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

A FRIEND HAD IT DONE. SHE WENT THROUGH HELL BUT LIVED. MY IMPRESSION WAS "I CAN GET THROUGH ANYTHING". SO I WENT FOR IT AND TA-DAAAAAAAAAAA.

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

EXPECT TO BE DENIED THE FIRST FEW TIMES...EVEN IF THE DOCTOR SAYS NOTHING ABOUT IT. THEN WAIT, EAT YOUR CANDY WHILE YOU STILL CAN AND START MAKING LITTLE CHANGES TO PREPARE YOURSELF.

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

IT WAS AN EYE OPENER...BEING CALLED BORDERLINE MORBIB-OBESE IS NOT FUN!!!! GO WITH OPEN MIND,,, YOU WILL BE DISGUSTED AT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAT SITUATION WHEN YOU GET ON THAT SCALE...BUT THIS IS THE FIRST STEP TO MAKING THE CHANGE.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

BACK TO THE SEX IN THE CLOSET THING,,, WANTED TO TRY IT...HEE HEE

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I WANTED THE SHORTEST RECOVERY TIME POSSIBLE FOR I AM NOT A "LAY AROUND" KIND OF PERSON,,,TURNS OUT GETTING OFF MY FAT BUTT WAS THE BEST THING FOR RECOVERY TOO... SO IT WAS A WIN WIN SITUATION. I WENT WITH THE LAPAROSCOPIC.

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?

WAS TOLD PEOPLE DIE FROM THIS SURGERY, SO YES THAT WAS A CONCERN BUT A STRONG WILL CAN GET YTOU THROUGH ANYTHING. I WOULD TELL PEOPLE THE RISKS, OF COURSE BUT THEY ALSO NEED TO REALIZE WHAT KIND OF LIFE DO THEY HAVE BEING MORBIB ! ? CHANGES CAN ONLY BE MADE BY YOU... YOU ARE THE ONE WHO NEEDS TO TAKE THAT FIRST STEP.

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?

EVERYONE TOLD ME HOW HORRIBLE OF ME TO RISK MY LIFE. ONLY 2 FRIENDS ACTUALLY SAID "HEY GOOD LUCK" THE REST JUST SAID GOODBYE. HOW RUDE. NOW AFTER SURGERY SOME JEALOUSLY IS EVIDENT BUT NOT FROM THE TRUE FRIENDS...HEY,,,LOOKS LIKE I ONLY HAVE 2 TRUE FRIENDS,,,, BUMMER...HA HA HA

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

I HAVE NO EMPLOYER ... I AM MY OWN SUPERVISOR AND I TOLD MYSELF TO GET OFF MY DEAD ASS AND GO FOR IT.....(APPLAUDES)

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

WELL I LEFT THE NEXT DAY... NO WAY WAS I STAYING LONGER,,GOOD GRIEF,,,IN THE HOSPITAL THEY WAKE YOU UP TO SEE IF YOU WERE SLEEPING!! NO REST THERE... THOUGH I DID HAVE GREAT GALS WAITING ON ME HAND AND FOOT!!!! BRING SOMETHING TO EAT!! HA HA HA KIDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ACTUALLY IF YOU ARE A READER,,, BRING A BOOK,,, BUT TV IS ALWAYS THERE. DEODERANT IS ALWAYS NICE SO YOU SMELL REAL PURDY FOR THE NURSES.

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

NO COMLICATIONS... I THINK I AM A MUTANT ?!?!?!

In the weeks after you got your surgery date, how did you feel? How did you cope with any anxiety you might have felt?

FELT GREAT,,, BUT SCARED TO SCREW UP... I DIDNT WANT TO DO ANYTHING WRONG BUT ALL WAS WELL,,, IT WAS LIKE I DIDNT EVEN HAVE THE SURGERY,.,, EXCEPT I COULDNT EAT ALOT ANYMORE.

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

WELL I REALLY CANT BE AN EXAMPLE HERE FOR EVERYTHING WENT SOOOO WELL,,, I WILL GIVE PEOPLE FALSE HOPE. JUST GET USE TO LIQUIDS,,AND GET OVER IT ! ! ! !

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

I LIVE IN A LITTLE TOWN ABOUT 65 MILES AWAY FROM THE HOSPITAL. IT ONLY EFFECTS ME GOING TO THE SUPPORT GROUP MEETING FOR I AM NOT A WASTEFUL $ $ $ PERSON,,,,DRIVING THERE FOR 1 HOURS IS A HUGE WASTE $ $ $ TO ME SO I DONT GO VERY OFTEN.

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.

