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

I READ IT IN A MAGAZINE, AND I THOUGHT THERE IS NO WAY I'M HAVING SURGERY FOR OBESITY. I FIGURED IT WOULD BE LIKE ALL THE DIETS I HAVE TRIED IN THE PAST, A FAILURE!! BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE WHO IS SUFFERING FROM MORBID OBESITY.

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

I was very fortunate because my info was sent over on a Monday @4:30 pm, & they called me the next morning @ 9:30 & told me I had been approved. I think the most important thing to remember is don't give up! The squeaky wheel always gets the oil!

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

It was wonderful. He explained everyhting to me, showed me exactly what would happen, and drew me a diagram. The best way to benefit is to research, research, research because the more you know, the better understanding you will have. There are several types of WLS out there, you need to find out which one would work best for you.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was tired of being fat & miserable. I was disgusted with myself and everything around me. i had tried so many diets, & I would always fail at them. So I gave this a shot, & said if I get approved then it's meant to be.

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

I was only in the hospital for three days, & it was great! I was treated exceptionally well, they made sure I was eating jello before I went home. i would make sure to take a housecoat and some slippers to wear.

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

The only complication I has was with my incision. One of my sutures came out from the inside and caused a liitle infevtion, but it was very minor.

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 extremely nervous, scared, and anxious. I tried to stay focused on what I would need to have to eat after I came home from the hospital. You really need a variety of foods because you don't know what will agree. i'm talking about like yogurt, jello, popsicles, pudding, all sugar free ofcourse.

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

I have a support group that I go to once a month. It is the first Wednesday of every month. i feel that this is important because we are all either going thru or going to go thru the same thing, and who better to learn from than someone that has already been there.

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

My scar is about 2 in long, not bad at all. it's actually not as bad as I expected.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I hit my first plateau during my 10 1/2 months post op period. It only lasted for 3 1/2 wks, and then I started loosing again. There is nothing to do except be patient, and that is very hard to do. But you start back loosing again, just give it some time.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Oh yes, very different. i havae had more men hold doors open for me now than I have my whole life. People are friendlier to you, offer more help to you, & just a whole lot nicer. I think it's wrong though to treat people the way we are treated when we are obese.