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

I FRIST FOUND OUT ABOUT THE SURGERY FROM MY DOCTOR WILLIAM PETERCONE HERE IN WATERBURY CT. HE WAS VERY HELPFULL WITH FINDING A SURGERN THAT DID THIS HE TOLD ME IF I DIDNT HAVE THIS THAT I MIGHT JUST DIE FROM ALL THIS WEIGHT THAT I HAD ON ME, I HAD ONE SURGEN I WENT TO THAT I DIDNT APPERCIATE AT ALL AND LEFT FROM HIS OFFICE AND THAT WAS DR. REINHOLD IN NEW HAVEN CT. THEN I FOUND DR.CARLOS BARBA AND HE WAS A GODSEND TO ME HE WAS LIKE A DAD TO ME HE REASURED ME AND MY WIFE THAT THINGS WOULD BE OK AND HIS STAFF TREATED ME AND MY WIFE WITH RESPECT AND WHERE VERY HELPFULLY IN EVERYWAY I WOULD RECOMENED HIM TO EVERYONE HIS IS NUMBER 1 IN MY BOOK.

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

OK THIS IS THE ROUGHEST PART IS THE INSURANCE I HAD A TERRIABLE TIME! AT FRIST THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A COSMETIC SURGERY AND DIDNT WANT TO PAY SO THEY COULDNT DO THE SURGERY I HAD TO FIGHT IT ALL THE WAY, WE HAD GONE TO GOVENER ROWLAND AND THREW SEVERAL TV. TALK HOSTR LIKE MONTEL,SALLY,MAURY, AND ALSO HAD HELP THREW OUR LOCAL SHERRIFFS OFFICE AND OTHER ORIGINZATIONS THAT HELPED ME THREW THIS BY WRITTING LETTERS AND MY DOCTOR HIMSLEF HELPED ALOPT BECAUSE HE SAUD TO THE IBNSURANCE COMPANY THAT IF I DIDNT HAVE THIS SURGERY I WOULD BE DEAD BY NOW, SO HE WAS A BIG HELP, INSURANCES ARE A DEADLY THING, PEOLE NEED THE HELP THEY SHOULDNT BE DENINED IF THIS SURGERY IS NEEDED ,THE INSURANCE I HAD WAS THREW THE STATE AND THAT IS TITLE 19, I THINK IONSURANCE COMPANINES ARE JUST OUT FOR THE MONEY. BUT PLEASE IF YOU ARE GOING FOR THIS AND THEY SAY NO FIGHT IT FIGHT IT FIGHT IT, YOU NEED TO WRITE LETTERS TO EVERYONE, YOUR GOVENER,MAYOR,POLITIACANE,OTHER DOCTORS EVERYONE, TELEVISION STATIONS,NEWSPAPERS TELL THEM HOW THE INSURANCE COMPAINES ARE GIVING YOU A HARD TIME LET EVERYONE KNOW, JUST ONE LETTER WILL BE SEEN BY SOMEONE AND IT WILL HELP BUT PLEASE FIGHT IF YOU NEED THIS DONT GIVE UP I KNOW ITS HARD BUT I DID THE SAME THING"BEEN THEIR DONE IT"

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

MY FRIST VISIT WITH DR.BARBA WAS VERY PLEASEING AND INFORMATIONAL, YOU NEED TO ASK ALL THE QUESTIONS YOU WANT TO ASK IF YOU DONT YOU WONT BE INFORMED, LET THE DOC KNOW WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND AND HOW YOU CAN HELP HIM TO HELP YOU. IF YOU CAN BEFORE YOUR FRIST MEETING WRITE DOWN ALL THE QUESTIONMS YOU WANT TO ASK AND BRING IT WITH YOU TO READ AND ASK HIM, THE MORE YOU ASK THE BETTER YOU WILL BE.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

MY FINALL DICESION WAS THAT I WANTED TO LIVE AND DIDNT WANT TO DIE, I WANTED A FULL LIFE AND I KNEW IF I DIDNT HAVE THIS I WOULD PROBLEY BE DEAD WITHIN A YEAR OR SO,YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT YOU ARE NOW AND WHAT YOU WILL ACCOMPLISH WHEN YOU DO HAVE THIS SURGERY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A GOAL IN LIFE AND ALWAYS LOOK FOR THAT GOAL AND AFTER THIS SURGERY AND THE WEIGHT COMES OFF YOU WILL MEET THIS GOAL HEAD ON AND WANT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

WELL I WAS TOLD ABOUT BOTH THE GASTRIC BYPASS AND THE LAP. SURGERIES, BUT FOR MY CONDITION AND MY SIZE THEY SAID THE GASTRIC BYPASS NORMALLY WOULD BE GOOD FOR ME, IM NOT LOOKING TO BE A BEAUTY QUEEN OR KING IN MY CASE, SO THE SCARE DOSENT BOTHER ME, MY SCARE IS ABOUT 12 INCHES IN LENGHT AND HAD 27 STAPLES SO IT WASNT THAT BAD.

