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

I WORK ON THE SURGICAL FLOOR OF THE HOSPITAL THAT DOES THE SURGERY. MY FIRST IMPRESSION WAS JUST ANOTHER WEIGHT LOSS GIMIC ONLY A LOT MORE PAINFUL.IT TOOK MY A FULL YEAR AND A HALF GOING TO SUPPORT GROUPS AND SEEING THE RESULTS TO MAKE MY DECISION. THEN I HAD TO WAIT ANOTHER 11 MONTHS FOR THE SURGERY

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

I DIDNT HAVE ANY PROBLEM W MY INSURANCE COMPANY.

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

IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE. I HAD ALOT OF QUESTIONS AND HE ANSWERED EVERYONE W RESPECT. MY ADVICE BRING EVERY SINGLE QUESTION U HAVE WRITTEN DOWN ON A PIECE OF PAPER, AND ASK DONT EVER BE AFRAID TO ASK. THIS IS GOING TO BE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

SEEING THE RESULTS. THIS SURGERY IS A GODSEND, IF U ARE READY TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE AND HABITS .

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

MY HOSPITAL ONLY DOES THE RNY , I HAD NO CHOICE

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?

YOU COULD HAVE ALL THE SAME COMPLICATIONS WITH HAVING YOUR APPENDIX OUT. I LOOK AT IT THIS WAY YOU NEED TO HAVE SURGERY W YOUR APPENDIX OR IT WILL RUPURE AND YOU WILL DIE. WITH OBESITY YOU ONLY GO SLOWER WITH DYING. EVEN KNEE SURGERY YOU LOOK AT THE SAME COMPLICATION.

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 FRIENDS AND FAMILY WERE SO SCARED. I JUST TOLD THEM IF I DIE ,I DIE IT WAS MENT TO BE, IF I DONT DO THIS SURGERY IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE I DIE ONLY I WAS KILLING MYSELF SLOWLY. I WOULD TEACH THEM ABOUT THE SURGERY, TELL THEM EVERYTHING. EVERYONE AROUND ME HAVE BEEN GREAT, VERY SUPPORTIVE

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

I WORK ON THE FLOOR WHERE I HAD SURGERY, MY BOSS WAS NOT SURPRISED, I TOOK 7 WEEKS OFF

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

I DONT REMEMBER MUCH OF THE HOSPITAL STAY, BUT I HAD NO PROBLEMS, I STAYED IN THE HOSPITAL FOR 4 DAYS, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO BRING IS YOUR OWN PJ'S, AND SOMETHING THAT GIVES U COMFORT(I BROUGHT A OVERSTUFFED POLAR BEAR)

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

NO COMPLICATIONS, ONLY WHEN I GOT HOME I JUST COULD NOT WATCH THE COMMERCIALS ON TV, I TURNED IT OFF OR HAD MY BOYFRIEND STAND IN FRONT OF THE TV. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PIZZA HUT COMMERCIALS RUN ?:)

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 SLEPT IT FELT LIKE MONTHS. THE FIRST TWO WEEKS THAT IS ALL I DID. I DID FORCE MYSELF TO WALK EVERYDAY.MY HEAD WOULD NOT STOP WORKING EITHER I KEPT THINGING ABOUT EATING OUT AT OUTBACK STEAK HOUSE AND WHAT MY BOYFRIEND AND I WERE GOING TO SHARE. AND HOW GOOD STUFF WAS GOING TO TASTE AS SOON AS I COULD HAVE IT.WALKING WALKING WALKING, KEEPING YOURSELF BUSY IS THE KEY, AS SOON AS I WAS ABLE TO GO DO THINGS MY THOUGHTS SUBSIDED.

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

I HAD ALOT OF PAIN, THE JP TUBE THEY PUT NEAR YOUR TUMMY TO DRAIN IT HURTS. AND IT WILL HURT UNTIL THAT THING GETS PULLED USUALLY 4-5 DAYS AFTER SURGERY, I DRANK, WALKED, SLEPT, AND WATCHED TV. ANOTHER THING WAS I WAS AFRAID OF FOOD, WHAT DO I EAT, AM I GOING TO GET SICK?ETC. AND ALWAYS ALWAYS HAVE SOMEONE THERE FOR YOU 24 HOURS A DAY DO NOT DO THIS BY YOURSELF PLEASE.EXAMPLES I COULD NOT DRY MY FEET AND LEGS, I ALMOST PASSED OUT IN THE SHOWER BECAUSE IT JUST GOT TO HOT IN THERE. I COULD NOT PUT MY OWN SOCKS ON ,PICK UP THINGS OFF THE FLOOR IF THEY FELL, EVEN WALKING SOMETIMES YOU FEEL SO WEAK YOU JUST WANT TO FALL TO THE FLOOR.

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

A COUPLE 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 FOUND I HAD A TOERENCE FOR ALOT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF FOOD, MY FIRST WEEK I COULD EAT EGGS, LOW FAT CHILI(NO MEAT), FISH, GREEN BEANS, CARROTS,I ATE ALL THAT FOR THE NEXT 3 WEEKS, THEN I ADDED CHICKEN AND HAMBURGER(NOT PATTIES) IM ONLY 8 WEEKS RIGHT NOW AND THE ONLY THINGS I CANNOT TOLERATE ARE RICE, PASTA, BREAD,AND ANYTHING WITH SUGAR, YOU CHANGE SO MUCH IT IS HARD TO GO INTO ALL THAT. LIKE ONE DAY I CAN EAT CHICKEN AND THE NEXT DAY IT WILL MAKE ME SICK

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

I WAS VERY ACTIVE , I WALKED AND WALKED EVEN IF IT IS ONLY FOR A LITTLE BIT , A LITTLE BIT IS BETTER THAN NOTHING. RIGHT NOW I WORK OUT 4-5 TIMES A WEEK. IM TELLING YOU YOU FEEL SO MUCH BETTER IF YOU WORK OUT OR GO FOR A LONG WALK, PARK YOU CAR AT THE OTHER END OF THE PARKING LOT WHEN YOU ARE DOING ERRANDS ANYTHIN JSUT EXERCISE

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

MULTIVITAMIN- CALCUIM- PEPCID FOR AN EXTRA MONTH- FISH OIL(FOR MY OMEGA 3) AND TWO SCOOPS OF PRO COMPLEX PROTEIN DRINK

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?

NAUSIA, CANT SLEEP I AM STILL DEALING WITH ALL THIS. YOU JUST HAVE TO TAKE IT DAY BY DAY. I HAVE NOT DUMPED YET BUT IAM SCARED TO DEATH SO I DONT DO FRIED OR SUGAR:)

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

WAITING AFTER I GOT THE APPROVAL. I HAD TO WAIT 11 MONTHS

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

WE HAVE SUPPORT GROUPS TWICE A MONTH . THIS IS VERY HELPFUL AND IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU ARE AROUND PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST LIKE YOU, THEY TOO WERE ONCE FAT, MADE FUN OF, AND HURT, THEY KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH W THE SURGERY ALSO.

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

MY SCAR IS WONDERFUL. YES IT WAS WHAT I EXPECTED

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES I HAVE ONLY LOST 50 POUNDS BUT I CATCH PEOPLE LOOKING WHO NEVER USED TO LOOK. AND EVERYONE AT WORK IS WOWED BY IT.