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

my mother decided to have it and at first I thought I would be giving up on myself if I had the surgery. I believed it was the easy way out. "Boy was I wrong!"

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

My insurance had me approved almost instantly. I had Western Health Advantage.

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 three days and the staff at UC Davis was wonderful. Don't bring anything you will be sleeping and walking.

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

No, I am a year and I have never had any 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 was so anxious and just wanted the time to pass!

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

This is the hardest time you are healing and losing weight. Smells and sometimes the sight of something can make you sick. Your learning a new way of life and that is always hard to do. The best you can do is in the weeks before surgery live as if you had the surgery already. I did and it made the whole process easier to adjust to.

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

I live 5 min from the hospital

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.

When I first had my surgery I was able to tolerate all foods in my eating plan. my intolerances came months after I could no longer drink milk or eat hamburger and I still struggle with vegetables. I have never cared for soup or beans but now I crave them and eat them all the time.My diet still isn't varied enough but I tend to crave foods that are healthier.

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

I couldn't start my exercise program until 3 mos after surgery I had alot of swelling from a hanging pannus and it made activity difficult. But not long after that I worked up to 80 min a day 5 days per week.

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

I take flinstones,super b and citracal

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 had no real side effects after the surgery my food intolerances came later and that was when I lost my hair. If i get dumping syndrome I do get it pretty badly and now low blood sugar tends to be a problem.

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

The worst part was the first weeks I had a reaction to the staples and they were very painful and made movement almost impossible.

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

I am fortunate to have my mother and best friend as support we have all had the surgery so if we have questions it's easy to talk with each other.

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

I have almost no visible scars.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I plateaued at 160 and had to work hard to get to my current weight of 148.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

yes! people are much nicer they look you in the eye. If you eat in public people don't stare. it's strange and a bit nerve racking when you have been invisible for so many years now people notice you for the right reasons and want to interact with you.