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

i learned about bypass about 5 years and thought how very cool

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

my insurance experience was very easy. everyone at the united healthcare office was very nice.

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

GREAT!!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

my insurance approved it and thats what i needed in order to have the surgery

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

bypass,just seems to best for me

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 am thinking very positive about this i have too.

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?

the few family members i have told are very happy for me. I am not telling everyone as i know everyone has an opinion

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

my supervisor is happy for me

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

2 days in hospital and the staff was great :)

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?

i was just very tired for a good month.

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

to be tired , but also very excited as the weight just seems to melt off.

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

i had surgery right here in the town i live :)

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.

well meats i could not eat for awhile. greasy foods are off limits other then that i can eat just about anything.but i will say that i can eat something one day but the next day it does not do as well.

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

each day it just got to be that i had more enrgy

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

wow i take so many sellenium, flaxseed oil, daily chewable, vitamin d, vitamin b,calcium,

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?

hair loss was the worst as i a a hairdresser but it (looking back) was not so bad and it is still coming back in.

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

hair loss/thinning

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

monthly support groups are great , they hold you accountable for your actions and food intake. and of course my family :)

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

it is better then i expected.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

the last couple months i have been on a plateau but thats my fault for eating what i should not but i got back on track and im doing good :)

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

i have noticed women get very jealous. very sad for them it is weird the small women are afraid i will get smaller then them ( if i havent already) and the heavy ones feel that i left them in the heavy boat. none of them have stopped to think of my health, but oh well it is their problem.