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

A CO-WORKER HAD THE SURGERY AND DID SO WELL WITH IT. I WAS REALLY SCARED AT FIRST, UNTIL I STARTED READING UP ON IT.

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

I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH MY INSURANCE. THE DOCTORS OFFICE HAD ME GET MY RECORDS FROM MY PRIMARY. BCBS WANTED FIVE YEARS OF WEIGHT DOCUMENTATION FROM MY PRIMARY.

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

THE FIRST VISIT WITH DR. MOORE WAS VERY PLEASANT AND IMFORMATIVE. HE REALLY SEEM TO CARE ABOUT HOW I WAS FEELING. HE ASK ME ALOT OF QUESTIONS. GET THE MOST OUT OF THE MEETING BY ASKING EVERY QUESTION YOU CAN THINK OF.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

AFTER GOING TO DR.MOORE AND THE SEMINAR AND SUPPORT MEETINGS. I REALIZED FROM THE DOCTOR MY HEALTH WAS NOT AS GOOD AS I THOUGHT IT WAS. I HAD ALOT OF HEALTH ISSUES HE BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I DECIDED ON THE LAP RNY PROCEDURE THROUGH THE SEMINAR I WENT TO. I FELT I WOULD GET THE MOST SATISFACTION OUT OF THIS PROCEDURE AND IT HAD A BETTER PERCENTAGE OF WEIGHT LOSS AND MORE SUCCESS AT KEEPING IT OFF.

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?

THE FEAR I HAD THE MOST WAS DYING IN THE OR. MY OTHER FEAR WAS BEING A FAILURE AT THIS DIET DECISION TOO. FEARS ARE OKAY AND YOU WOULD NOT BE HUMAN IF YOU DID NOT HAVE THESE FEARS. KEEP POSITIVE AND CONVINCE YOURSELF YOU WILL DO FINE AND YOU WILL. PEOPLE THAT CONVINCE THEMSELVES TO THINK POSITIVE HAVE A FASTER RECOVERY.

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?

MY FAMILY WAS CONCERNED OF WHAT I WANTED TO DO. BUT THEY ALSO KNEW HOW UNHAPPY I WAS WITH MYSELF. I ALSO WORK IN THE MEDICAL FIELD AND KNEW THESE DOCTORS WELL, AND WOULD NOT MAKE A HASTY DECISION. MY FAMILY HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE TO ME AFTER SURGERY AND THEY ARE VERY PROUD OF ME.

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

MY SUPERVISOR KNEW OF THIS SURGERY BECAUSE IT IS PERFORMED IN THE HOSPITAL I WORK AT. MY SUPERVISOR KNEW THE INS AND OUTS OF THE SURGREY AND WAS ALSO VERY SUPPORTIVE.I WAS OUT OF WORK FOR 2 WEEKS.

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

The NURSES WERE GREAT TO ME AT THE BEGINNING UNTIL THE END. THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO BRING IS SOMETHING LOOSE TO WEAR HOME. ALSO NITECLOTHES TO WEAR WHEN YOUR WALKING THE HALLS AND GOOD PAIR OF SLIPPERS.

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

THE ONLY COMPLICATIONS I HAD, WAS MY BLOOD PRESSURE SHOT UP THE FIRST NIGHT AFTER SURGERY. THE DR. ORDERED AN INJECTION FOR BLOOD PRESSURE AND IT WENT DOWN, BUT STAYED ELEVATED FOR FEW DAYS. NOW IT IS FINE.

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 I HAD MY SURGERY DATE I WAS VERY CONFUSED AND WONDERED IF I REALLY KNEW WHAT I WAS GETTING INTO. I WAS UPSET THAT THIS IS THE ROAD I HAD TO TAKE FOR MYSELF. IT WAS A TOUGH DECISION TO MAKE. THE ANXIETY I WAS FEELING BEFORE SURGERY WAS HARDER TO COPE WITH THAN THE ACTUAL SURGERY. I JUST KEPT TELLING MYSELF I WAS GOING TO DO THIS AND COME OUT WITH GREAT RESULTS AND I HAVE!!!

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

THE FIRST FEW WEEKS AFTER SURGERY WAS A BIG LIFESTYLE CHANGE. THE FIRST TWO WEEKS I WAS ON EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER. IT WAS ALL I COULD DO JUST TO GET THE FLUIDS THEY WANTED ME TO HAVE DOWN AND THEN SOME FOOD ON TOP OF IT. IT WAS HARD!!!! AND THEN MEDICATION ON THAT. I THOUGHT ON A DAILY BASIS. I CAN'T DO THIS, BUT IT GOT EASIER DAY BY DAY. THE OTHER PROBLEM WAS IN MY THIRD WEEK I BECAME VERY TIRED AND WEAK. THEY WARNED ME ABOUT GETTING EXTREMELY TIRED ABOUT THE TIME YOU GO BACK TO WORK AND IT HAPPENED. DON'T FIGHT AND REST WHEN YOU NEED TO.

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

I ONLY LIVE 20 MILES FROM THE HOSPITAL.

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.

