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

I saw an ad on t.v. I thought it was drastic, but might just be the only answer to a life being fat.

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

Let the surgeon take care of it. I did not have a problem getting approval.

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

I was excitedly nervous and couldn't tell you most of what was said. Take a tape recorder! He seemed very nice.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I couldn't handle any more diets. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I wanted relief.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

It was the only one offerd.

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 many fears, but the fear of being obese for the rest of my life was a much greater fear.

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?

Everyone said to go for it. They were very supportive after surgery. I needed a lot of help for a long long time. I was helped by family and a few friends.

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

I did not work outside of the home.

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

I had many complications and was in the hospital 2 months. The most important thing to bring is as little stress as possible.

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

I had many and did not deal very well with them. It took me several months to be able to deal with all that was going on. I did my best but it was very hard mentally and physically.

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 just wanted it all to be over with. I was looking forward to it, yet I was nervous. That's normal.

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

Since I was a rare case, I don't think it's right for me to comment on this subject.

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

an hour and a half or so. I was so sick I had phone care for after care.

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.

Fatty foods and high sugar foods will make you very uncomfortable and may cause vomiting at first. At first soft foods are all you can handle. If food is not tiny and well chewed you will vomit just because you plug up the tube. Slowly but surely you add foods to your diet just as your told to do. Later, you'll be able to eat just about everything and anything again. Just less of it. For example, I could only eat one or two small bites of a banana and I'd be full. Now I eat a whole large one with no problem. I can eat 2 pieces of pizza now etc. Some things are heavy and a little will fill you up and other things that are a little lighter you can eat quite a bit of.

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

I take a one a day multi vitamin type.

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?

vomiting was the worst but you even get use to that. It gets better as time goes on. Now it's rare. Usually because I don't chew well and end up plugging up the tube.

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

The ground food that must be eaten for a while. And anyone who has had surgery before knows that nothing tastes good anyway. Pills had to be crushed and put into applesauce etc. and it's not tasty for sure. It took several months before food looked or smelled like something I might enjoy again. It all takes time, but the good news is you eventually get over it.

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

It's too far for me to go to.

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

It's from below the navel to just under the breast bone. It's a scar...none are pretty.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

didn't have any.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, with more respect. Isn't that sad?