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

two friends had it and then al rober and i then decided to have it myself.

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

no problem with atena ppo. one letter did it.1 from me, 1 from my pc doc. and 1 from dr. roe.

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

good meeting. he showed us a slide presentation and answered questions

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

being overweight for one third of my life

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

i wanted the ruy because it does not fail verses stabbling.

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 have a good heart so it did not bother me to take the risk of the operation.

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?

my family was very supportitive. i do wish i would have had it done laoscopic. dr roe said it was quicker to do by just cutting me open . he said it was a 1 hour operation for him verses 3 hours. he said it is dangerous to be under longer. however my recover time was alot longer as a result.

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

the hospital care was real bad at good samaritan in baltimore. the hosp is old and under staffed. the nurses were ok buit i felt very neglected. even a nun came in and prayed with my room mate. when i joined in the lords prayer afterwards she gave me a dirty look and walked out of the room without saying a word. i am apastor and i always reach out to peoples roommate when i do hospital visits. maybe because i was a baptist the nun would have nothing to do with me.the room was freezing and the nurse could not regulate the temp from anyroom as everything was controlled by the furnance room. some poor soul screamed every night. i felt like i was in thje dark ages. also i felt like i was viewed differently by the staff since i had aelective operation.

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

5 weeks after the operation i developed a kidney stone 3mm. it had to be surgically removed. for a man the return visit to have the stent removed while you are awake was murder. next time if it happens the doc will put me under to remove the stent which comes through the penis. the pain was a 10 plus. for the first 3 weeks i could get very little down and did not drink much for the vomiting. i hated smells and thought id never eat right again. however after 8 weeks im feeling better.

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 for 4 weeks and going to the mailbox was all i could do. i wish someone would have said this is normal. at 8 weeks i beginning to feel like myself.

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

i layed down and rested. i had very little strength. i ate jello and sugar free pudding and tea.do not try to do much, just rest. i did have some vomiting also. these folk who go back to work in 4 days or so was not my experience.

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

17 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.

at 8 weeks i can now eat small amounts of anything including sweets. i get a desire for something and eat my 2 oz. and now am satisfied.

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

very little. i was very weak. i went to my office after 2 weeks and took it easy.

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

flintstone vit. i am now changing to centrum

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?

only nausia and vomiting for first 6 weeks. mornings are still the hardest time to get moving.

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

4 days in the hosp.

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

i have gone to a support group in carroll county hosp.

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

the scar is about 3 inches long.it is what i expected.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

none

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

they do tell me im losing weight and looking trim.