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

doctor discussed it when we were discussing future treatments for all my health problems

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

went through the 6 month weight supervision and got referred to my bariatric surgeon and within six weeks I was approved and had my surgery date -Medicaid, Medicare and Tricare

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

read about it on the internet, read books about it, talk to people in support group settings --- over educate yourself with information and then write any and all question you have - get a binder and keep everything the doctors give you in it include your personal notes also and keep... it is and will be your first lifeline through and after this process

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

facing morbid health conditions - diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high cholesterol along with the added pressure of the weight on my herniated disk

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

easy - gastric bypass was my choice because of my worsening and uncontrollable diabetes

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 didnt fear dying,,, I dont fear dying in general - I figured it was do this and get better (and if so die on the table or from complications) or die anyways of weight related illnesses

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?

I was upfront about it from the get go - I needed support through this whole deal and felt I might as well find out early who was on board with me so I knew who to count on and who wasn't.

What was it like attending your first information seminar on weight loss surgery? Were you glad you attended? if so, why?

exciting - I was already full of knowledge and really didn't learn anything but was excited to start the process and it was also my first meet and greet with my dr

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

the wait that morning to get back was nerve racking and I was over anxious - the nurses were understanding and immediately got everything ready for me once i got back there - once i was back there i spent maybe 30 minutes getting ready, meeting the surgery staff and dr and i was being wheeled back - I remember waking up in the or right after surgery and the nurse that i had met talked me down - I thought I woke up during surgery and was scared out of my mind - i was in a lot of pain but was told in just a few seconds it would be over and i would feel nothing from the two shots they were giving me - I remember feeling extremely hot like i was running a high temperature but they put a person tube like fan under my sheet and I fell asleep for a few minutes - woke up as they were taking me to recovery - waited there for about two hours and was wheeled back to room- first night with morphine punch was fine but after they took that out and I had to ask for pain meds I found I waited sometimes to long and was in a lot of pain- i got up every four hours on the dot and walked double what they expected of me or more even though it hurt like crap - it helped - I remember that one of the more painful things was when they pulled out the catheter - I bled for awhile and that was scary- i found siting and standing and walking and laying back down at 1/2 hr intervals helped a lot with the air and I also feel that even though i was in pain doing it the pain long term was helped by doing it - also the worst is the craving for water right after surgery

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

yes - while i was in surgery and they did a leak test i leaked a lot and the doctor even told me it shocked and scared him i leaked so much but he double stitched and double stapled everything and I was good to go... when they did the cat or mri scan the next day I still showed I was leaking- the whole complication led me to have to have a feeding tube for four weeks and that was very uncomfortable

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 had a lot of problems throwing up and it scared me - I kept thinking am I ever going to be able to eat again? - I still have a problem every once in awhile but always go back to basic foods that i know I don't have any problems with for a couple of days and I am ok - new foods are always scary - I don't know how my body will deal with them

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

take time and follow the "rules" and just know it only gets better - I found a tip that i did before i had surgery beneficial - take a underwear photo of yourself and when you are on your journey if you ever have doubts or rgrets just look back at your picture and the thoughts will go away

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

5 miles - I was lucky - that car ride home or the three day snow covered roads was painful and scary

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.

I followed the diet guidelines my dr gave me and i did alright - for the most part even following the guidelines to a T you will still find your new body not liking or tolerating things and craving weird things like you hear women that are pregnant craving - when I got home from surgery I craved hot sauce and pickle juice

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

at first it was slow but I was committed by the end of the first week home i walked around the block twice and then had to take a nap by the end of the second week I felt pretty much normal for energy level but still took it slow - by the end of the month I was back to normal for energy level

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

I did all the vitamins and protein powders but had too many problems keeping them all down - at five months i told the dr i was getting tired of the vitamins and protein powders he told me to go off them for two weeks and eat what i could eat focusing on proteins and veg and fruits and I did and when I had my blood tests I found I was well within the desired levels for everything so now i just do sprinkling of protein powder in orange juice and on foods that disguise it

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?

the first week sleep was up and down because you cant sleep anywhere but your back - vomiting is still touch and go but usually new foods - never had any hair loss

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

now i look back i will tell you I have no regrets or worst part - I say it was just a troubled journey to a better and happier and healthier me and after losing 80% of what i wanted in the beginning I am very happy - 44 waist in pants to 34 and some 32's

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

My family has been instrumental and reading online and journaling about my experiences have been tremendously helpful

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

I have a few but the color is fading with time

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have had a couple but I was told this was going to happen and not to get discouraged and I didn't

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

yes - I get flirted with a lot - especially when I wear tight pants - my wife says i have an extra kick in my step - I get asked if I need help in stores and don't get any stares