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

from firends. my first impression was I would never have this.

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

being heavy all my life my insurance carrier did not have a problem they approved within 10 hours of submission.

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

OK. The dr spent 2 hours with me.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was not losing weight and I was getting older and my body was almost to its breaking point.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My decision; although my dr has done over 1200 surgeries and successful at all (thank God). Open Gastric

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?

Not making it off the table. Or get a blood clot. I would tell other folks to listen to your dr. Do all he tells you to do before surgery.

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 knew I needed help. I expressed to them that this was a tool and I needed something. because if not I would not live much longer. They were very supportive of me

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

OK I was out of work 3 weeks to the day of surgery

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

excellent. 1 day good comfortable clothes for walking. getting up and down from your bed.

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?

excited

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

surgery was tough. I is not a surgery to just lay there and recover. You had to work at it. Get up and walk EVERY 2 HOURS THE FIRST WEEK AND 3-4 HOURS THE NEXT 2 WEEKS AFTER. You well heal and this will be worth it.

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

15 mile. None

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.

This is only week 5 for me. The first 1 weeks I could only have ice chips. After that was broth and 1/3 of a sugar free pop sicle. That was so good. At this point (5 weeks) I can eat very little, like veggies cooked good, small pieces of chicken, cheese, and crackers. NO CARBONATED BEVERAGES.

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

Now it is good I am exercising. As time goes by my engery level gets better and better. I have a Gtube and I feed it 2 cans of high protien a day plus take 2 flinstone vitamins daily.

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

2 flinstone vitamins, 1500 mg of calcium and I take 1000mg of Vitamin C.

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?

None other than a little nausea if I over eat. I just let it take its course. It well last only about 1 hour.

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

Uncertainty of what will happen next and how my body will react to the surgery

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

My scar is wonderful small and thin