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

CONFUSED.

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

I DIDNT HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE.

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

EXCITING

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I HAD TO OR DIE

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

THAT'S THE ONE MY DOC DID.

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 SO BIG THAT IT WAS A BIG RISK PUTTING ME TO SLEEP. DR. BABINEAU AND HIS CREW WERE PHENOMINAL, I WOKE UP TO NURSES NOT THE WHITE LIGHT.

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 WIFE HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF IT BEFORE AND EVEN MORE AFTER.

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

I HAVE BEEN OUTA WORK FOR 6 MONTHS, I LOOK FORWARD TO RETURNING

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

I DID NOT LIKE THE HOSPITOL STAY, 5 DAYS, NOTHING SPECIAL.

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

NO

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

FELT BETTER EVERY DAY

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

TAKE IT EASY

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

130 MILES, TRIP HOME WAS FINE.

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.

EAT SMOOTH SOFT FOODS, SOUPS ARE GREAT. JELLO IS GREAT, RED MEAT SUCKS, PORK SAUSAGE SUCKS WORSE, DONT EAT AND DRINK COLD STUFF AT THE SAME TIME, THE COLD MAKES YOUR TUMMY CONTRACT AND MAKES THAT MEAL DIFFICULT, WATER AT ROOM TEMP HAS BEEN GREAT, ALTHOUGH NOT VERY FUN TO DRINK.

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

BETTER BY THE DAY

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

FLINTSTONES

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?

NAUSIA, VOMITING, DUMPING ARE VERY COMMON WITH ME, PROLLY THE WORST THING ABOUT THE SURGERY

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

QUESTION 19

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

I NEED ONE

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

LONG, NO

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

N/A

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES