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

My Mother had this surgery, I was reserved about it.

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

A nightmare. My first Doctor couldnt get me approved. So I went to a more experienced doctor and she was able to get approval within 3 days. So my sdvice is to ask them if they can get it approved or not. My first doctor said, sometimes they dont get them approved, after the 3rd denial she said I would have to pay for this surgery myself. My 2nd doctor told me they did not file the paperwork correctly and that was why it was not approved. So do your homework with your insurance and your doctors office.

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

They were very friendly. I was nervous but they assured me that this was the right decision for me. They were very inspiring.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My insurance company. I could not afford to have this surgery with out my insurance covering the bill. So if I couldnt get it approved, I could have the surgery.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I dicussed it with my doctor. I was on the fence, I told him about my family history, and with that he said that my best bet would be gastric.

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?

I didnt have many. This surgery has been around for years so I was not too concerned.

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?

All of my family was supportive except for one son. He wa very angry at me for this decision however when he saw me 5 months later he was astonished at how much weight I lost and good I looked.Everyone was very supportive, Including my dressbarn family.

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

I was out of work for two weeks. They were very supportive. My supervisor even made the decision to have her surgery as well.

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 3days. If you have sleep apnea be sure to take your machine.

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

No

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 really had some emotional distress. I was really having a difficult time trying to separate myself from food. I would cry when we would sit down for meals because I couldn't eat what my family were eating.

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

The surgery is VERY painful. I have a high tolerance to pain but this one was very uncomfortable. So take your medicine and keep up with it so you stay comfortable.

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

local

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 still have trouble with breads, corn, and potatoes. Corn chips are off limits as well as ice cream (even skinny cow ice cream).Any thing that breaks down to sugar doesn't work for me. I get very tired after I eat and just sometime go to sleep.

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

wonderful as along as I don't eat.

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?

I still cope with dumping syndrome. It will be with me for the rest of life I am sure. It suck too. I just push through it but my husband doesn't understand and just thinks its because I don't want to do this or do that and I use it as an excuse to get out of stuff.

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

The initial surgery and now the dumping syndrome.

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

I don't have any. I am going to college and working full time.

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

My scar are small and I don't notice them.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I would go 3 weeks with out losing pounds, but I was losing inches.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

no not really.