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

I thought it was a GOD SEND!!! Diets were worthless and discourageing. Makeing emotional laspes of feeling horrid about myself. But now after i've had it and in due time i hope i will see myself as i should and not like i do now. Ill get my life back.. should i say have control of my life...and give to my kids what they so deserve to be getting from me.

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

I didnt have a problem... and im sorry for those who do/did. Im gonna say this and i know ill be bashed for it.. I know one gets excited about being approved for this surgery, but things do take time. So hounding ins companies and surgeons in MY opinion is a waste of time! I was prepared to be waiting for a few weeks for approvel, im not a patient person, but this wait was worth beinbg patient!

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

It was eductional, thats about it. I felt he didnt want to be there doing consults, but he was and he had to do it like it or not..And the best way to get ALL out of it . is to have your list a questions ready.. i figured i could remeber all mine,,, yeah right .. my mind went so blank it wasnt funny...I think it was the excitement of finally being there and knowing life could be changeing. i do want to add that the dr i had the consult with wasnt the one who did my surgery.The consult dr was his partner who left not but 2 weeks after my consult and thank god he did b/c he was rude!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

REALITY!! When my grandmother died, it hit home, she was obese and took so many pills due to it... then she surcomed to sleep apnea! I didnt want that, she was 60 and to me that was too short a life. Just all the things i seen happen to her, like sitting in the car b/c she couldnt walk though a store or even from the car to the store. She didnt have any thing close to a normal or even good life. I dont want that, i want to be able to walk with my kids, not watch them walk.

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 i am one for omens.. i was kinda scared b/c after i set the consult up i recieved a application in the mail for life ins... but i got over it and said well if i am denied then i know its not a good idea, but thus i wasnt denied.. also i look at it this way... you can die the second you walk out of your house, or when you have a child.. etc. If it happenes its my/your time.

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 honestly dont think they had the problem with the surgery itself , it was the future i had after it. I got .. your gonna change your not gonna be who you are now. And you know they are so wrong. I see it like i do now. If im not good enough for you now i sure as heck wont be then!

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

My hospital stay was great , what parts i was awake for. If i wasnt sleeping i was getting meds, or vitals taken or walking or going to the restroom. i was there for 4days and 3 nights. I didnt use one thing i brought , if i were awake i would of used my cd player!!:)

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

Ohh the breatheing.. from being a smoker, it was hard but i dealt with it and didnt require being tubed or anything

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 feel great its 2wks and i feel like im a still on my pain meds. a lil duh but other then that theres very very little pain.

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

It all depends on each person itself. I felt great and was driving my car in 4 days ,off of pain meds except to sleep but thats was over at 1 1/2 wks.

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

i traveled 1 1/2 hours for my surgery. and for my aftercare i ride a van that goes there.

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.

I AM ON LIQUIDS FOR 6 WKS SO I CANT ANSWER THIS YET

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

i started walking about 1 wk and 4 days after surgery .. im still waiting for some high level energy!

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

chldrens mutli-vits with iron 2 a day

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

When i woke up feling nauseas..from the knock out stuff... i was getting a anti nausea shot whenever i could

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

i have 6 scars and only 1 is yucky, thats fromn coughing so much and ripping and stretching it.other then that they aren't noticable. It is now 1 yr and 5 months (3-03) and i actually cant tell the scars from the stretch marks..lol

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I didnt have any plateaus , i lost consistantly.. starting at 13 # a month and ended at 10# a month and at less then a yr (7months to be exact i had lost 120#)i go up 3-5# at my monthly but it is gone in a few days, holding steady at 110-111 # i could stand to gain a few pounds, so everyone says but i kinda agree with them.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

yeah , at 2wks out everyone seems to notice i cant imagine at 100# loss what will be said well.... now at over 100# loss everyone is different, i know i am i have the same personality as b4 but i tend to want to help any overweight person, and also ive become addicted to shopping. whoda thunk it..lol