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

My mom told me first about it and my reaction was NO WAY would I do that, I loved food (yet it was killing me) I was scared and had no intention of going through it!!

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

I am on medical so I didn't have a fight, approval came within 6 weeks.

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

It was good I really liked him, however the clinic was horrifying I was so huge walking it was baaaaad. Just remember to ask the doctor anything you need to know, there are NO stupid questions, this is your life he will hold in hands!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was on oxygen and my doctor said If I didn't do it I would dead within a year.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I really didn't have a choice since I am on medical I went with the surgeon that my doc referred me too.

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 was scared because as big as I was I thought I would die on the operating table. But I realized that there are risks with any surgery.

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?

They were so very supportive of me, they knew this was my last chance. They were there for me after surgery especially my mom I don't know what I would have done if she hadn't been there for me. She was my angel.

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

I didn't work I was disabled.

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

It was not very good I was in for about 4 days and the care there was horrible. It seemed they didn't care for the patients there at all. I am scared to go back there again.

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

Nope, no complications.

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 felt scared happy oh so many emotions, I was just hoping that whatever happened would be better then the hell I was living through.

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

It was very painful and hard to get around but I was still very big so of course that didn't help at all. Just take things slow!!

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

Not very far it was about a 45 min ride.

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 learned real quick that I couldn't eat pasta it would feel like a lump in my throat so up it would come lol I could eat things that were soft like mashed potatoes, cream of wheat, oatmeal things like that. At first I dumped on anything with sugar and as time went by that changed alot, now I can eat sugar and it doesn't bother me however if I eat something that has ALOT I do still dump same goes for alot of fatty foods. I am finding out that chocolate doesn't bother me at all which is a very BAD thing. I don't do soda anymore because the carbination in it really bothers me.

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

It wasn't very good it took a few months before I was able to move around very good.

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

I take an adult multi vitamin along with an iron tablet everyday.

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?

The vomiting was realllly bad for a long time, it seemed like everything that went down eventually came right back up, it was frustrating lol as for dumping that wasn't so bad but the hair loss was bad and is still going on 15 months post op.

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

The worst part? That would have to be the stay I endured while I was in the clinic.

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

I had no aftercare support or program.

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

Its not so bad they did it along my old gallbladder scar its fading really nicely.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have not hit one plateau since I had the surgery, the weight has slowed down a bit occasionally but it hasn't stopped.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Oh yes they sure do treat me nicer, I get more smiles from men which irritates me to no end!! It really hurts because its like when I was at my highest I didn't deserve the niceness or something.