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

I knew of the old surgery thru a friend but didnt think they still did anykind of surgery for obesity

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

i had federal insurance no problems

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

my surgeon seemed really nice, but that doesnt mean good!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

having to be pushed in a wheelchair when i went to zoo with teen daughter and my sister

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

its the one the surgeon recomended

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 was stupid! I had no fears regaurding the actual surgery.. For some reason i seemed to think that if a surgeon worked in a big hospital he was good so, i went under expecting everything to be fine

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?

I told everyone that would listen about my surgery comming up. Everyone was supportive if even they were a little afraid of it

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

was not employed

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

My original hospital stay was for 29 days, i dont remember most of it it was no a good experience at all. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO BRING WITH YOU IS SOMEONE TO STAY WITH YOU THE ENTIRE TIME TO watch out for you

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

I lost my spleen....was left full of massive leaks........lost my stomach.......infected with a noncurable staph that i will always carry.....lrft hospital after a month with a hickman cathiter and 2 drain tubes...i was on nothing by mouth for 2 and a half months....was addmitted to another hospital 10 days out for 2 weeks and again and again etc

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

ready to rock and roll

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

my experience is not the normal for a regular rny i would suggest a recliner lift type you can rent them cheap from medical supply stores

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

6hrs I never went back to that dr after discharge from hospital was to afraid to go back to him

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.

10 weeks post started small sips of water.....then on to full liquids for a few weeks then soft foods for a few months i lived on skim milk for months 3 thru 6 its about all i could keep down.....im 18 months out now and can eat anything

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

first 12 months not real good but since last repairing surgery i have gotten much moere active biking working walking gardening ec

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

2 childrens chewables a day echinasea 3 times a day and b-12 shots once a month

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?

the vomiting was the worst part for me i kept dehydrating hot tea helped

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

CHOOSING THE WRONG DR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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

only this site

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

with the additional surgeries im pretty scarred it goes from between breast to lower hair line...yes i expected a scar

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

i havent had any

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

yes they dont stare im almost invisible its nice