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

MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS WAS THAT I WAS SCARED. UNTIL I HEARD OF ALOT OF PEOPLE I KNEW THAT HAD IT DONE AND DID WELL.

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

I HAD NO PROBLEM WITH GETTING INSURANCE APPROVAL.

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 WENT GREAT HE TOOK HIS TIME AND EXPLAINED EVERYTHING. AND MADE SURE THAT NO QUESTIONS WENT UNANSWERED.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

THE MEETING WITH THE DR. AND MY HEALTH

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

AFTER WATCHING THE SEMINAR AND THE DIFFERENT PROCEDURES I WENT WITH THE RYN.I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE THE MOST BENTIFICIAL FOR ME.

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 HAD FEARS OF DYING BUT I KNEW IF I DID'NT HAVE THE SURGERY I WOULD IN UP DYING THAT WAY TO SO I JUST PUT MY TRUST AND FAITH IN MY DR. AND -GOD-

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?

WELL MY FAMILY WERE SCARED AT FIRST BUT THEY CAME AROUND AND WAS THERE FOR ME.

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

DISABLED

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

THE HOSPITAL STAY WAS VERY PLEASANT .I HAD TO STAY THREE DAYS. BRING YOUR OWN PILLOW!

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

NO, THE SURGERY WENT VERY WELL

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 SCARED AND EXCITED AT THE SAME TIME. I COPED WITH IT BY JUST PICTURING WHAT MY NEW LIFE WOULD BE LIKE AFTER THE SURGERY.

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

I WAS A LITTLE SORE . FOOD CHOICE WAS NOT TO GOOD. BUT WALK ,WALK,WALK

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

ABOUT 45 MIN.

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.

FIRST WEEK SOFT FOODS. MASHED POTATOES WITH CHEESE MELTED ON TOP ALSO SOUP NO VEG. HAD TO BE DRAINED, AND WATER AND CRYSTAL LIGHT. NO MT.DEW, PEPSI .OR ANY SWEETS AT ALL.NOW I CAN HAVE COOKED VEG, CHICKEN (CHEW CHEW).SO FAR I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TOLERATE EVERYTHING I TRIED TO EAT.

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

WAKLING ALOT BETTER AT FIRST I WAS ON A WALKER AND I'VE BEEN WALKING SOME NOW WITHOUT IT. YEAH!

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

I TAKE A MULTIVITAMIN, B12 ,BIOTIN. VIACTIN,PRENATAL

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 WAS NAUSEA,IT EASED OFF BY IT SELF .SO FAR NO OTHER SYMPTONS YET.

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

SO FAR NOTHING CAUSED I'VE BEEN REALLY BLESSED

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

RIGHT NOW I HAVE MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN THE CHAT ROOM

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

THE SCARS ARE SMALL. YES BECAUSE THR DR. SAID IT WOULD BE SMALL INCISIONS

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES ALITTLE. I EXPECT MORE SO WHEN I LOSE ALOT MORE WEIGHT