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

I FIRST FOUND OUT ABOUT BARIATRIC SURGERY WAS 3 YEARS AGO AND MY FIRST IMPRESSION OF IT WAS IT WAS THE EASY WAY OUT. AND I DID NOT WANT TO GO THAT WAY UNTIL I TRIED OTHER THINGS FIRST.

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.

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

I LIKE HOW HE WAS POINT BLANK NO PISSING AROUND.THE TRUTH

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

AFTER 2 YEARS OF RESEARCH AND LOTS OF DIETS.I GAVE IN

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

THIS WAS THE ONLY PROCEDURE THIS DOCTOR DOES AND ITS HIGHER % RATE OF LOSING WITH NOTHING GOING WRONG. PLUS WHEN THEY HAVE YOU OPEN THEY CAN SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING ELSE WRONG INSIDE OF YOU.

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?

THINK POSITIVE AND RESEARCH YOUR 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?

HUSBAND WAS TOTALLY AGAINST IT KIDS WERE AFRAID AND MOM WAS BEHIND ME ALL THE WAY.KIDS WERE VERY HELPFUL AFTERWARDS AND NO LONGER AFRAID

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

THEY TOLD ME GOOD LUCK AND KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THEM WHILE I WAS OUT AND I WAS GONE FOR 8 WEEKS.

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 VERY COMFORTABLE I WAS IN THERE FROM DE 6 2004 TO DEC 9 2004 AND YOU SHOULD BRING A BOOK.

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

NO COMPLICATIONS FROM SURGERY. ONLY A SLIGHT FEVER AFTERWARDSS FOR THE FIRST COUPLE DAYS ALSO OXYGEN LEVEL WAS LOW DURING MY STAY.I SLEPT ALOT.

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 TRIED NOT TO THINK ABOUT THE SURGERY SO I DIDNT FREEK OUT.

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

FIRST COUPLE WEEKS WAS SOME PAIN(I HAVE A HIGH TOLERANCE OF PAIN) AND ALOT OF HELP FROM FAMILY TO SIT ME UP WALK WITH ME AND HELP PUT MY BINDER ON.

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

APROXX. A 1/2 HR DRIVE AWAY

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.

IN THE FIRST COUPLE WEEKS ALL LIQUIDS, THEN FOR ANOTHE COUPLE WEEKS ALL PUREED FOODS. AFTER THAT SOFT FOOD FOR A COUPLE WEEKS. NOW ON ANYTHING THAT MY SYSTEM CAN TOLERATE. POP WAS A BAD HABIT FOR ME AND NOW I DONT EVEN CRAVE IT. VEGETABLES STILL HAVE TO BE VERY SOFT TO MELT IN MY MOUTH OR I WILL THROW THEM UP.NO BREAD, HARDLEY NO JUNK FOOD DONT CRAVE IT.I CAN ONLY EAT ABOUT 4 OZ AT A MEAL TIME.ANYTHING WITH LOTS OF SUGER MAKES ME SICK TO MY STOMACH (GOOD THING).

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

I HAVE MORE ENERGY NOW AND IT GETRS BETTER AS THE WEEKS GO BY.

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

I TAKE IRON LIQUID, B-12 LIQUID, AND 2 CHEWABLE CHILDRENS VITAMINS A 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?

ONLY HAD VOMITING TWICE NOTHING ELSE. NO BIG DEAL.

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

BEING LAID UP FOR AWHILE.

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

FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND OBESITYHELP.COM DONT KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO WITHOUT THEM.

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

LIKE A ZIPPER, YES I KNEW IT WOULD BE THAT BIG.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

???????

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

NO