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

I STARTED READING ABOUT IT AFTER THE STARS IN HOLLYWOOD STARTED HAVE IT DONE AND IT CAME OUT IN THE ENTERTAINMENT MAGS. I REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS WAY TO EXPENSIVE FOR ME TO HAVE.

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

I WAS SO SCARED THAT MY INSURANCE COMPANIES WOULD NOT APPROVE IT. MY HUSBAND I BOTH HAD THE SAME INSURANCE AT THE TIME EACH THROUGH OUR JOBS. MINE WOULD NOT COVER ANYTHING THAT HAD TO DO WITH WEIGHT LOSE. SO I JUST THOUGHT THAT MY HUSBAND WOULD SAY THE SAME THING BUT THANK THE GOOD LORD I WAS WRONG AND THEY APPROVED IT. JUST KEEP TRYING DO NOT GIVE UP FIND A WAY TO HAVE THIS SURGERY.

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

MY SURGEON WAS VER FRANK ABOUT EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE SURGERY AND IF MY HEAD WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE FOR THIS OPERATION. YOU HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO ASK QUESTIONS THIS IS YOUR LIFE SO BE AWARE OF EVERYTHING THEY ARE GOING TO DO TO YOU AND WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE SURGERY.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I FELT LIKE IT WAS MY ONLY HOPE AND I COULD NOT GO ON LIVING LIKE THAT. I WAS DYING MY BODY COULDN'T TAKE MUCH MORE.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

THE SURGERY I WENT TO ONLY DOES THE ONE TYPE OF SURGERY.

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 DECIDED THAT THIS WAS MY LAST HOPE OF EVER LIVING A NORMAL HEALTHY LIFE AGAIN. I WAS WILLING TO TAKE THE RISK THAT CAME ALONG WITH IT. YOU HAVE TO DECIDE IF THIS IS THE ANSWER FOR YOU AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF THE COMPLICATIONS. AND THEN MAKE PEACE WITH THAT DECISION.

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?

I WAS SO LUCKY THAT I HAD FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT WERE OVER TOP SUPPORTIVE!! AFTER THEY FOUND OUT THAT I HAD REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS DECISION AND KNEW ALL THE FACTS ABOUT THE SURGERY. THEY WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE THING WITH ME 100% BEHIND ME THEY ARE MY HEROS.

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

I WAS AT FIRST REALLY SCARE THAT THEY WOULD LET ME GO WHEN THEY FOUND OUT BUT THEY HAVE REALLY COOL ABOUT THE WHOLE DEAL. I THOUGHT THEM THAT I WAS DOING THIS SO THAT I COULD BE A HEALTHIER EMPLOYEE. I WAS OFF WORK FOR THE WHOLE 6 WEEKS WHICH I TOTALLY NEEDED.

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 REALLY POSTIVE!! THE HOSPITAL WHERE I HAD MY SURGERY IN IS A FANTASTIC HOSPITAL. I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR 5 DAYS ALL TOGETHER. A JOURNAL SO THAT SOMEONE CAN RECORD EVERYTHING THAT GO ON WHILE YOU ARE IN THERE.

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

NO I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT I HAD NO COMPLICATIONS.

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 WILL BE HONEST WITH YOU I FELT HORRIBLE. MY SURGERY SCAR HURT AND ITCH I COULDN'T SLEEP COMFORTABLE. I REALLY QUESTIONED IF I HAD DONE THE RIGHT THING. THANK THE GOOD LORD THAT MY SUPPORTIVE FAMILY AND FRIENDS WERE THERE TO TALK ME THROUGH ALL OF THAT.

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

LIKE I SAID EARLIER DO NOT EXPECT TO FEEL FANTASTIC YOU HAVE JUST HAD MAJOR SURGERY AND YOU BODY IS GOING LET YOU KNOW THAT IN A BIG WAY. BE PREPARED TO NOT FEEL THAT GREAT BUT IN LONG RUN IT ALL WORKS OUT. JUST BE PATIENCE WITH YOUR BODY IT IS GOING THROUGH SOME VERY BIG CHANGES AND IT IS GOING TO LET YOU KNOW THAT.

