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

TV and I wasn't sure is was the right thing to do .

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

You need to follow through with getting things completed by your Doctor to make sure all the i's are dotted and t's are crossed.

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

Great every one at the clinic understood and made you feel that you were not a lost cause

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My health

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

The doctor really made that decision for me

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?

The risk of the surgury didn't seem as bad as dying from the weight and quality of life with the weight really was great.

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?

They were supportive but they had all the fears of the complications. Which I didn't have I was ready to start my life over with a new me.

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

I was a homemaker doing Foster care from home . My husbands insurance covered my surgery.

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

My stay was great. But we had the nurse from Hell that always wanted you the do the breathing exercises when all you wanted to do was sleep.I had to stay 3 and half days.

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

No I was very lucky

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

Well I had to quit smoking and that was really had but I wanted a better life so I quit cold turkey.

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

I was tired alot but I knew that was from having Major surgery and it passed but all the commercials for food on the TV drove my crazy. I didnot move as fast as I wanted to but again that came in time.

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

Only about 22 miles so really it had no effect.

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.

Milk was really bad and I missed it and than bread was bad pasta, rice but over time it was better and I still have some days where i can not eat some things so you just have to keep trying all the time.

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

It just kept getting better everyday and now it is great.

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

Of course a protien drink and I still do 2 multi Vitamins a day. I talk Calcium E & C

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?

Hair loss was the worst but not awful. mine did not start till 4 months out and I still have some 19 months out.

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

waiting to have it done

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

They have one right at the clinic once a month and I have gone faithfully since right before my surgery. I t is very helpful and you feel so good being with people who really understand where you have been and where you are going.

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

No it has really been leass than what I thought I am not ashamed to show anyone.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I had a very short one about 8 months out but than i just worked a littled harder at watching the things I was eatting

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

not really . But some people in my family say I am bitcher now but I know that some of it is just better self esteam and not letting people take advandage of me.