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

From a talk shown and I wanted it !

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

I went through Texas Rehabilitation Commission, my insurance wouldn't pay!

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

It was good, but the flight of stairs he has you walk up to get to the meeting almost killed me, NO ELEVATOR!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I sat on a toilet seat at a relatives house and it cracked in half, I could have died! It took 10 minutes for me to build up the nerve to tell her.

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

The stay was quick, painful, showers helped a lot! The nurses seemed to be nice, but less concerned about the "fat" people on the med surg floor. They didn't "nurse" on me.

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

Yes, the 1st surgery failed, I knew it right away, I kept telling them & they kept saying it was my faught, to wait. To do this , do that..... finally, When I was having chest pain so bad I was admitted locally, given every cardiac test possible & cleared, they did an EGD & an UGI & found I had NO restriction. I had to have a re-do.

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 so excited, I was nervous too... I worried about dying on the table,,, I wrote out a will. I ate so much I had a "eat all I can party " to celebrate & gained a lot of weight waiting for the surgery date. I prayed a lot & put myself around my most supportive friends & family!

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

None until I found your site. I have had lots of friends to have this kind of WLS now & we support each other.

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

After 1 year its approx.3 1/2 inches long, it's faded now & not red anymore. It is the same color as my skin. It's 1/4 cm wide in places, I keloid bad usually, but this one is not as puffy as others I've got,it's soft, & not painful at all.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Well with the 2nd time I tried to never weigh except when I felt my clothes falling off. I focused on clothes sizes dropping, not pounds. If I noticed that I wasn't loosing, I increased my activities & ate more protiens & less carbs.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yea buddy! My mom hasn't invited me to thier "beach house" memorial day party EVER! This year she called, I guess NOW she can introduce me to her silicone puffed, wrinkled up brown skinned, bleach blonde over grey, wish they had a man-like mine, FRIENDS. Doubt I will go, I wasn't pretty enough to go before why let her take the credit for my new found beauty? AND..... as for my husband , he loves me fat or thin & he really loves the new me...