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

Friend that I work with had just come back to work and just 6 weeks post-op she looked fantastic

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

Very nerve racking the uncertainty was unbeleivable

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

Met him at the confrence held at the hotel Very impressed with his personality and how he handled the questions by not answering down to us but directly at us.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I felt if I didn't my life wasn't going to get any better mentally and physically

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

The procedure I had was the only one allowed at the specific facility I used My surgeon stated he would have much prefered the laparoscopy but he could do it open

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 felt I was dying anyhow in a way had not much to lose

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?

Just about the same My Mom said "your gonna have to do something"

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

Not very supportive at all just told me I couldn't go over my time and that I did not need a surgeon release due to the type of surgery and to this day do not understand that at all and I work in the healthcare fiel

What was it like attending your first information seminar on weight loss surgery? Were you glad you attended? if so, why?

Very impressed that is what sealed my decision

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

I beleive it was 2 nights Not bad at all

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

None at all could not tell I had anything done other than the huge incision on my abdomen

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

Excited couldn't wait Marked my days off the calendar as the days passed

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

I didn't have any probelms at all Could drink and pretty well eat anything

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

150 miles I had no aftercare I was released Sunday drove to St. Louis for tube removal on Wednesday and rec'd a letter Friday morning he would no longer be practicing in St.Louis

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 had no problems could eat anything the only thing I have found 10 yrs out is that pancakes and regular syrup I can not eat I have dumping with that This is the only problem I have had in 10 yrs

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

Was home 3 days drove myself 3 hrs to St.Louis and drove myself home that afternoon Then 2 days later drove to Branson Remind you I supposedly had open RNY

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

Seen a fertility specialist in St.Louis 4 yrs ago told me according to my lab work consider my surgery a failure and to discontinue all those vitamins and protein drink told me to quit wasting my money on it

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 hairloss at exactly 4 months and in some areas has not came back hardly at all Did not burp for the first year Still cannot tell when I am going to burp just happen all of a sudden

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

My insuranc company not paying and getting turned over to collection agency 4 times before insurance paid like they should have

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

None

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

It extends from my sternum to my umbilicus then the gastric tube area to the left of the incision scar at the time I didn't care pretty well still don't

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

None I just lost some weight very very slowly

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

No Nothing really happened