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

I first found out about surgery because my aunt and mother were looking into it. I thought this was a great idea because it was a last resort

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

My doctors office took care of the insurance end of it. I got an approval letter in about 2 weeks.

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

Dr. Buckley was the nicest person. He was very comforting and reassured me that I would be happy with the results.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was tired of being overweight and not being happy.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I wanted the gastric bypass because I'm young and I knew if I lost the weight more rapidly I would be able to tone up and not have a lot of excess skin.

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 really didn't have any fears about surgery. I was just so excited.

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 very happy for me. They knew I had tried everything and they just wanted me to be happy.

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

My employers were happy for me and gave me the time off with no problems. I was out of work for 2 weeks.

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

My hospital stay was fine. I went in on Monday and left Wednesday evening. My doctor said that was the fastest he had ever released anyone. I was ready to go to my own bed.

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

I got a blockage about 4 weeks later and had to go back to have it unblocked. It was a simple day procedure, but since I had let it go to long i had to stay in the hospital for 4 days for dehydration.

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

The first 2 weeks I was miserable. I kept asking my family what did they let me do. But after that I felt good

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

The first few weeks your body is going to feel very beat up. I was pretty tired all the time.

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

I had my surgery at Salem Hospital which is 5 minutes from my house.

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.

When I first had my surgery the only thing I eat was carnation and brothe. Then little by little I was able to eat baked chicken adn fish. Vegetables. I still can't eat salad, too much ruffage. I dont eat fried things. Red meat really hard on my stomach, but now I can eat a little bit. Its funny because I use to look eggs and now they make me sick

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

Right after surgery I really couldn't do anything, but I went on little walks. Now six months post opt. I run and walk the beach.

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

I take a multi vitamin with iron in it. I also take a pill for acid reflux.

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 really didn't have any side effects

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

probably waiting to have my staples out. They were so uncomfortable, but the minute I got them out I felt 110 percent better

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

I have my family as a support system..

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

When I first got my surgery I thought the scars were so big, but they pretty much went away. I have a scar about 2 inches were my staples were. It pretty much just shrunk

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

when I was about 3 months post opt. I hit a plateau were i didn't lose anything for about a month and then I just started to again.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yeah...I get a lot more attention from the opposite sex. I feel like I carry myself with more confidence and I think others can see that. I see people all the time and they comment about how much weight I lost and that I look nice