FOR 6 WEEKS AFTER SURGERY IT WAS LIQUIDS. THOUGH I DID TRY SOME MASHED TATORS IN ONE WEEKS TIME. POPSICLES, MASHED TATORS, VITAMINS, AND WATER IS WHAT I LIVED ON FOR MANY WEEKS. THOUGH I DIDNT MISS ANYTHING,,, I REALLY WASNT HUNGARY SO THAT WAS NICE. NOW MANY MONTHS LATER I EAT EVERYTHING. OR I SHOULD SAY I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING. TOO MUCH SUGAR MAKES ME SICK AND I FEEL LIKE I HAVE THE FLU FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. NOT FUN!!!! SORTA CURES ME FROM SNEAKING FOR AWHILE...HEE HEE... SUGAR ALCOHOL GIVES ME GAS IN WHICH I THINK I COULD FUEL A SMALL CITY,,,GOOD GRIEF!!!! ALL IN ALL,,, I CAN EAT EVERYTHING BUT NOW I DO IT IN MUCH SMALLER PROTIONS,,, I NOW REALIZE I CAN LIVE ON VERY LITTLE FOOD.

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

WELL I WAS WALKING THE HALLS AFTER SURGERY AND CAME HOME AND DID MINE NORMAL STUFF UNDER THE ORDERS OF THE DOCTOR. HOWEVER I WAS SCARED TO WORK UP A SWEAT DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO GET MUCH WATER IN AT ONE TIME. SO I DID KEEP MY ACTIVITY BELOW SWEATING STAGE.

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

I TAKE APROX, 20 VITAMINS AND MINERALS A DAY. OF COURSE A MULTI (CHEWABLE) TWICE A DAY, CALCIUM AND C THREE TIMES A DAY, AND ONE OR MORE OF: B, E, IRON, FIBER, CRANDBERRY, CHLOROPHIL, GARLIC, FLAX OR FISH OIL, AND METAMUCIL FIBER.

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, DUMPING AND HAIR SHEDDING I HAVE EXPERIENCED. I AM ALWAYS HAPPY, AND YES I SAID HAPPY TO HAVE NAUSIA BECAUSE IT HELPS ME STAY AWAY FROM CERTAIN FOODS THAT I MAY HAVE SNEAKED A TRY OF. I FIGURE IT IS GODS WAY OF SMACKING UPSIDE THE HEAD AND SAYING "DUH ! YOU SHOULDNT OF TRIED THAT" HA HA HA. EVEN AFTER 8 MONTHS OUT I STILL GET NAUSIA IF I DONT CHEW WELL ENOUGH OF TAKE IN TOO MUCH SUGAR. ANY SUGAR COUNT IN THE SINGLE DIGITS WORKS FINE FOR ME. BUT SOMETIMES I OVER DO IT AND THEN I GET WHAT I ASKED FOR...*SMACK*...HA HA.. I COPE WELL WILL ALL MY SIDE EFFECTS,,, I AM JUST HAPPY TO WAKE UP EACH MORNING, HAVE SEX IN A CLOSET WHEN EVER I DESIRE ( AND IF HE DESIRES ) AND GO SHOPPING FOR CLOTHES IN A SECTION OTHER THAN THE TENT MAKING AREA.

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

OPINIONS I GUESS WILL VARY HERE.... BUT I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT THIS HAS CHANGED MY ATTITUDE TOWARDS FAT PEOPLE,,,, I GET MAD AT THEM NOW FOR BEING FAT INSTEAD OF BEING ONE OF THEM AND HAVING COMPASSION. I SEE NOW HOW MUCH I WAS EATING,,,HOW FAT PEOPLE SAY "I DONT EAT MUCH",,,WHAT A CROCK OF CRAP !!! WE DID NOT GET FAT BECAUSE WE ATE HEALTHY...WE SHOVELED IT IN, AND MANY TIMES WITHOUT EVEN THINKING. WE ALL MADE THAT DECISION TO OPEN OUR MOUTHS AND SWALLOW... NO ONE FORCED US. SO I GUESS THE WORST PART OF THE SURGERY IS MY ATTITUDE TOWARDS FAT PEOPLE. FOR NOW I KNOW THERE IS HELP AND I WISH THEY WOULD ALL DO IT,,, INSTEAD OF KEEP SHOVELING IT IN.

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

I HAVE A FRIEND WHO HAD THE SURGERY A FEW MONTHS AHEAD OF ME,,,SHE HAS BEEN WONDERFUL.

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

I HAVE SIX LITTLE SLICE SCARS UNDER 1/2 AND INCH LONG ON MY MID SECTION..THAT IS IT,,, THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE BIGGER.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

THE "PLATEAU" THINGY IS THE MOST FRUSTRATING!!!! YOU LOSE WEIGHT SO EASILY THEN IT STOPS,,, AND YOU WONDER WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON FOR YOU ARE EATING NOTHING...WHY ARENT YOU LOSING?!?!?!? GGrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. BUT YOU HAVE TO BITE THE BULLET,,, AND WAIT,,, IT MAY TAKE 3 WEEKS TILL YOU START LOSING AGAIN BUT IT STARTS,,,, (UST AS LONG AS YOU ARENT FILLING YOUR FACE!!!!!)

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

THERE IS JEALOUSY OUT THERE, AND THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE WHO ARE SOOOOO HAPPY FOR YOU. STILL TREATED THE SAME THOUGH AS FAR AS I CAN SEE