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

I first found out about it 12-13 years ago and thought it was too drastic for me.

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

I didn't have a problem at all! I was shocked to say the least. It was almost too easy.

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

I was nervous and couldn't nearly think of all the questions I had for him

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Trying to lose weight for the entire year prior by eating less and moving more and only losing 24 lbs. Getting very frustrated at always being hungry, and not losing any weight when I did starve myself.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

VBG was the only option I had here in NM

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 didn't really have any fears of dying on the table or never waking up from surgery. My fears were all about would this surgery really work and could I really lose 100lbs.?

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 sisters and husband were very supportive, I have only told one person here in the town I live in and I would defintely not have told my mother. Be very choosy in who you tell.

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

N/A I'm a stay at home mom

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

My stay was very pleasant which was unexpected! I don't like hospitals at all-who does? I was in the hospital for two nites and three days. Bring an extra pillow, carmex for your lips and houseshoes for walking the halls!

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

none

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 very tired and very sore. It was hard to get up and down and really hard to let my husband do all the housework and take care of the kids. I tried to focus on the future and know that I would get past feeling so bad and feel much better really soon, and I did.

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

You should expect to feel tired and not to do alot of anything. Make sure you have alot of help, even if you are a stay at home mom. Try to get up and move around alot though, even if it is very uncomfortable. It helps you heal much faster, then just

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

I had about an hour drive from where I live to the hospital. I hasn't affected the aftercare at all.

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.

Couldn't eat anything bready and I still can't at 7 months post-op. Meats are difficult and I don't eat most of them, especially steak and thick cuts of meat. Now I can eat most anything but breads and meats. the month to month change I noticed the most was the quantity of food really increased, which at first scared me, but the food that I can eat alot of isn't big things like meat or potatoes, its popcorn and lettuce.

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

None in the beginning, I started doing aerobic tapes at the end of my second month. Now I exercise 5 times a week for 35-40 minutes.

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

The beginning was chewable Flintstone vitamins, until the third month, then I started being able to swallow the big ones, One a Day mulit-vitamin every day.

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?

The worst so far for me has been the hair loss, at least I had a lot to start with, I'm 7 months and its starting to slow down.

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

The incision healing seemed to be the worst.

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

I belong to a vbg website and it has been very helpful before and after surgery. I strongly suggest that a patient has someone that has been there and done that to ask questions of.

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

My scar now is light pink and the side staple marks are fading. I expected something smaller, my scar is 9 inches long.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

none as of yet.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, and it makes me uncomfortable for people to be looking at me and not through me, this is something I have to work on alot.