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

Family, friends, work. At first negative, had seen bad even fatal results and was very afraid. Then things improved and all the good came to light.

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

No problems at all when I finally got insurance. Without insurance you're lost, not a chance of surgery unless you're wealthy.

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

Very inspiring, motivating. he made me feel confident in my decision and well informed.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Desperation to live longer.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Health problems and history.

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?

None.

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?

With encouragement

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

N/A

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

Very supportive hospital staff. I was there 5 days. The most important things were being comfortable and pain control.

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

Yes, I had to have an open incision and had a lot of pain. I dealt with on a day to day basis. I had to have a wound vac and even had to have the incision re-opened. It took 6 months to heal.

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 weak and painful. I dealt with the anxiety by talking to my daughter and sisters.

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

Again weak, lots of nausea and vomiting, diarrhea. It has hard to get the liquids in and the protein. But I kept trying. Don't expect to be perfect and expect some of these little problems. You can handle them, they don't last forever and the end result is awesome!

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

50 miles. Didn't affect aftercare at all. Family and friends very supportive to get me where I needed to go.

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 couldn't eat eggs at all, I wanted fish, but it just was too"thick for me. Any past, rice or grits, seemed to"grow" when I ate it. After 3 or 4 bites I was full and if I ate one more it came back up. I quickly learned my limits. Milk was not good Made me feel very ill to have any at all. If I had to many carbs it would also make me physically ill, still does. As time has gone by I can eat a deviled egg or soft fried with PAM. Pasta and those things still don't agree. Toasted breads 1 slice is OK, but soft bread or rolls are out. Tuna salad is good and small amounts of fish, but shrimp is the best. My tolerance has increased but I closely was the amounts, portion size and what is in it. Scrutinize all labels, gotta know whats in everything!

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

Walking little bits and physical therapy in home.

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

Multi-vitamin 2x a day. Calcium w/ D 2x day, Iron 2x a day, B12 daily

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?

Nausea and hair loss. Still have nausea, depends on what I eat. Hair loss is still a problem. I have problems getting that daily protein and also have had to have numerous surgeries since initial one.

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

The recovery time, in home, pain and all the surgeries required. I do don't regret my decision.

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

I haven't attended very many support group meetings, due to recovery from surgeries. Try to get on line support and from reading.

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

Big and obvious. My that doesn't matter, not entering any beauty contests. Didn't have any expectations.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

At 9 months plateaued at 85lbs but quickly started losing again with increased activity.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, They're amazed and much more open and friendly