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

BARIATRIC SURGERY INFORMATION CLASS. MY IMPERSSION WAS WHERE DO I SIGN UP

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

IT WENT GOOD- HOWEVER ONE SETBACK WAS A SIX MONTH DIET B-4 APPROVAL I WAS 50 AT THE TIME AND HAVE TRIED EVERY DIET. TO ME THIS WAS AN INSULT. JUST AN EXTRA STEP OR WAITING PERIOD I WAS 400 LBS HOW WAS THAT TO CHANGE MY NEED FOR SURGERY.

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

MY FIRST VISIT WAS AFTER MY INFORMATIONAL CLASS DO THIS FIRST THEN ASK QUESTIONS.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I WAS GOING TO DIE IF I DID NOT CHANGE MY BODY AND BAD HABITS

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

MY FAMILY DOCTOR AND I DECIDED TOGATHER

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?

YOU HAVE FEARS BUT YOU HAVE TO TRUST IN YOUR DOCTOR AND THE HOSPITAL STAFF. MY CHOICE WAS LIVE OR DIE. FOR ME I LIVED IN FEAR EVERY DAY BEFORE WAS I GIONG TO HAVE A STROKE OR HEART ATTACK OR STOP BREATHING WHEN I SLEPT.

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 AND FRIENDS AND CO-WORKERS WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE I TOLD EVERONE WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. I WAS HONIST AND OPEN WITH ALL MY INFORMATION.AFTER SURGERY EVERONE IS STILL THERE FOR ME

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

MY EMPLOYER WAS SUPPORTIVE OF ME AND I WAS OM AN LOA FOR 17 WEEKS

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

GOOD 5 DAYS

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

YES --BLOOD CLOTS MEDICATION REACTIONS I DELT WITH THEM ONE AT A TIME WITH THE SUPPORT OF MY FAMILY AND DOCTOR

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 SLEPT A LOT I FELT GOOD I DID NOT HAVE ANXITY

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

BECAUSE MY BMI WAS SO HIGH I SLEPT A LOT MY WEIGHT LOSS WAS 20 LBS A WEEK. PEOPLE SHOULD RELAX AND TAKE ONE DAY AT A TIME AND DON'T PUSH IT.

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

ABOUT 5 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.

IT STARTED OUT WITH YOGERT, JELLO, PUDDING AND COTTAGE CHEESE.LIQUIDS ONE OUNCE AT A TIME. OFF LIMIT FOODS FOR ME ARE EGGS,BEEF(HAMBURGER) TO THIS DAY 8 MONTHS FOST SURGERY.NOW I' UP TO 3/4 OF A CUP OF SOFT FOODS AT A MEAL I TRY TO EAT HIGH PROTEIN FOODS FIRST. MY TOLERANCE IS GETTING BETTER MONTH BY MONTH BUT I STILL HAVE BAD EATING TIMES AND DAYS AS WELL BUT YOU LEARN TO ADAPT TO YOUR NEW STOMACH.

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

LOW SLOW COMMING

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

VITAMINS CALCIUM

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?

VOTMITING, IT STILL HAPPENS, I DEAL WITH IT AS IT HAPPENS

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

IT WAS DONE IN THE WINTER MAKING IT HARD TO WALK OUTSIDE IN THE SNOW AND ICE

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

ST PAUL SURGENS SUPPORT GROUP. ONCE A MONTH ITS VERY INPORTANT TO YOUR OVERAL RECOVERY AND CONYINUED SUCESS.

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

IT'S ABOUT 8 INCHES LONG AND IS WHAT I EXPECTED

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

HAVE NOT HAD ANY AT THIS TIME

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

NOT SURE I DONT NOTICE AND I DON'T CARE WHAT PEPOLE THINK IT'S ABOUT ME