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

I WAS SCARED, AT THE TIME IT SEEMED A BIT EXSTREME, BUT I AM GLAD I LOOKED AT THE WHOLE PICTURE.

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

MY INSURANCE WAS TAKEN CARE OF BY A PROGRAM CALL "NEW START" THEY TOOK CARE OF ALL THE INSURANCE, ALL I HAD TO DO WAS FILL OUT FORMS

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

BEFORE I MET THE SURGEON I WROTE DOWN A LIST OF QUESTIONS, I WOULD SUGGEST EVERYONE DO THIS. DR. FABITO HAD HANDOUTS FOR ME WITH DIAGRAMS AND TOOK PLENTY OF TIME TO ANSWER ALL MY QUESTIONS

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I HAD TRIED SO MANY THINGS FOR WEIGHT LOSS AND I HAD TO DO SOMETHING

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

MY SURGEON HELPED ME DECIDE

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 WAS NATURALLY AFRAID OF DYING, BUT AFTER TALKING TO THE SURGEON AND OTHER I REALIZED IT WAS NO MORE OF A RISK THAN MANY OTHER SURGERIES. I WOULD TELL PEOPLE WHO ARE AFAID IT I NORMANL, BUT THE RISK OF DYING IS WORSE IF YOU ARE OBESE

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?

ALMOST EVERYONE WAS SUPPORTIVE OF MY DECISION, BUT THERE WERE A FEW WHO WERE NEGATIVE. THOSE WHO WERE NEGATIVE NOW UNDERSTAND BECAUSE OF HOW WELL I AM DOING.

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

MY EMPLOYER/ SUPERVISIOR WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE. I WAS OFF WORK 2 MONTHS

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

MY STAY IN THE HOSPITAL WAS GOOD. I WAS THERE 4 DAYS. THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO BRING ARE BOOKS OR ACTIVITIES TO KEEP YOU BUSY.

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

NO COMPLICATIONS ST ALL

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 NERVIOUS AND EXCITED AND SCARED. I HAD A FRIEND THAT HAD THE SURGERY AND I TALKED TO HER ALOT.

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

THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF PAIN, EVERYONE SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS. ANY SURGERY HAS PAIN. I COMPARED THE PAIN TO A C-SECTION BIRTH. I WAS VERY CAREFUL TO FOLLOW THE RIGHT DIET. MY HUSBAND AND SON WERE ANGELS HELPING THROUGH THIS TIME.

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

I TRAVELED ABOUT 25 MILES. NOT FAR AT ALL

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.

ONCE I WAS ABLE TO EAT SOLID FOODS I HAD NO PROBLEMS, EXCEPT SUGAR WOW THAT IS NOT SOMETHING TO EAT. EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE PORK STEAK IS A PROBLEM BUT I STAY WITH PORK CHOPS NOW THERE IS LESS FAT

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

FOR THE FIRST WEEK I MOVED AROUND, BUT VERY SLOW, BUT AFTER THAT IT WASN'T BAD. I TOOK 2 MONTHS OFF OF WORK, BUT MY JOB CONSISTS OF LIFTING AND BENDING. AFTER THE FIRST MONTH I WOULD GET TIRED REALLY QUICK BUT AT 2 MONTHS I WAS FEELING GREAT WENT TO WORK WITH NO PROBLEMS

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

I TAKE A MULTIVITAMIN A CALCIUM AND AN IRON AND I DO A PROTEIN DRINK,CALLED "DESIGNER" FROM GNC

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?

NO SIDE EFFECTS YET

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

THE FIRST WEEK AFTER SUGERY (PAIN)

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

NEW START IS A SUPPORT GROUP AVAILABLE TO ME, BUT I AM SORRY TO SAY I HAVEN'T WENT TO ANY OF THE MEETINGS

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

I HAD OPEN SURGERY, MY SCAR IS PROBABLY 5 INCHES LONG, BUT IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD. I USE A COCOA BUTTER STICK THAT IS 100% COCOA BUTTER AND IT WORKS GREAT

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

NONE YET

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

PEOPLE JUST TELL ME HOW GOOD I LOOK, AND THAT I SEEM SO MUCH HAPPIER