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

My daughter's boss had the surgery and my daughter mentioned it to me. THAT was all it took!!

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

Be persistent.

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

EXCELLENT!! Ask questions, questions, questions,,,and don't EVER think any question is STUPID.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My insistince on living a full life!!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

For me I wanted the most extreme. I like food too much,,,I'm Italian, what can I say.

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 had no fears,,,but THAT is how I have lived my life,,,if I feared something I HAD to face it head on. Granted, my child was all grown up & had a family of her own so it was not like I had to worry about what would happen to her, if anything happened to me. Even if she HAD still been "under my wing" age wise, I STILL would have gone for it. I wanted to LIVE!!

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 scared,,,I wasn't. My daughter wished she had never mentioned it to me,,,my hubby, being Italian also, had NO idea how ANYBODY could live on such little food and my Dad said, "it's NOT gonna happen,,,you are going back to the beginning and rethinking the entire process!" // I would NOT have communicated ANYTHING differently,,,I am a very positive thinking person & I knew NOTHING & NOBODY was gonna get me to change my mind. // After the surgery EVERYONE calmed down just fine. They are now all glad I proceeded.

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

I'm retired

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

I was in an excellent hospital,,,had been there before & would go there again. I was there for 4 days,,,going home on the 4th day. Bring CHAPSTICK!! AND a long pair of tongs to help you wipe yourself with. The nurses WILL do it for you but couldn't handle the thought of it!!

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

None

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

After the surgery I just couldn't WAIT to get home!! I was sooo excited to get a move on that I couldn't stand myself!! YES, I was in pain, but pain is a part of the healing process & I knew it would eventually end. It's only been 2 wks for me so I GUESS there could still be anxiety to come but that's not really my style. If I feel positive about something I don't ever seem to encounter a down side to things. If it happens in the future I PROMISE I will update. Everyone INSISTS it will happen but we will see.

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

I have slept alot, which is good for the healing process. Have walked a little each day. Have felt somewhat weak at times, but it passes. My body has a lot of readjusting to do and it just takes time. Every little bit you do each day WILL help the healing process,,,even if to you, you feel as though you're not doing anything productive. I strongly feel a positive mental attitude is our best friend.

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

The hospital is about 1 1/2 hours away & it had no affect on my aftercare at all. Wear comfortable clothes, have PLENTY of cold water with you,,,even a little cooler to keep extra in, and pace yourself. Get to your appointments with plenty of time to spare so your can walk slowly and not get nervous about rushing.

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.

It has only been 2 wks for me and the only thing I have not been able to tolerate so far is my Crystal Lite. I will try it again in a few wks though. Will update from time to time.

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

Not much energy YET,,,but it will come,,,I can feel my body getting stronger & stronger every day. Little things like walking around the outside of the house and making it to the store for a few things kills but I can see the effort getting easier.

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

I cannot take NIACIN. I flushes me too much & makes me very dizzy. Have ALWAYS had that problem with it soooo had to settle for a children's gummy vit. Have to supplement some of the B vits. but that's ok. I am taking B12 sublingual which works fine for me also. Knew I was not getting enough calcium in my protein drinks with mashing up my calcium tabs so I changed to VIACTIV. I have not had my 3 month labs yet so we will see how these things work & I will update.

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?

Only 2 wks out,,,no nausia, sleeping just fine & too soon for the hair loss.

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

THE WAITING!!! But VERY glad for all the extensive testing!!! I went into the operating room with a clean bill of health!

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

I started going to the support meetings, at my hospital, right after my informational session. The only one I missed was the one 2 wks. after my surgery. No matter WHAT info we get from our surgeon's office none can compare to hearing from others that have had the surgery. There is ALWAYS some tidbit to pick up from every single meeting you attend,,,and we ALWAYS have questions for each other.

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

It's a scar,,,I'm 57 so maybe if I was 30 years younger that may matter to me,,,I don't know. The scar is well worth the life it is giving back to me.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

About 3 wks. out I had my first one. But when I measured myself I couldn't believe the inches I had lost! I just kept doing what I had been doing & after about 1 1/2 wks. I started losing again.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

No, I have always been a people person and had to deal with the public in my job so I was always in the front lines. I'm SURE there were people out there that had "feelings" about what I weighed but it was never an "issue" for me.