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

carnie wilson went public shes my hero

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

my stay was great,the nurses and staff were terrific.attentive caring,loving.bring sanitary napkins if its getting close to that time.bedroom slippers.housecoat.lysol spray.the disenfect the room when they clean but i felt safer doing it when i wanted to

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

my eshophogus kept shrinking but i had to have 5 dikitation and endoscopys.a very simple painless procedure.after the 5th one everything returned to normal.i also had trouble with nausea,and some hurting the first 13 weeks.13 is the lucky number.i woke up one morning and it was like everything abruptly changed during the nite.i also still have alot of yucky feeling if i over eat or eat to fast. i also had something called frothing syndrome.something like foam kept building up in my pouch and it caused alot of discomfort.no pain just real gross feeling and nausea

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 nervous as a a long tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs.i talked to my husband,sis,and mom.they reasured me alot.also i had God for my support.He was ther for me start to finish

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

i was sore sore sore.it was rough at first because i didnt want to eat anything i git dehydrated and very sick.but the doc told me i had to eat so i would choke down ckn broth and jello.water was my best friend i drank gallons of it.dont expect to feel perky and ready to rock and roll for a little while.the first 13 weeks were the hardest for me.as my doc told me some peeps take the hi road some the low road there is no in between.i took the low road(go figure)but now i am on the right track.it simply a mind set.you have to change alot about how you were to what you need to be now.

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

100 miles from soperton ga to brunswick ga.it hasnt affected my aftercare at all i can get in touch with my doc any time day or nite and if nessecary be there within 1 1/2 hours

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.

ckn broth spaghetti o's and dry toast were the first months foods then grits,mashed potates,thick soups were after that after 13 weeks just about anything.i dont tolerate beef well.ckn and fish and pork i handle great.spicy foods are out.ice tea is a must for me at 7 months out i can tolerate just about anything.i do have to take lactaid with any dairy i eat.im learning how to slow down and take time to eat slow that is very important.i still have a tendancy to take 1 bite to much and i pay for it for about 30 min.but after 30 min im good to go.i handle sugar very well.very little dumping if i monitor my intake.if i get a sweet tooth i take 2/3 bites of a sweet and leave it alone.

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

up till 13 weeks no energy level but that i feel was due to what i was eating and how often.very little on both.now its thru the roof.

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

geritol with iron and b-12 injectable

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?

still doing the nausea deal.that was the worst but its getting better every week that goes by

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

waiting for ins approval.it was un-nerving and very stressful

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

due to my job(long haul trucker) i have no suppot groups.i do however have my family and my wls buddy and lifetime sis/friend judy zipperer

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

no bad and its fading fast

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

3 plateus so far.the first two didnt bither me the 3rd one did a little rithg at the end but i realize its just a phase and pray it thru

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

oh yeah.most of it is joy over how i now look.but my true friends no longer treat me like im fragile or worse dying lol