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

thru a friend who wanted to have surgery

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

dont give up i was denied at first but my doctors office helped me and i finaly got approved after about a 8 or 9 month struggle

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

ask questions be sure its what you want talk to other patients

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

it didnt take me no time to make up my mind i had prayed for something like this surgery to help with weight loss only people overweight can understand what a blessing this surgery is to people.the way i looked at it was if i continue to gain weight and not lose i will surely die sooner than i should at least i will have a second chance if the surgery works. both way i was chanceing my life.have the surgery gave me a new life

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

looked at films, went to meetings , talked to previous patients felt that gastric by pass would be best because to me you would have to go back at some time later to get lapband tightened

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?

again the way i looked at it was i would surely die at the rate i was going gaining weight high blood presure, diabeties, leg problems ect. i wanted a second chance at life and if the surgery was successful i would have one. without it i was only going down hill anyway

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?

none of my family or friend wanted me to have surgery i had no support. that didnt stop me i was the one who had to carry this weight around. sadly 2 weeks after the surgery i made myself sick went into hospital had to be fed by tube in my neck. one family member called me asked me now are you glad you had surgery it hurt me so bad to here that. but you know what I said yes i am

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

my supervisor was very supportive his sister had the surgery i was out for 3 months because i went back into hospital. dont let that scare you i went back into hospital because of my doing. MY DOCTOR told me not to let anything stress me out 1 week after surgery my boyfriend of 3 years decided he didnt want to be in a relationship and i fell apart . no good so soon AFTER SURGERY

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

1 DAY WASNT TO GOOD I WAS IN ICU THEY HAD HARD TIME WAKING ME UP. MY TOTAL TIME IN WAS 4 DAYS BRING REG. HOSPITAL ITEMS BESURE TO BRING SO SORT OF SHOES BECAUSE THE DAY AFTER SURGERY YOU WILL SURELY BE UP WALKING AROUND HALLWAY

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

NOTHING FROM SURGERY. I GOT STRESSED OUT AFTER SURGERY AND HAD PROBLEMS

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 DID NOT HAVE ANY ANXIETY FROM DAY 1 WANTED THIS SURGERY THE ONLY THING MADE ME UPSET WAS DEALING WITH INSURANCE TRING TO GET THEM TO PAY PART

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

AS I SAID I WENT BACK INTO HOSPITAL THE SECOND WEEK. BUT THE 1 WEEK YOU CAN EXPECT TO BE SORE BUT THE MORE YOU MOVE THE BETTER YOU WILL FEEL

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

15 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.

IN THE 1 WEEK YOU ONLY SIP. NOW THE 2,3,4, WEEK I WAS IN HOSPITAL BEING FED THRU TUBE. ONCE I GOT OUT SMALL AMOUNTS OF FOOD WITH ME I LOVED YOUGURT,PROTEIN BARS, CHICKEN , FISH, JELLO I ONLY HAD PROBLEMS WITH EGGS AND PUDDING. BUT OF COURSE NOTHING SWEET OR WITH ADDED SUGAR I LEARNED QUICKLY THAT SUGAR WAS TRE ENEMY

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

GOOD I WALKED A LOT UP UNTIL ABOUT 3 MONTS LATER THEN I JOINED GYM

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

OPTSOURSE SPECIALY FOR GASTRIC BY PASS PATIENTS

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?

HAIR LOSS 1YEAR I JUST CONTINUE TO TREAT MY HAIR NO PROBLEMS WITH SLEEPING BUT I HAD LOT OF ENERGY

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

IT SCARES ME WHEN I EAT WRONG OR TO MUCH BY MISTAKE. MY HEART BEETS REALLY FAST AND I HAVE TO LAY DOWN DONT KNOW IF THIS WILL MAKE MY HEART WEAK LATER IN LIFE OR NOT SO I TRY TO BE CAREFUL

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

SUPPORT GROUP AT DOCTORS OFFICE AND OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD SURGERY

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

ITS SMALL DOES NOT BOTHER ME I AM SO GLAD TO LOSE THE WEIGHT FEEL GOOD AND LOOK THE SCAR IS THE LAST THING I THINK ABOUT BEING A PROBLEM

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES I CAN FEEL PEOPLE LOOKING AT ME DIFFERENTLY MY FRIEND SAY I THINK IM ALL THAT BUT I TELL THEM I AM JUST GLAD TO BE LIVING AND ENJOYINY LIFE TO THE FULLEST SOMETHING THEY HAVE DONE ALL THEIR LIFE WITHOUT A WEIGHT PROBLEM