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

I have a cousin that had something like this type of surgery about 15 years ago. Now she weighs more than she did before she had the surgery. That was one of my concerns about this type of surgery. I didn't need to be humiliated again. But, since I was having so much problems with my health I went ahead and had the surgery. Plus I saw how good Sharon Ozborne looked after she had her surgery!

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

I really had no problems with getting the surgery. In fact, if I hadn't of requested the surgery, our company insurance was about to drop it from the list. And that was without telling the any of us.

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

I liked Dr. Bellanger and he was very informing.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Pain made me decide to have the surgery.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Roux en-y is the surgery and it was the most horrible surgery that I've ever gone through.

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 didn't have any fears of pain or dying from the surgery. It hurt like hell when I woke up so don't think it's a simple surgery. I thought it was going to be a walk in the park compared to the last surgery that I had...but I woke up from the surgery vomitting blood and when that stopped I had bloody stools for about two weeks. But, that passed and all is well with me now.

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 family didn't want me to have the surgery because they were worried about me not recovering. Right now they warn me about eating the proper foods and to remember to take my vitamins.

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

I don't work away from the house. But I didn't really recover well until the drain tube was taken out.

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

I thought it was going to be a walk in the park compared to the last surgery that I had...but I woke up from the surgery vomitting blood and when that stopped I had bloody stools for about two weeks. I was in ICU for about eight hours and I had to spend the night in a critcal care unit. After I took the stitch test and they found out I didn't "leak", I was sent to the 6th floor. It was "so-so" there and sometimes I think they should have called it the 666th floor.

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

complications were vomiting blood after surgery and having bloody BM's and terrible gas.

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

Hell, I ate everything in that didn't move! That's how I used to cope with anxiety. I should have been losing weight but, no, I ate and gained about 12 lbs.

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

Get ready to hurt for a while and to be sore. Esp. if you have that drain tube....that is the most uncomfortable thing in the world! And when they pull that thing out...just take a deep breath and hold it until it's pulled out!!!!!

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

It was a two hour and thirty minute drive to the doctor's and the hospital! I had to redo some of the appts.

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 haven't had really any problems eating. There a few foods that I can't eat rich foods, sweets, and starches. I know which foods to stay away from because of bad gas and loose stools.

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

I had a low activity level but now it's been about 10 weeks and I've been working out.

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

I take a vitamin with iron and B 12 vitamins.

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 guess it's nausia when I drink water...it has to be very cold or it makes me sick.

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

The few months after surgery are the worst parts. Then you have to learn that you "can't touch that" and you have to learn it very quickly. You have to develop new eating habits and you have to like it. Or rather, learn to like it...or pretend to like it until you convince yourself that you do like it.

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

I suppose that an support group would be fine but since I live 2 1/2 hours from the group, I don't get to go to one. But it would be nice to get to talk to people at one of these groups and I wish there was one closer so I could go.

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

Scars are not bad if you have the lap.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I haven't reached any because I don't jump on the scale every day or week. I judge my weight lose by the clothes that are getting loose on me.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yeah, people are treating me like I'm a person now.