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

I FIRST FOUND OUT ABOUT BARIATRIC TREATMENT CENTER THROUGH A FRIEND OF MINE WHO HAD HAD THE SURGERY. MY FIRST IMPRESSION WAS THIS IS WHAT I NEED AND WANT TO DO WITH MYSELF.

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

MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE INSURANCE APPROVAL WAS NOT A PROBLEM I WAS APPROVED IN LESS THAN 3 WEEKS.

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

MY FIRST VISIT WITH MY SURGEON WAS GREAT. THIS WAS THE TIME TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAD REGAARDING THE PROCEDURE.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

WHAT FINALLY MADE ME DECIDE TO HAVE THE SURGERY WAS THAT I WAS TIRED OF THE WAY I WAS AND I WANTED TO BETTER MYSELF IN HEALTH AND APPEARANCE.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I DECIDED WHICH PROCEDURE TO HAVE AFTER CONVERSATING WITH OTHERS AND ALOT OF RESEARCH.

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?

THE FEARS I HAD WAS EHAT IF I DIDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH THE SURGERY AND LOSING MY LOVED ONES (KIDS & FAMILY). I WOULD TELL OTHER PEOPLE DON'T BE AFRAID BECAUSE IT'S WELL WORTH THE 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?

MY FAMILY OF COURSE WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE PROCEDURE BUT STOOD BEHIND MY DECISION 100%. AFTER THE SURGERY MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS WERE NOTHING BUT VERY SUPPORTIVE.

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

MY EMPLOYER WAS OK WITH MY DECISION AND I JUST TOLD THEM HOW I FELT ABOUT MY LIFE. I WAS OUT OF WORK FOR 4 WEEKS.

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

MY HOSPITAL STAY WAS GREAT. THE STAFF WAS ALWAYS THERE. I WAS THERE FOR A TOTAL OF 3 DAYS. THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO BRING IS YOUR PILLOW AND BREATHING TREATMENT.

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

I DID NOT HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS FROM THE SURGERY.

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

IN THE WEEKS AFTER I GOT MY SURGERY DATE I FELT SCARED. THE WAY I DEALT WITH THIS WAS JUST KNOWING I MADE THE RIGHT DECISION FOR MYSELF AND HEALTH.

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

MY FIRST FEW WEEKS HOME WENT WELL. THE NOT BEING ABLE TO EAT CAN GET TO YOU BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE DETERMINATION.

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

I TRAVELED 3 HOURS TO HAVE THE SURGERY.

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.

WELL AS FAR AS EATING DAIRY PRODUCTS I THINK IS THE ONE THING THAT JUST DOESN'T AGREE WITH ME. SWEETS ALSO CAN BE A PROBLEM IF TO MANY ARE CONSUMED.

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

MY ACTIVITY LEVEL WAS PRETTY GOOD AND IT MADE ME FEEL GOOD ABOUT MYSELF.

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

I TAKE MULTI VITAMINS ON A DAILY BASIS.

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 REALLY HAD NO SIDE EFFECTS BUT IF YOU EAT SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T AGREE WITH YOUR BODY THEN YOU'LL BE RIGHT IN THE BATHROOM.

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

I THINK THE WORST THING ABOUT THE WHOLE BARIATRIC SURGERY WAS GETTING THROUGH THE FIRST SIX WEEKS AND LEARNING HOW TO EAT AGAIN.

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

I REALLY HAVE NOT WENT TO ANY SUPPORT GROUP. MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS HAVE BEEN THERE THROUGH EVERYTHING.

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

MY SCAR IS NOT THAT BAD. ACTUALLY I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WORSE THEN WHAT IT IS.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I DID HAVE PLATEAU EXPERIENCES WITH WEIGHT LOSS BUT THEY WILL PASS.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I DEFINATELY FIND SOME PEOPLE TREATING ME DIFFERANTLY NOW.