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

through a family member and it scared me out of my mind

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

no problems, submitted and approved with no problems

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

very normal, straight forward, answered my questions and gave me all necessary info needed to continue

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

tired of having diabetes and being restricted

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

i didnt want the lap band, seemed like too easy a way "out" if i didnt want to continue. this way, i cant turn back, i have to be strong and conquer

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 put it out of my mind...my dad and god were holding my hands and i knew they would watch over me

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

stayed at MMC...had surgery late on a wed, they discharged me on thursday night. way too soon. felt rushed. they didnt bring my drinks and nourishment like promised. i am going to talk to surgeon about this next week so she knows what went on.

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

yes, very low blood pressure, high pulse and low oxygen level afterwards. had to be monitored every hour over night.

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

im still trying to cope, only 1 1/2 weeks after surgery. im not hungry but i miss the taste of food.

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

very rough...be prepared to not have an appetite and struggle daily to get your water and protein in. its hard

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

just to portland (1/2 hr)

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.

cant tolerate cottage cheese or eggs. other stuff, its pretty much a texture thing at this point.

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

pretty lethargic, i had a bad cold virus so had to stay low so i didnt cough alot and hurt my stomache

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

multi vitamin 2x a day, calcium tabs 3x a day, fiber tabs 2x a day, prune juice when needed

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?

havent had any vomitting. cant sleep more than 2-4 hrs a night due to my back hurting (cant roll over or be on my side)

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

the first week !

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

i am going to the bariatric support group tomorrow in portland

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

i have 5 tiny scars that are healing beautifully

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

none yet, too soon

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

not yet, havent really been out