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

I had stomach stapling done 30plus years a go and it did not work I was not feel good and my doctor sent me to see Dr Georgen ana he explain why it did not work. and about the new surgery and said I should go for it.

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

IT TOOK A LONG TIME AND A LOT OF DOCTORS AND A LOT OF TESTS AND IT TOOK TALKING TO A PERSON WHO REALLY CARED. I finlly got to talk to a lady from my insurance company and she lisren to my story and she talked to the doctor who makes the disions about the operation. I thank her everyday with a pray.

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

he was so caring about me and my needs write all your questions down don't be afarid to ask anything.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I have ten young children who depend on me and i love them with all my heart and a great husband who is fighting cancer for the second time and they all need me to be health and I want to do this most of all for me I'm tired of being fat.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

With the help of my doctor and reading about it.

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'm either going to die fat at 345 pound at51 or I'm going to go through this and take my chances and I trust my doctor

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?

Some don't want me to go through it others i'm not telling until it's over

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

i'm a stay at home mom with 10 children and very active

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

I stayed at the hospital for three days I was taken care of vert good bring your own pj so when you start to walk you have something that fits they did not have enough big gowns.

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

I didn't have anything go wrong it was after I went home and had my gtube taken out I had a acid lack and it lasted for three days that was my worst part of the surgery I had to keep vasoline all round the hole and keep a cloth on it because when I walked it poured out and burnt my skin.

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 was walking the second day three times around the hospital I told the doctor the thired day I want to go home I went home on the theird day and was walking out side on the fifth day I never felt anxiety

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

I feel everyone is different I have a high pain level I was not taking pain medication after my fifth day I tell everyone the most important thing is get up and move right away and keep it up and walk stright.

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

I only had one mile to go it hurt like hell getting in the car I wanted to walk home and they all laughted at me I didn't think it was funny at that time know I laught about it.

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 only ate jell-o and chicken broth the first month and drank water. the second month I went on to eat jell-o chicken, turkey, cheese green beans. After tree months I still eat all of the above except I eat eggs bacon nuts carrots luttuce salad peas strawberries grapes no potatoes noodles rice milk sweets breads or pop sometimes I my get sick from thinks I could eat from the above list so I stay away from it for awhile.

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

I WALKED EVERY DAY TWO OR THREE TIMES A DAY KNOW THAT i I'M six month's out the third month I started the ymca I I'm swimming 40 laps a day I do two water exercice class a day and Iwalk 1to 3 miles a day and three times a week I go to crvers for woman I spend from eight in the morning until eleven each day on myself for the first time in my life I love it

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

I take a multvitamin twice a day B12 once a week calcum once a day and iron each day

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?

I only dumped once I learned fast I don't want that to happen again My hair loss is the one I'm not happy with I didn't start to lose it until five months after and I'm still losing it I I'm having a hard time with this if any one can help please let me know what to do

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

We all meet once a month at th hospital their is around thirty of us we all just decided to meet twice amonth and have two people in charge to plan the meeting and to find speaker for once a month we are planing to have angles for each person that has surgery to be their for them then once a month we are going to have a fun day together

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

My scar is very nice and flat I'm more cocern about my bulge in my midruff it is hard and stick out people tell me it goes away withweight lost

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

So far I have lost ioo and ten pds I love it I still have aways to go I have not stoped losing yet

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

People are just great I like myself Istill feel fat but I need to keep rememing how far I have come I have had a few people say don't lose to much more or are you fine but by far everyone has been great.