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

I first heard about it thorugh my regular doctor (Dr. Wendy Mednick). My initial impressions were that it was so extreme and that I could do it on my own (yeah, right).

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

My stay was good. I felt like I had been hit by a truck. With my little friend the morphine button, The pain was bearable. The morphine, however, made me light headed and a bit nauseaus (spelling?). I weaned myself off of it after about 3 days. I was in the hospital about a week. Don't bring anything except maybe reading material. By the time you feel like doing anything, they'll send you home.

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

No complications

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

Getting use to just what you can and can't do with food. You think you haven't eaten much at all, and then you have to throw up. Pay close attention to how much you are eating. A mistake in this area creates almost immediate vomiting. Don't stretch that stomach out any more than you have to. It is going to stretch some.....in 6 months I have gone from a 3 or 4 ounce pouch to now being able to eat a Banquet regular size TV dinner. I am very scared of stretching out my stomach to where I will stop losing weight. Every once in a while I mess up and eat too much and have to vomit. It lets me know that I still have a small stomach.....that's good I guess.

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

5 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 first (2 to 3 weeks) Dr. Jakes had me on pureed food. I couldn't quite stand that diet. I found that I could eat anything soft in small quantities. My diet got progressively firmer...today, 6 months after surgery, I eat whatever I want (in small quantities), but I still prefer softer foods. Soup, sherbert, frozen yogurt, milk, orange juice, popsicles, fruit (fresh and canned).....I absolutely cannot live without seedless watermelon...I don't care how much they charge me...if it's there, I'll buy it. Fish, poultry, and a little pork now and then. I use to go for the grease, bread and pastry, and candy. I still have a lot of hard candy between feedings, but bread and pastry take up too much room. I need room for tastier things. I use to buy a big steak and eat the whole thing. Beef just doesn't appeal to me anymore. I think because it takes up so much space and fills me up so fast. I have found that I can take a lot more in liquid form than in solid form. A typical day of food: Breakfast...a VERY large glass of milk, that I drink up in around 45 minutes or so. Snack (2 hours later)...Nutra Grain bar and a small can of fruit. Lunch...leftovers (about 8 oz) and a small can of fruit. Snack (2 hours later)...Nutra Grain bar. Dinner...TV dinner or about 8 oz of what ever the family is having. Snack (2 hours later)...WATERMELON, popsicles, or frozen yogurt.

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

After about 3 weeks, I felt like I could get along just fine without any discomfort, but the doctor wanted me to take it easy for 6 to 8 weeks. I have such increased energy now, 6 months later, that I don't feel like the same person anymore. I still have 130 pounds to lose, but when I look in the mirror now, I think "Dang, I'm just too sexy now." " I Look GOOOOOD!" I feel soooo good now. To others, I'm still way fat. But to me, I've already lost one whole person in weight, and I'm so much thinner than I ever used to be.

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

I'm supposed to be taking an iron supplement and a multi vitamin daily.....but I'm a bad boy...I don't take them

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 vomiting was the worst for me. Eat too much, throw up. It's just uncomfortable enough that you don't want to go there.

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

Getting used to how much you can eat without throwing up.

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

None...I really wish that I had contact with other people who had the surgery...am I doing things correctly? What problems and solutions do we have in common?

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

Pretty cool...I'm going to make up a real cool fictional account of how I got it. Shark attack?......maybe

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

At first, the pounds fell off...1 pound a day for the first 3 months. Now, I stay the same weight for around 2 weeks. Maybe even go up 3 or 4 pounds and down again to the old plateau. Then BAM! 5 pounds.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Oh yeah! People who knew me before call me slim, keep telling me how great I look, I even get seriously flirted with!!! People are proud of me, comment on how handsome I look...and I don't get those fat looks and comments anymore, even though I still have 130 pounds to lose. But I was really gross before! I'm sure that my previous weight cost me lots of opportunities and even some really good jobs.