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

I SAW AN AD IN THE PAPER AND WENT TO A MEETING WHERE IT WAS ALL EXPLAINED AND THEY THOUGHT THEY COULD HELP ME AND I WAS ALL FOR IT.

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

I HAVE CIGNA INSURANCE AND THEY HAD A CRITETIER I HAD TO MET AND MY DR.'S HELPED ME WITH THAT TOOK ABOUT 6 MO. BUT IT GOES BY FAST AND HIS STAFF WAS GREAT WORKING WITH THE INSURANCE

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

WRITE DOWN ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGH HAVE FOR THEM BEFORE GOING.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

AFTER TALKING TO STAFF AND SURGEON

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

DR. THOUGHT THAT THE LAPBAND WAS THE BEST FOR ME SO I WENT ALONG WITH HIS DECISION.

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?

WELL I FIGURED IF I WAS GOING TO DIE I WAS DOING SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO DO TO TO MAKE ME HEALTHY AND IT WAS MY TIME. ALSO I HAD JUST ABOUT GIVEN UP ANYWAY SO IT DIDN'T MATTER ANYWAY.

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 SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT I WAS DOING AND THEY KNEW HOW BAD.

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

WASN'T WORKING AT THE TIME. I'M A FULL TIME HOMEMAKER LOL

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

IT WAS FOR TWO NIGHTS

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

NO I DIDN'T AND NO PAIN WHAT SO EVERY

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 FEELING GREAT AND I KNEW I WAS GOING TO BE HEALTHY SOON, AND HOPEFULLY GET OFF INSULIN.

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

I FELT GREAT, I WAS DOING LIGHT HOUSE WORK MY SECOND WEEK, MY FIRST WEEK WAS FINE TO BUT I GOT A LOT OF ATTENTION. HA HA

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

15-20 MILES NOT FAR AT ALL

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.

I DID BROTH AND CLEAR LIQUIDSFOR SEVERAL WEEKS THEN OATMEAL, COTTAGE CHEESE, PUDDINGS AND JELLO'S WHAT EVER THE NUTRITIONIST HAD ON THE LIST THAT'S WHAT I DID FOLLOW INSTRUTIONS. i HAVE A SMALL BOWL I EAT MY MEAL IN, IF THAT IS FULL I EAT NO MORE AND MY POUCH CAN NOT HOLD ANY MORE AND WHEN YOU GO TO FOOD AND GET THAT FULL FEELING "STOP" OR YOU WILL BE SO SICK AND YOU MIGHT THROW UP. NO FUN.

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

NOT MUCH ACTIVITY AT ALL

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

LIQUID VITAMINS BY DROPPER AND MY MEDICATIONS I HAVE AN ELECTRIC GRINDER WHICH IS GREAT AND I PUT IT IN APPLESAUCE SO IT WILL GO DOWN EASY.

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?

I DIDN'T HAVE ANY NAUSEA OR VOMITING UNTIL MY BAND WAS 6.0 AND IT WAS NICE A TIGHT FOR ME. I LEARN TO EAT SLOWER AND SMALLER PIECES.

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

IT HASN'T WORKED LIKE I HAD HOPED FOR. LOST 60 POUNDS THE FIRST MONTH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, AND 10-15 IN 10 MONTHS, I'M NOT GIVING UP, I THINK I'M JUST FINDING A WAY TO USE THIS LAP-BAND TO MY ADVANAGE I'M NOW WATCHING MY CARBS AND KEEPING MY BLOOD SUGARS IN THE NUMBERS THEY SHOULD BE. I WOULD DO IT OVER AGAIN IN A HEART BEAT.

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

I WAS GOING TO A NUTRITION CLASS ONCE A MONTH BUT I FELT LIKE I WASNT GETTING ANYTHING OUT OF IT. A COUPLE OF PEOPLE DID ALL THE TALKING AND DOESN'T GIVE OTHERS A CHANCE SO I QUIT. MIGHT GO BACK SOME TIME

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

I HAVE 5 LITTLE SCARS YOU CAN'T HARDLY SEE THEM

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

ONLY LOST 15 POUNDS IN THE LAST 10 MONTHS, LOST 60 THE FIRST MONTH;

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

NO I REALLY DON'T LOOK DIFFERENT, STOMACH IS A LITTLE SMALLER DID BUY SMALLER SIZE OR 2 BUT I WANT MORE.