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?

MY FEAR WAS NOT WAKING UP AFTERWARDS AND NOT BEING HERE FOR MY WIFE!!!! BUT YOU HAVE TO THINK THIS WAY THAT WHEN ALL AND DONE YOU WILL HAVE A NEW LEASE ON LIFE AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DO THINGS YOU NEVER EMAGINE YOURSLEF DOING WHILE YOU WHERE OVERWEIGHT!! YOU NEED TO BE STRAIGHT FOWARD WITH YOUR FAMILY WITH THIS THAT YOU WANT THIS AND IF ANYTHING DOSE HAPPENED AT LEAST I TRYED TO GET BETTER AND TO BETTER MY LIFE BECAUSE WITH OUT THIS SURGERY YOU WONT WANT TO LIVE YOU WILL WANT TO END YOUR LIFE, BECAUSE BEING OVERWEIGHT LIKE I WAS SEVERAL; TIMES I THOUGHT ABOUT ENEDING MY LIFE BUT I STRUGGLED AND WENT THREW THE SURGERY AND NOW I HAVE LIFE AND LOOKING FOWARD TO HAVING KIDS AND JUST TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY EVEY DAY LIFE FOR NOW ON! SO GET THINGS STRAIGHT WITH FAMILY AND WITH GOD ALSO PRAY ABOUT THIS HE WILL SHOW YOU THE WAY.

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?

MY FAMILY WAS WORRIEDE THAT I WOULD DIE IF I DIDNT HAVE IT AND THAT I MIGHT DIE DURING THE OPERATION,BUT WE GOT THREW THAT STAGE BY TALKING ABOUT IT,AND AFTER SURGERY NOW THEY ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE AND HELPFULL BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO NEED ALL THE SUPPORT YOU CAN GET EVEN WHILE YOUR IN THE HOSPITIAL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT CAN BE THEIR 24-7 TO HELP YOU THREW THIS BECAUSE THIS IS A BIG CHANGE IN LIFE, PLUS YOU WILL NEED SOMEONE TO GET YOU OUT OF BED AND GIVE YOU A BOOT TO KEEP YOU WALKING AFTERWARDS YOU WILL NEED TO WALK IT TAKES THE PAIN AWAY QUICKER SO PLEASE GET YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN ON THIS SURGERY, AND HAVE THEM HELP YOU IN EVERYWAY THAT THEY CAN YOU WILL NEED IT.

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

WELL I WASNT WORKING AT THE TIME BECAUSE I WAS OUT ON DISABLITY BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT BUT WE HAD TALKED TO MY OLD BOSS FROM MY OLD JOB THAT I HAD BEFORE I WENT ON DISABILITY AND SHE WAS SO HAPPY THAT I WAS LOOKING INTO MAKING MY LIFE A SUCCSESS, SHE WAS ALL FOR IT AND SHE STILL IS SHE CALLS ME AND CHECKS IN ON ME FROM TIME TO TIME AND APPERCIATE IT VERY MUCH, LIKE I SAID BEFORE ALL THE SUPPORT YOU CAN GET WILL HELP YOU IN THE LONG RUN.

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

OK, MY HOSPITIAL STAY WAS FOR FIVE DAYS AND WAS VERY ENJOYABLE EXCEPT THE PAIN WHICH YOU GET MEDS FOR THAT, BUT THE PEOPLE AT ST. FRANCES HOSPITIAL NURSES,NURSES AIDS,COUNSLERS,AND DOCTORS WHERE SO HELPFULLA DN UNDERSTANDING TO ALL YOUR NEEDS, I COMMAND THE PEOPLE AT THIS HOSPITIAL FOR ALL THAT THEY HAVE DONE FOR ME!!MOST IMPOTANT TRHINGS TO BRING IS IF YOU CAN IS YOUR OWN CLOTHES UNLESS YOU LIKE HOSPITIAL GOWNS WHICH I DIDNT, AND YOUR SUPPORT GROUP,YOUR FAMILY MAKE SURE YOU HAVE BOTH WITH YOU THE HOLE TIME YOUR THEIR IT WILL HELP, THE NORMAL STAY IS ABOUT 5 TO 7 DAYS AFTER SURGERY IT ISNT THAT BAD AS LONG AS YOU DO GET UP AND WALK AND GET AROUND IT WILL EASE YOUR PAIN QUICKER YOU NEED TO WALK.

