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

I FIRST FOUND OUT ABOUT IT WHEN MY ORTHOPEDIC DR. SUGGESTED IT BEFOR I HAD MY KNEES REPLACED. THAT WAS ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.

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

JUST NOT BE IN A HURRY, WAIT , WAIT, AND WAIT. GET AS MANY DOCTORS YOU CAN TO SAY YOU NEED THE SURGERY AND WRITE THE LETTERS.

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

GO ON LINE FIRST. READ AND MAKE A LIST OF QUEATIONS. IF MARRIED TAKE YOUR PARTNER WITH YOU.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

MY MOBILITLY WAS BEING HINDER TO A GREAT DEGREE, WHEEL CHAIR HERE I COME.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

FIRST I WAS GOING FOR THE LAP BAND. THE LEAST EVASIVE. THE MANY FAILURES OF THE LAP BAND MADE ME RECONSIDER THE VBG.

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 DIDNOT CONSIDER THAT I WOULD DIE.

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?

MOST EVERY ONE WAS SUPORTIVE OF THE DECISION. THE ONLY THING I DON'T LIKE IS EVERYONE WATCHING TO SEE HOW WEIGHT I HAVE LOST.

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

I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR THREE DAYS. THE STAY WAS AS PLEASENT AT A HOSPITAL GOES. THE NURSES WERE GREAT.

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

NO

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

ABOUT MY 5TH WEEK I COULD NOT KEEK ANYTHING DOWN AND I GOT DEHAYDRATED. THE SURGEON ASKED ME TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. I GOT AN I.V. AND MEDS FOR A BLADDER INFECTION. THEN IT GOT BETTER.

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

I WAS TIRED, ATE WITH A BABY SPOON AND SLIPPED WATER CONSTANTLY.

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

I TRAVELED 60 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.

I COULD EAT NO MEAT, BREAD, OR PASTA. I PUREE EVERYTING, I AM NOW A MASTER AT HOMEMADE SOUPS OF ALL KINDS.

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

I WENT BACK TO WORK IN THREE WEEKS. THAT WAS TOO SOON FOR ME. GOT MUCH BETTER AT EIGHT WEEKS.

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

I TAKE A G.N.C. ADULT CHEWABLE AND THE TWO VICTIV.

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 STILL BRING UP MY FOOD LIKE REFLUX 9MOS AFTER SURGERY. I JUST HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF WHAT I EAT AND HOW FAST.

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

THE FEAR OF NOT LOSING THE WEIGHT AND HOW SICK I GOT ON THE 5TH WEEK.

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

I SEEN A PHYSCOLOGIST FOR SIX MONTHS

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

IT IS THREE INCHES DOWN THE MID OF MY MIDDRIFT. IT IS STILL PINK AND KIND OF BLUE.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

AT SEVEN MONTHS MY WEIGHT LOSS JUST STOPPED. I KEEP A TRACK OF PROTIENS AND CALS. MADE AN APPPOINTMENT TO GO TO THE DIET CLINIC AT EMORY.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I THINK THEY ARE WATCHING TO SEE HOW MUCH WEIGHT I LOSS. ASK ALL THE TIME. ESPECIALLY MY MOTHER. MY WEIGHT LOST IS COMPARED TO ANOTHER CO WORKER THAT HAD THE BY PASS.