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

Serval family memebers had gastric by pass surgery.And they all did so good

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

Do what your insurance company ask of you

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

I wrote questions down I wanted to ask him.. and still do

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My blood pressure was way to high and starting to affect my kidneys

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

By what my dr adviced

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?

well yes i feared of dying.. but I was dieing sloly with all the weight I was carrying.. Thats just the way I looked at it

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 all for it.. serval in my family has had it done themselfs.. But my inlaws was not supportive they said I should just diet

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

Im self employed.. I was out of work about 6 to 8 weeks

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

I was in the hospital for 4 or 5 days..The staff was very good.I cant say I had anything except my family that was important to me at the hospital

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

yes... I was vomiting and have blood in my stool..a week after I got out of the hospital.I had to go back to the hospital and was in for 4 more days..It was where my dr accidently stapled a main blood vessel

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 on here a lot talking with people..I was excited and scared all round into one big ball

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

drinking only protein drinks and slowly going to food.. I was babied by my family the first weeks

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

about 21/2 hours away.No it didnt affect my aftercare.I still went back for my checkups and things..

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.

After I got to eat food one of the worst things for me to eat was nuts and hamburger.I can eat nuts now not many but some.. I still dont do hamburger..I mainly stuck to my protein drinks after surgery

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

each week it got more and more active..It was slow but I did get moving more

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?

nausia, vomiting.. its mainly if something dont agree with me or I over ate

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

Having my husband wash my bottom. when I went to the bathroom.. it was enbrassing

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

none just friends and family

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Plateaus are so trying on you..I usually cut back on breads and starches when I hit a plateau

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

oh yes.. 100% more friendly