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

I actually received a pamplet in the mail. decided to call for the info meeting and after that the rest was history. I was afraid at first...of the surgery meaning...I had my body like this for 40 plus years..wow just the thought of changing things around was pretty scary.....

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

well get ready...it will take time and believe it or not..your unity staff have nothing to do with how long it takes to get the signature on the papers. I found myself pretty frustrated with the process, mainly because i just wanted it done. it doens't matter now many buttons you push or calls you make, it's out of their hands...i had to learn that, and really appreciate them for all they have done.

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

it was great! I was so surprised to see how soft spoken and down to earth he was (and cute) I was not afraid to ask alot of questions but it helped that my dr. really didn't mind my questions, almost as if he expedted them. it was delightful

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I had to let everyone pass me when trying to climb a flight of stairs...i had a young child and really wanted to be around to watch her grow up...at the rate I was going...it was not going to happen

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

well, I was told that I would get the most out of my procedure....i guess I learned this from the info meeting, but it was set in stone with my first meeting with my nurse...she answered all my questions in great detail, so that made it easier to figure out what I really wanted or needed to do.

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 don't think I really had fears of dying or other complications, I think I was more afraid of the unknown. I was going to change my body in a great way and I really didn't know what to expect. it all turned out....so ..

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?

hmm? my kids reallllly supported it...they went to some of my meetings with me and helped me lose those extra pounds needed for the surgery. now they support me and actually my health and knowledge is rubbing off on them. I have learned a great deal, hmm? maybe I should write a book..No?

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

I worked part time doing voice overs, so it really didn't effect my work at all. but as far as done time...shoot I was back up and around in about a week and a half. I just felt great, and had the energy so really wanted to start walking and making things work..yah know?

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

I went home the very next day. bring support...without it...the road just seems longer...thats all

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

heck no! infact, I was so surprised to see how easy it was...

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

no anxiety...i was just ready to get it done and start my new life. if anything else..it went realllllly slow...I couldn't wait

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

jello jello and more jello. to this day I will not eat anything that even looks like jello. drinking the water was the hardest..but it got easier with time.

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

it was about 30 miles...

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.

too much to say LOL i did what was told of me and made sure I followed the rules. I must say that I never really had a problem with dairy.

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

several days I was moving around the house...weeks after I was shopping..LOL walking my 30 minutes....

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

the b's, multis' p. shakes,

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?

had some nausea..but I could deal with it. had some hair loss...I think that was the worst thing..so I decided to just cut my hair off..and now that I'm so tiny it actually looks great..so I decided to keep the hair cut....

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

losing those that you thought were your friends. get ready...they will run and hide....

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

I actually have never been to a support group. I support myself every time I put on my size 0 jeans or see my daughter...she was 3 and now getting ready for 1st grade...she reminds me to keep on track...I want to live...and will spend the rest of my life working to keep healthy

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

you really can't even see them.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have reached my goal..yeh! we all plateau, but when you do, you just bump up your exercise just a bit more...

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

yeah...the guys are a knocking at my door! lol yeah really some things are good and others are bad. I really did lose a lot of friends. That makes me really sad..but then again, they weren't really my friends then huh?