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

my consin had it done first(obesity runs in our family) although she had hers done more than 20 yrs ago..

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

i went in on a Monday and had the surgery done that afternoon...it truly wasn't bad...i was up walking the next day...and made myself get up and walk serveral times a day...course i guess it was all mind over matter as i knew i had to get out quickly as my daugther was getting ready to have my 1st granchild.i was in the hospital 4 days...I was released at 5 PM...And was at a diffrent hospital by 8 pm that night...my daughter gave birth to my grandson that evening....

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

i had no complacations due to the surgery

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 had no anxiety at all...in fact apparently my doctor was unaware that i smoked...i asked for a patch right before i was taken into surgery...my doctor refused not only the patch but to do surgery and it was cancelled and set for 1 month later...some thought that that was an omen to not go thur with the surgery,many said to not have it done...it just increased my faith in my doctor and i could barly wait for the month to be over

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

well ya can't run a marathon!!seriously...i guess i am one of the few fortunate ones i really had no problems out of the norm.yes i had a lot of pain and had to wear my binder ...i had to go at a slower pace than norm...and i had to wait to hold my 1st grandchild

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

i live very close to both my doctor and the hospital where i had the surgery done

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.

clear broth soups 1st 2 weeks after surgery....then boiled chickn...now i eat anything as long as i get my protien 1st however there are some things i cannot eat now...dairy products hurt my stomach...i cannot tolerate iced tea and i lvied on tea for years....

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

nothing for 1st couple weeks but i gradually added as the weeks went back

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?

these are the only two side affects that have truly bothered me...dumping and hair loss...(i have to this date never vomited and only once or twiced felt nauasious.)

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

the surgery it self nothing...having it don so close to the birth of my grandchild....well...

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

although there is an aftercare support group that i sponsored by my doctor i a unable to attend... due to the fact that my grandmother,whom as alz, parkinsons and osteoporisis lives with me and i have no one to stay with her...although i am in serach of a chat site made up of people that have had this surgery done

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

it really doesn't look bad except at the very top where it did split open a little...i can live with it

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

i have had a couple...however i have had this weight so long...i expect it...and i try to stay positive...my body is using this time to adjust to the new me!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

yes...they are beginning to treat me as if i am human!