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

I HAD ONE COMPLICATION THAT CLEARED ITSLEF UP AFTER ABOUT 2 TO 3 WEEKS , THE FOOD WASNT GOING DOWN AND JUST COMING BACK UP THEY SAID MY THROAT WAS SWOLLEN AND WAS TAKING LONGER TO HEAL SO I HAD TO GO BACK TO THE HOSPITIAL FOR A BOUT 3 WEEKS UNTILL IT ASLL CLEARED UP BUT THAT WAS OK BECAUSE THEY TREATED ME VERY WELL AT THE HOSPITIAL, SO IT WASNT A BIG SCARE FOR ME THEY EASED MY MIND.I JUST HAD TO TAKE IT ONE DAY AT A TIME AND THATS WHAT I DID.

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

BY GOING TO SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS AND MEETING OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD IT AND THAT ARE GOING FOR THE SURGERY EASED MY MIND, AND ALSO HAD MEET ALOT OF FRIENDS OVER THE INTERNET AND ONE PERSON I WENT TO VISIT IN NORTGH CAROLINA, AND SHE HELPED ME THREW THIS AND HELPED WITH ALL KINDS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS SURGERY, SO THE MORE SUPPORT YOU HAVE THE BETTER YOU BE OFF,AND GOING TO YOUR LOCAL SUPOPORT GROUP MEETINGS AND MEETING WITH OTHERS WILL HELP YOU.

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

THE FRIST WEEKS HOME WHERE HARD BECAUSE EVERYTHING YOU DO WILL HURT AND JUST ADJUSTING TO WHAT YOU CAN EAT AND DRINK WILL BE A BIG CHANGE FOR YOY"LIKE I TELL EVERYONE ITS LIKE GOING TO FRIST GRADE AND LEARING EVERYTHING FOR THE FRIST TIME, YOU NEED TO LEARN HOW TO EAT ALL OVER AGAIN"YOU WILL BE ON A STRICT DIET WHEN YOU COME HOME THE FRIST WEEKS BUT EVENTUALLY YOU WILL START TO GET USED TO THAT OUNCE OF FOOD YOU EAST AND IT WILL FEEL FUNNY BECAUSE YOU SEE WHAT YOU USED TO EAT TYOU CANT NOW,AND IF YOU TRY TO OVEREAT YOU WILL GET SICK,YOUR MIND WILL PLAY TRICKS AND WILL TELL YOU YES YOU CAN EAT THAT EXTRA BITE AND WHEN YOU DO YOU WILL BE RIGHT IN THAT BATHROOM, SO PLEASE GO BUY THE DIET THEY GIVE YOU AND WHAT THE DOC TELLS YOU PLEASE YOU DONT WANT TO RUIN WHAT YOU STARTED, SOME PEOPLE HAVE DONE THAT AND HAVE GONE RIGHT TO A FAST FOOD PLACE AND THOUGHT THEY CAN HAVE THAT BIG MAC OR SOMETHING AND DIED SO PLEASE BE VERY CAREFULL AND GO BY THE DIRECTIONS OF YOUR DOCTOR

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

WELL IT WAS ABOUT A HOUR DRIVE FOR US FROM WATERBURY TO HARTFORD IT WAS HARD AT FRIST BUT KNOW I CAN DRIVE MYSLEF, YES I WAS 620 POUNDS AND COULDNT DRIVE MUCH BECAUSE COULDNT FIT INTO MY CAR BUT NOW "WOW"I CAN FIT WITH ROOM SO I DRIVE MYSLEF TO OUR MEETINGS AND TO MY DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS.

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.

YOU WILL NEED TO LEARN HOT TO EAT ALL OVER AGAIN BECAUSE YOU WILL BE ONLY TO EAT A OUNCE OF FOOD, BUT FOR ME AT FRIST IT WAS WEIRED NOT BE ABLE TO EAT WGHAT I USED TO EAT BUT NOW IT ISNT, I CAN EAT NOW MOST ANYTHING BUT IN SMALLER PORTIONS AND SMALLER BITES,BUT THINGS I USED TO LIKE I DONT NOW AND THINGS I UISED TO HAT I LIKE NOW SO ITS EXPERIMENTAL FOR PEOPLE YOU HAVE TO SEE WHAT YOU LIKE TO EAT AGAIN,MEATS ARE HARD BECAUSE YOU NEED TO LEARN TO CHEW IT VERY WELL OR IT WONT GO DOWN, BREADS ARE LUMPY AND HARD TO DIGEST, SOFTER FOODS FOR ME ARE EASIER,BUT I EAT MOST EVERYTHING, AND YOU NEED TO LEARN TO MEASURE YOUR FOOD OUT, BUT AFTER A WHILE YOU WILL KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CAN AND CAN NOT EAT.

