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

I am a nurse and knew about it. I also work for 2 surgeons that perform the surgery.

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

United Health Care is the best insurance company ever. They were very quick at response.

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

NA

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Seeing the results our patients were having

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

It wasnt hard, I did not want to have an open procedure.

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 afraid of anesthesia more than anything. But I told the anethesiologist about my fears and he helped me feel better about going to sleep.

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?

Everyone was really excited for me. My husband was a little leary about it, he felt I looked good the way I was, but I know he enjoys the thinner me too.

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

NA

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

It was great. They were very nice to me.

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

None

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

Very anxious and nervous.

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

It was hard being on a full liquid diet and learning not to eat foods. I really didnt want to eat at all or drink. But I pushed myself to drink what I needed to drink. It was ok, I had a really good support system.

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

10 minutes

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.

The only things I could eat was a full liquid diet. Like broth, cream of soups, oatmeal, cream of wheat. Soft foods that had a pudding consistency.

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

I rested for the weekend and went back to work on Monday.

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

Just a multivitamin, usually a childrens chewable.

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?

None, didnt have any.

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

Nothing. My entire process was painless.

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

NA

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

I have 5 small tiny incisions that are barely noticable.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

None

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I think people respect me more thinner. I was a slob when I let myself get fat. I looked lazy. I think people respect me more than before, they see I finally did something for myself instead of being lazy as usual.