AT FIRST I WAS LIMITED TO WHAT I COULD EAT. I ATE ALOT OF BROTHS AND SOUPS. NOT HEAVY CREAMY SOUPS, LIKE VEGETABLE SOUP. I ATE CRACKERS AND SUGAR FREE POPSICLES. I CANNOT EAT ALOT OF CARBS. (BREAD,PASTA)SOME WHEAT PASTA I CAN TOLERATE ON A GOOD DAY. I WOULD TRY SOMETHING NEW EVERY WEEK BUT ATE IT VERY SLOWLY. YOU USUALLY WILL KNOW IF THE FIRST 5 MIN. IF YOU STOMACH IS GOING TO TOLERATE IT OR NOT. I CAN EAT BEEF, IT HAS TO VERY LEAN AND TENDER. I CANNOT TOLERATE HIGH FAT FOOD.I "DUMP" ON HIGH FAT FOOD JUST AS YOU WOULD SUGAR. I AM 5 MONTHS OUT NOW AND STILL CANNOT TOLERATE ALOT OF CARBS. POTATOES DON'T BOTHER ME. STILL HAVE TO WATCH MY FAT INTAKE, IT REALLY BOTHERS ME IF IT IS HIGH FAT. THIS IS A GOOD THING!!!!

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

MY ACTIVITY LEVEL WAS MODERATE THE FIRST TWO WEEKS. I WALKED AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SLOWLY. AFTER I WENT TO THE DOCTOR IN MY THIRD WEEK,HE OKAYED ME TO RETURN TO WORK AND I COULD START RIDING A STATIONARY BIKE AND TREADMILL. AFTER ABOUT 6 WEEKS I COULD START LIFTING A LITTLE WEIGHT.

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

I TAKE 2 CALCIUM CITRATE, 3 TIMES A DAY. 1 FLINSTONE COMPLETE CHEWABLE, 2 TIMES A DAY. 1 ACTIGALL 300MG, 2 TIMES A DAY. FOR 6 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?

I HAD SOME NAUSIA THE FIRST TWO WEEKS, ALL DAY. I TOOK THE MEDICINE THE DOCTOR PRESCRIBE FOR NAUSEA AND ATE ALOT OF CRACKERS. I HAD TO SLEEP WITH MY UPPER BODY ELEVATED FOR FEW WEEKS. I JUST WAS NOT COMFORTABLE LAYING STRAIGHT DOWN ON MY BACK AND COULD NOT LAY ON MY SIDE FOR 2 WEEKS I HAD SOME DISCOMFORT ON MY LEFT SIDE FOR FEW DAYS. THE DOCTOR SAID THIS WAS NORMAL. HE DID ALOT OF MOVING THINGS AROUND INSIDE. I HAVE "DUMPED" ONE TIME ON SOMETHING HIGH IN FAT. IT WAS A TERRIBLE FEELING,BETWEEN MY HEART RATE BEING SO HIGH, SWEATING, NAUSIA AND FEELING LIKE I WAS GOING TO PASS OUT. I HOPE THAT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN AND I WILL TRY MY HARDEST FOR NOT TO. I STARTED LOSING MY HAIR IN MY 4TH MONTH OUT. IT REALLY TERRIFIED ME AT FIRST AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN TO ME. I THOUGHT IF I KEEP UP WITH MY PROTEIN I WOULD BE OKAY. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR PROTEIN, SO I AM TOLD NOW. I HAVE THICK HAIR, SO LETS HOPE I AM NOT BALD BY CHRISTMAS. BESIDES MY HAIR LOSS WON'T KILL ME, MY BEING MORBIDLY OBESE WAS GOING TO.

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

THE WORST THING ABOUT THE SURGERY WAS THE FIRST TWO WEEKS WITH NAUSIA AND TRYING TO CHANGE YOUR EATING LIFESTYLE. MY LIFE DOESN'T REVOLVE AROUND FOOD ANYMORE.

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

I GO TO A SUPPORT MEETING 2 THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT THE HOSPITAL. I LOVE GOING TO THESE MEETINGS. I KNOW EVERYONE NOW AND THE SUPPORT WE GIVE EACH OTHER AND NEW COMERS IS GREAT. WE SOMETIMES SHARE RECIPES, WALK IN THE PARKING LOT. WE HAVE DIFFERENT SPEAKERS COME IN.I DON'T THINK I WOULD HAVE MORE SO SUCCESSFUL AS I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT THE SUPPORT GROUP.

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

I HAD LAP.RNY SO I ONLY HAVE 5 VERY SMALL INCISIONS IN MY STOMACH AREA AND THEY REALLY ARE HARD TO SEE NOW. I DID NOT EXPECT THEM TO BE AS SMALL AS THEY ARE.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

THE ONLY PLATEAU I HAVE HAD IS ONE THE FIRST MONTH AFTER SURGERY. I WENT 7 DAYS WITH NO LOSS AND GAINED ABOUT 10OZ. I WAS REALLY UPSET. I JUST KNEW MY FEAR OF BEING A FAILURE AT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. BUT THE WEIGHT HAS MELTED OFF 97 LBS. SINCE 4/4/05.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

PEOPLE JUST TELL ME HOW GOOD I LOOK.