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

First heard of the gastric bypass surgery from the tv when Carnie Wilson was having hers done

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

I was approved the 1st time

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

My hospital stay was ok, was in there for 4 days, 1 extra day because of bleeding but it was nothing to be concerned about

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

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 was very week and couldnt seem to keep anything down but after I was able to eat, I grew stronger and felt better

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

Its very impotant to get your protein in and fluids and take your vitamins!!!!!!!!!!

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

The hospital was less than a mile from my home

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

I was not very active at all due to me feeling so week cause I could not keep food down for a while but friends I know who had it was up and back to work in one week

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

multi vitamins and b12 and tums

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?

severe nausea, dumping when I ate the wrong things and just a little hair loss

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

The worst thing for me was regaining strenght

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

In Mass. I had a great support group and it was very helpfl. I since moved back to Phila. and its hard to find one here

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

I have 5 small incisions that you can barely notice

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

After about 8 months my weight loss slowed down some and after about 1 year it went up and down a few pounds for a while

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

after I lost 142 pounds people treated me way different, I was not ignored as much and was always approched by men who didnt give me the time of day before