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

WE LIVE ABOUT 60 MILES FROM WHERE I HAD MY SURGERY. IT TAKES ABOUT A HOUR TO GET TO MY DOCTOR'S OFFICE WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE SAME HOSPITAL WHERE I HAD THE SURGERY.

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 CAN NOT EXPRESS HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS AND IS TO FOLLOW THE MEAL PLAN THAT YOUR DOCTOR TELLS YOU TO FOLLOW. THERE IS A REASON FOR THE LIQUID AND SOFT DIETS YOU WILL BE ON. YOU HAVE TO JUST BE VERY CAREFUL ONCE YOU ARE ON FULL DIET THAT TO LISTEN TO YOUR BODY AND HOW IT REACTS TO DIFFERENT FOODS. EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT SOMETHING YOU MAY BE ABLE TO EAT I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO. I AVOID ALL FOODS WITH SUGAR IN THEM I CHOOSE TO BELIEVE THAT MY BODY WILL NOT TOLERATE THEM AND I JUST STAY AWAY FROM THEM.

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

AT FIRST IT WAS PRETTY SLOW GOING I HAD TO BE REALLY CAREFUL BECAUSE I HAVE TROUBLE WITH MY KNEES. SO IT WAS REALLY HARD FOR ME TO WALK AS MUCH AS THEY WANTED ME TO.

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

I TAKE A MULTI-VITAMIN AND I TAKE CALCUIM. PLUS, I NOW TAKE A IRON SUPPLEMENT BECAUSE DOCTOR FEELS LIKE I NEED TO.

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?

PROBABLY THE WORSE FOR ME WAS NOT BEING ABLE TO SLEEP COMFORTABLY. I ALSO HAD TROUBLE WITH FEELING REALLY WEAK AT FIRST. I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT I HAVE LEARN THROUGH THIS WHOLE THING IS LISTEN TO YOUR BODY AND WHAT IT IS TELLING YOU. FOR ME I'M 5 MONTHS OUT FROM SURGERY AND I'M STILL LEARNING WHAT FOODS TO AVOID.

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

FOR ME THE WORST PART WAS MY STITCHES ITCHED AND HURT. PLUS, MY STITCHES WERE STARTING TO BECOME IMBEDED MY THE TIME THEY TOOK THEM OUT.

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

I COULD GO TO LIV LIGHT SUPPORT GROUP THAT THEY HAVE EVERY MONTH. BUT IT IS HELD IN THE TOWN WHERE MY DOCTOR'S OFFICE IS WHICH IS A GOOD HOUR AWAY FROM WHERE I LIVE. PLUS,I WORK 8 T0 5 MONDAY THUR FRIDAY AND THE MEETING START AT 5:30. SO I WOULD HAVE TO GET OFF EARLY AND THAT IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE WITH MY JOB.

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

NOW AT 5 MONTHS OUT FROM SURGERY IT IS STARTING TO LOOK PRETTY GOOD. I STILL HAVE PROBLEMS WITH IF I WEAR CERTAIN TYPES OF PANTS THAT RUB ON IT. I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT I EXPECTED.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I REALLY HAVEN'T HAD ANY PLATEAU EXPERIENCES BECAUSE I ONLY WEIGHT IN WHEN I GO TO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE. I CHOICE TO NOT WORRY ABOUT IT SO IT DOESN'T BECOME MY WHOLE FOCUS INSTEAD I JUST MAKE SURE THAT I'M EATING RIGHT. AND AGAIN I AM ONLY 5 MONTHS OUT FROM MY SURGERY SO WHO KNOWS.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN VERY LONG TIME WHEN I WALK IN SOMEWHERE NO ONE LOOKS AT ME I AM JUST A NORMAL PERSON LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO GO OUT NOW.