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

I SAW A DR. ON TV TALKING ABOUT IT. I THOUGHT IT MAY BE A SOLUTION FOR ME.

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

MY DR. TOOK CARE OF THE INSURANCE.

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

BERY GOOD AND OPTIMISTIC.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

OUT OF CONTROL DIABETES. ALSO, SLEEP APNEA.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

THE DR. DECIDED.

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 HAD TO TURN THAT ALL OVER TO GOD.

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?

GOOD. MY HUSBAND HELPED ME IMMENSELY. HE HAD TO HELP ME OUT OF BED THE FIRST WEEK. HE DESERVES A LOT OF CREDIT FOR MY SPEEDY RECOVERY.

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

NOT EMPLOYED

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

GOOD. CPAP, IF YOU USE ONE.

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

SORE THROAT FROM THE TUBE. IT HEALED IN TIME.

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 PRAYED.

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

TAKE IT EASY. HAVE SOMEONE WITH YOU TO HELP YOU. FOLLOW POST-OP INSTRUCTIONS.

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

40 MILES

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 PROGRESSED WITH MY INSTRUCTIONS AND ATE AND DRANK EXACTLY ACCORDING TO INSTRUCTIONS.

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

AT FIRST I DIDN'T DO MUCH ,BUT PROGRESSED LIKE I HAD ALWAYS DONE AFTER HAVING SURGERY.

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

2 CHEWABLE VITAMINS AT LEAST 4 TUMS A DAY. I AM STARTING B-12 THIS WEEK. I AM TAKING KNOX NUTRAJOINT WITH GLUCOSIMINE FOR MY JOINTS AND HAIR.

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?

HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED ANY OF THESE.

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

HAVING THE TUBE IN MY THROAT WAS NOT PLEASANT HAVING TO BE IN ICU FOR 24 HOURS AFTER SURGERY WAS VERY UPSETTING TO MY FAMILY..

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

I HAD BEEN READING THE SURGI-LITE MESSAGE BOARD EVERY DAY BEFORE IT WENT OFF LINE. IT HELPED ME VERY MUCH. I NEED TO FIND ANOTHER MESSAGE BOARD BECAUSE I LIVE IN A REMOTE AREA AND AM NOT CLOSE TO ANY KNOWN SUPPORT GROUP.

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

MY SCAR HEALED QUICKLY. IT IS WHAT I EXPECTED

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I HAVE JUST DONE WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO AND HAVEN'T WORRIED ABOUT PLATEAUS. I DON'T WEIGH EVERY DAY.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES, SOME.