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

THE FRIST COULPE OF DAYS IT WAS HARD BECAUSE EVERY POSITION YOU GET INTO HURTS I SLEPT SITTING UP, COULDNT LAY DOWN. ACTIVITES WERE LIMITED THE FRIST COULPE OF WEEK AFTER, THEN I STARTED TO DO MORE LIKE I WENT TO DO WATER AROBICS WHICH HELPS A GREAT DEAL BECAUSE OF THE WATER FOR THE SURGERY AND MY BACK,I DID ALOT OF WALKING WHICH HELPS TO WITH THE HEART RATE AND TO KEEP YOURSLEF GOIONG EVEN IF ITS ONLY TO GO TO THE CAR DO IT WALK, NOW I CAN DO ANYTHING AND LOVING MY LIFE NOW, NOW I KNOW I HAVE A FUTURE WITH MY WIFE AND MAYBE TO HAVE KIDS ONE DAY AND TO BE ABLE TO PLAY WITH THEM LIKE A NORMAL DAD.

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

WELL THEY HAVE ME ON 2 FLINSTONE VITIMINS AND I GET A B12 SHOT EACH MONTH BECAUSE THE B12 PILLS ARE LIKE HORSES PILLS AND PILLS FOR ME ARE HARD TO SWOLLOW SO I GET THE SHOT AND THE FLINSTONE VITIMINS ARE CHEWABLE AND SYUGAR FREE. THE DOC IS LOOKING INTO A LIQUID SUPPLEMENT FOR US KNOW, THEY WANTED US TO TAKE A PRENATAL VITIMINS THAT WOMEN TAKE BECUSE IT HAS MORE OF THE VITIMINS IN IT BUT MY INSURANCE WONT COVER IT BECAUSE THEY SAY IM NOT A WOMEN SO WHY SHOULD WE COVER IT.SO THEY ARE LOOKING TO GET A LIQUID FOR FOR US MALE PATIENTS.

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?

I HAD ALOT OF VOMINTING AFTERWARDS BUT IT SUBSIDED AFTER A WHILE AND GOT USED TO IT, THE DUMOING I STILL GET BECAUSE SOMETIMES I TRY THAT LITTLE MORE BITE AND I GET IT BAD AND FEEL LIKE DIRT FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AND IM TELLING YOU ITS NOT FUN. YOUR MIND WILL PLAY TRICKS AND TELL YOU , THAT YOU CAN TAKE THAT BITE AND YOU WILL FEEL LIKE DIRT AFTERWARDS SO LEARN YOUR LIMIT.

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

THE INSURANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST OUT FOR THE MONEY. THEY SAID IT WAS A COSMTIC SURGERY AND DIDNT WANT TO PAY FOR IT!! I HATE INSURANCE COMPANIENS I THINK THE KILL PEOPLE!!!! THEY DO KILL PEOPLE BECAUSE PEOPLE THAT REALLY NEED SURGRIES MAKE THEM SUFFER BY WAITING FOR THEIR APPROVAL AND GOING THREW REJECTION AFTER REJECTION GETS TO SOME PEOPLE AND SOME DO END THEIR LIFE BECAUSE THEY SAY THEIR NEBVER GOING TO GET THE HELP.!!!!!!

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

SUPPORT GROUPS ARE VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT THE SURGERY AND THE PEOPLE YOU MEET WILL HELP YOU BEFORE AND AFTER AND YOU MAKE FRIENDS THAT YOU NEVER WOULD HAVE,PEOPLE ARE VERY FRIENDLY WHEN YOU ARE GOING THREW THE SAME THING THEY ARE GOING THREW,YOU CAN LEARN NEW WAYS OF COOKING AND EATING FOR DIFFERENT PEOLE AND LEARN JUST HOW TO LIVE. JUST LISTING TO OTHER EXPERIENCES HELP ALOT SO SUPPORT GROUPS ARE VERY IMPOTANT

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

WELL MY SCARE IS 12 INCHES LONG AND HAD 27 STAPLES AND YES IT WAS WHAT I EXPECTED I THOUGHT I WOULD BE LONGER BUT IT WAS OK, AND NOW THAT ITS HEALING IT LOOKS LIKE THE SCARE IS GETTING SHORTER,ITS SOMETHING YOU NEED TO LIVE WITH TO HAVE LIFE,AND TO MAKE SOMETHING OUT OF YOUR SLEF,THE SCARE IS A REMINDER OF WHAT YOU USEDE TO BE AND WHERE YOU CAME FROM, FROM BEING 620 POUNDS AND NOW DOWNT TO 310 I LOOK AT THIS SCARE AND SAY IT WAS ALL WORTH IT!!!!!

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I HAVENT HAD ANY YET!!!SO NO COMMENT

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES PEOPLE ARE SAYING GEEZZ HOW HAVE YOU DONE IT LOOSING ALL THIS WEIGHT AND HOW PROUD THEY ARE OF ME AND HOW MUCH I HAVE IMPROVED IN ADDITUDE SINCE THIS SURGERY!!!!IT HELPS TO GET THESE COMPLIMENTS FOR YOUR SLEF EXSTEME