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

Tv and then a friend had it and I thought it would be a miracle!

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

UHC was wonderful and very easy to work with.

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

My first visit was with Dr. Randall Bolar and I was nervous and his staff was pretty cold and uncaring I felt really nervous. When I went for my first visit with Dr. Stickler his staff was welcoming, informative and I was 100% comfortable with him. I had already had a scheduled date with Dr. Bolar when his psychologist cancelled my surgery the week before after me waiting for 4 months to get my surgery. His psychologist said I wasn't ready, their office had done absolutely nothing to prepare me and wasn't informative, I went to Dr. Stickler who has a 4 hour seminar and what to expect from the surgery and do and don'ts and guest speakers who had it and gave you a notebook filled with information and step by step instructions and his office got me in for my surgery within a month of my first scheduled appt with Bolar who cancelled it on me the week before after all my post ops and my work scheduled had already been altered. Dr. Stickler was an absolute dream come true! Most wonderful doctor and staff around.. he has a Psychologist, RN, Physiologist, Dietician, Physicians Assistant and himself all in the same office they all see you individually and prepare you for your surgery and they see you several times before and after surgery .. you are not in it alone and you couldn't ask to be better informed out of three doctors for this surgery this office was the most prepared, informative and caring. They were genuine!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I had tried everything else and I didn't want to waste my life being overweight!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My doctor told me what was best!

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 willing to take any chances! My belief is when it is your time to go you go and if that would have been it, I would have still done it all over again!

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 was very skeptical and my brother told me I was taking the easy way out which he has been skinny all his life! They were very scared but they supported me after they knew my mind was made up! I was very determined to have this done! After Dr. Bolar cancelled my first scheduled surgery after waiting for 4 months my heart was absolutely broken and Dr. Stickler brought all hope back to me!

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

They were very supportive I was out of work 4 weeks could have probably returned after 2.

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

I was at the hospital 1 day ... they told me if I would get up and walk every hour I could go home the next day and I got up and walked around the nurses station every hour and they were true to their word!

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

Just once I pulled a muscle deep on the left side where my incision was it was very painful about 2 weeks after surgery. It healed in a week.

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 not nervous at all... I was so excited and totally ecstatic... I was playing cards with my father when they come to get me for my surgery and they said they wished all their patients were as calm as I was! I walked to the surgery pre-op room and let them push the gurney haha!

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

It really wasn't that bad you are tired and sore but I had surgery on Wednesday and was shopping in Wal-Mart (slowly) on Sunday and at ballgames for my nieces and nephew everyday the next week. I was sore but the more you moved the better you felt!

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

1 and 1/2 hours, after care was ok it was a long trip but I made it!

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.

About 2 weeks post surgery liquids, then 2 weeks puree, and then slowly introduced a little bit of solids... I vomited some but not much I can pretty much eat normal anything now. Just not much!

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

I tried to move as much as possible.

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

Prenatal vitamins, flintstones, b-12 shots,

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?

Didn't really have anything major some vomiting and after about 6 months my hair did thin!(take folic acid)

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

The waiting on approval and surgery!

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

None really

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

My scars are almost faded they are small and hardly noticeable

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Weight loss slows down alot after about 7 months or so and it can be frustrating after such fast initial results.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES! People are always telling me how great I look and much nicer!