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

I HEARD ABOUT IT YEARS AGO WHEN SOMEONE WE KNEW HAD IT DONE.

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

THEY APPROVED ME RIGHT AWAY.

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

I HAD A GOOD MEETING WITH DR. ROSATO. WITHINK A WEEK I HAD A SURGERY DATE.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

THE IDEA THAT I MAY BE DEAD BEFORE I HIT 30 WAS A STRONG MOTIVATOR.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

DR. ROSATO HELPED WITH THAT. I WANTED THE BEST.

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 THOUGHT I WOULD DIE ON THE TABLE. I IMAGINED NEVER WAKING UP. I WAS VERY HAPPY WHEN I DID. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT BLOOD CLOTS BUT THEY HAD PRECAUTIONS FOR THAT.

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 NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS WITHOUT MY FAMILY. THEY ALL SUPPORT ME.

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

THEY THOGHT I MADE THE RIGHT DECISION. I WAS ONLY OUT OF WORK 4 WEEKS.

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

MY STAY WAS FINE. I HAD WONDERFUL NURSES AND DOCTORS. I WAS THERE FOR 5 DAYS. THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO BRING ARE SLIPPERS AND YOUR OWN PILLOW(S).

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

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 WAS NERVOUS AND ANXIOUS. I HAD MY FAMILY TO LEAN ON FOR HELP.

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

DON'T EXPECT TO RUN THE MARATHON FOR A WHILE. EXCEPT HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT BECAUSE BELIEVE ME, YOU WILL. BE CAREFUL AND FOLLOW YOUR DOCTORS' INSTRUCTIONS

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

I DIDN'T HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR. IT'S A 20 MINUTE RIDE.

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.

IT'S ALL A MATTER OF TRIAL AND ERROR. FOLLOW THE DIET RECOMMENDED BY THE DOCTOR AND NUTRITIONIST AND TRY A LITTLE AT A TIME. YOU'LL KNOW WHAT'S GOOD AND BAD.

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

I WAS SLIGHTLY ACTIVE. I DID A LOT OF WALKING AROUND MY HOUSE TO KEEP ACTIVE AND TO KEEP FROM NOT GETTING BLOD CLOTS.

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

I TAKE A MULTI VITAMIN, VITAMIN C, FERROUS SULFATE, ACTIGAL, B-12, AND CALCIUM.

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 NAUSIA AND VOMITING IS BAD BUT YOU DEAL AS BEST AS YOU CAN.

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

OF COURSE, NOT BEING ABLE TO EAT WHATEVER I WANT WHENEVER I WANT AND AS MUCH AS I WANT.

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

I ATTEND A MONTHLY SUPPORT GROUP AT HUP. THEY ARE VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE YOU ACTUALLY MEET PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WHERE YOU ARE. IT IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT. YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WHAT YOU'RE GOING THRU.

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

IT'S LONG. IT'S HEALING BEAUTIFULLY AND I'M SURE IT WILL NOT BE AS BAD IN THE FURURE.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I HAVEN'T HAD ANY PLATEAU EXPERIENCES YET.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS TELLIUNG ME I LOOK GREAT. THEY CAN REALLY SEE A DIFFERENCE.