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

HEARD ABOUT THIS TYPE OF SURGERY FROM 20/20,60 MIN. ONE OF THOSE TYPE OF SHOW.THOUGHT HOW DRASTIC BUT MIGHT BE HELPFULL TO ME,SO I STARTED GATHERING INFO ON THIS TYPE OF SURGERY.,AND WENT FROM THERE.

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

MY EXPERIENCE WAS VERY GOOD.NO PROBLEMS GETTING APROVAL.DOCTORS ASSISTANT TOLD ME EXACTLY WHAT I HAD TO DO.

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

KINDA SCARRY BUT GOOD ASK QUESTIONS NO MATTER WHO CRAZY YOU THINK THEY ARE!!!!!!!!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

WELL I HAD TO DO SOMETHING DIETS WERENOT WORKING.THOUGHT FORESURE I HAD TO DO SOMETHING OR I WOULDN'T BE AROUND MUCH LONGER. ARMED WITH GOOD INFORMATION AND FINDING A DOCTOR I WAS COMFOTABLE WITH IT MAD IT EASY TO DECIDE TO HAVE THE SURGERY.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

MY DOCTORS RECCOMENDATION

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?

THE ONLY FEAR I HAD WAS NOT WAKING UP.KIND OF NORMAL WITH ANY KIND OF MAJOR SURGERY.TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT YOUR FEARS.IT'S ABSULUTLY WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!

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?

FAMILY AND FRIENDS HAVE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE BEFOR AND AFTER SURGERY.ESPECIALLY MY WIFE AND CHILDREN.

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

EMPLOYER THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT DECISION.SUPPORTED ME ALL THE WAY. I WAS OUT OF WORK FOR SIX WEEKS.

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

MY STAY IN THE HOSPITAL WAS GOOD I WAS THERE FIVE DAYS BRING YOUR OWN BATHROBE

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

I HAVE HAD NO COMPLICATIONS AS OF YET

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 FELT SORE,VERY TIRED,TOOK LOTS OF NAPS ONLINE SUPPORT GROUPS TALKED WITH MY WIFE,ALOT!!!!!

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

VERY SLOW,SORE,TIRED,SLEEPY IT GETS BETTER EVERY DAY

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

ABOUT FOURTY FIVE MILES DIDNOT AFFECT AFTER CARE AT ALL

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

FIRST WEEK AFTER SURGERY WALKED 3/4 OF A BLOCK THREE TIMES ADAY SECOND WEEK 1AND1/2 BLOCKS THREE TIMES ADAY THIRD WEEK 1 MILE THREE TWO TIMES ADAY FOURTH WEEK 2 TO 3 MILES ADAY FIFTH & SIXTH WEEKES 3 TO 5 MILES ADAY

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

TWO DAILY VITAMINS,CALCIUM TABLETS,MONTHLY B12 SHOT

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?

NONE OF THE ABOVE REALY AFFECTED ME

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

WAITING FOR THE INSURANCE APPROVAL

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

I HAVE A BY-WEEKLY SUPPORT GROUP THAT I GO TO ALSO ONLINE SUPPORT VERY HELPFUL VERY IMPORTANT A MUST FOR EVERYONE!!!!!

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

MY SON SAID IT LOOKER LIKE THE LACES ON A FOOTBALL.I THINK IT'S KINDA COOL LOOKING.IT LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE THE DOCTOR SAID IT WOULD.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

NONE AT THIS POINT.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

NOT REALY THEY ARE STARTING TO NOTICE A DIFFERANCE IN HOW I'AM LOOKING.