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

a total stranger who later has become a good friend

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

the insurance was very easy this was in 2001 times may have chnaged the insurance covered the total cost

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

hospital stay was okay I was there for two weeks due to other medical problems a pillow or stuffed animal

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

I was able to recieve meidcal care for any problems that I had

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

no anxiety just a new feeling a proud feeling that good days were coming weight loss was on the horizen

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

to take things very slow and eat very little don't try to cheat because you will only get very sick

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

right in my home town

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.

well sugars are out however after 7 years (this year) I can tolerate sugars a larger potion of food in the beginning very little food two folk fulls now I can eat 1/2 sandwich witout vomiting

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

I was not very activity due to other medical problems and today after almost 7 years because of knee problems from the past my knees still ach

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

multi vitamins, b 12 injections, due to iron defency due to stomach does not process iron rich foods I have iron infusions once every couple of months

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?

nausea, vomiting dumping have been a problem for sometime now I am now better at what I eat and how I eat it to prevent things things from happening

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

the first day the pain however it was worth it ev en if now after almost 7 years I have gained about 15 lbs and I am really trying to get it back off

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

I was part of a online support group and it saved my life

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

a large ugly scar however I had excess skin removed and have had several hernia surgries and so I look like a road way map ugly belly button (not my own) and a large scar that still has pain in it from time to time, I just had another surgery last year due to bowel obstruction, same place for the scar

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

yes at around 2/3 years nothing more came off however I did not gain until this year

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

not really I feel better about myself my way of buying smaller sizes however I am still who I was