgery, and what would you tell other people having the same fears now?

I had a great fear of dying that started about 3 weeks prior to surgery and led up to the day prior in which I decided that my fate was already decided for me and there was nothing that I could do to alter it, so I was going to go into surgery with a clear mind and conscious.

How did your family and friends react to your decision? Would you have communicated anything differently if you could now? How supportive were they after your surgery?

They were all very supportive and some even thought that I should postpone for a few months because I was not ready in their minds.

How did your employer/supervisor react to your decision? What did you tell him/her? How long were you out of work?

I told only my supervisor and she was very supportive and understanding. Luckily one of her family members had a similar procedure done. I was out of work for 2 1/2 weeks.

What was your stay in the hospital like? How long where you there? What things are most important to bring?

I was in the hospital for 2 days and after the first day I wanted to go home because I felt like I was ready to. The most important things to bring is a comfortable pair of pajamas, your ipod, CPAP maching (if applicable), and extra pillows.

Did you have any complications from the surgery? If so, how did you deal with them?

None at all.

In the weeks after you got your surgery date, how did you feel? How did you cope with any anxiety you might have felt?

I felt awesome, like a new person.

Describe your first few weeks home from the hospital. What should people expect from this period?

At first I was very focused on making sure I took in all my liquids but by the time I got the system down, I was bored out of mind and wanted to go back to work, but I didn't rush it due to the fact that I was feeling a little tired towards the afternoon.

How far did you travel to have your surgery? (If far, how did this affect your aftercare?)

15 minutes by car

Please describe in detail what things you could and couldn't eat in the weeks and months following surgery. What foods have been off limits? Please explain how your dietary tolerance changed week-by-week, and then month-by-month since surgery.

I have been able to eat everything as my body/stomach has been able to tolerate all kinds of foods. Of course I am sticking to a low calorie, low fat, no sugar diet. I was on liquids for 3 weeks after surgery, and then pureed foods for a week, and then at 4 weeks I was allowed to introduce solid foods.

What was your actvity level in the days and weeks after surgery?

Some light walking for the first 3 weeks, then I began hitting the treadmill 3 times a week for the next 3 weeks, and then at 6 weeks began strength training and intensive cardio sessions.

What vitamins and/or dietary supplements have you taken since your surgery?

DAILY I TAKE: B12 (sublingual), 2 Flinstones daily, and a protein shake (Whey Protein Powder)

What side effects (nausea, vomiting, sleep disturbace, dumping, hair loss etc.) were worse for you? For how long after surgery did they persist? How did you cope with them?

None.

What was the worst part about the entire bariatric surgery process?

The waiting period in between the first time you go in for your initial visit to the actual surgery date.

What aftercare support group/program do you have? How helpful/important is this?

It is very important to your success and learning process. I am actively participating in several WLS related message boards, go to a support group once a month, and have subscribed to a WLS magazine.

What is your scar like? Is this what you expected?

Scar is about 4-5 inches long (Thanks Dr. Baker) which is a lot smaller than I would have thought for a guy my size and weight and for having it open.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

None so far.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Close circle have been treating me with a lot of caution, and worrying a lot about me. Other individuals that I interact with on a daily basis have been noticing the weight loss and been encouraging me.