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

MY DAUGHTERS FRIEND HAD IT DONE AND WAS AMAZED AT THE WEIGHT SHE LOST

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

HAD NO TROUBLES MY SURGEON TOOK CARE OF IT ALL

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

EXCITING!! QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

MY WEIGHT!!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

MY SURGEON HANDLED THAT ONE

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?

FEAR OF NOT WAKING UP, I HAVE ASTHMA SO MY BREATHIG CONCERNED ME. ALSO BLOOD CLOTS.

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 WERE TOTALLY BEHIND ME. MATTER OF FACT MY DAUGHTER IS HAVING SURGERY AUG 5. AFTER SURGERY THEY WERE GREAT..THEY MADE ME GET UP AND WALK WALK WALK!!

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

THEY WERE TERRIFIC..TOLD THEM THE TRUTH I WAS OUT OF WORK FOR 3WKS

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

HOSPITAL STAY WAS ALRIGHT,,I HAD TO STAY 5 DAYS INSTEAD OF 4 BECAUSE OF MY OXYGEN LEVEL WAS LOW.. IT IS ALWAYS LOW!! NORMAL TOILETRIES..SLIPPERS ROBE SO YOU CAN JUMP UP AND WALK WALK WALK!!

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?

FELT MISERABLE FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS THEN THINGS STARTED GETTING EASIER, HAVE TO LEARN TO EAT SLOW CHEW EVERYTHING TO NOTHING AND HAVE LOTS OF PATIENCES.

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

REST LEARN YOUR NEW EATING HABITS AND PAY ATTENTION TO THEM

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

60 MI-NO AFFECY

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.

NO MEATS..STILL CAN'T. ATE LOTS OF SOUP, COTTAGE CHEESE JELLO/PUDDINGS CREAM WHT AND OATMEAL. I EAT NO BREADS NOW. NO MEAT..SOME BACON..DID EAT A 1/2 SLICE BOLOGNA. CAN EAT SOME FRUITS, LOVE VEGETABLES(RAW,COOKED ETC). NO POP AT ALL.DRINK JUICE WATER MILK(SKIM).CAN EAT LETTUCE(SALADS)

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

VERY TIRED AT FIRST SLEPT ALOT

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

I TAKE THE B12 SHOT MONTHLY, GUMMYBEAR MULTI VITAMINS. DID TAKE LIQUID PROTEIN FOR AWHILE, BUT IT MAKES ME THROW UP NOW..UGH!! TAKE TUMS FOR CALCIUM. B6 VITAMIN

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?

NAUSIA WAS BAD FOR THE FIRST 2 WKS AND I STILL THROW UP NOW AND THEN IF I EAT TO FAST (OR TOO MUCH)DUMPING IF I ATE SOMETHING TOO SWEET. NOT MUCH HAIR LOSS(I LOST IT ALL DURING CHEMO-ONCE IS ENOUGH)

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

THE PAIN IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS(I HAD OPEN)BUT THE MORPHINE PUMP HELPED IMMENSELY!!

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

NONE AT THIS TIME

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

DARK AND LONG!!

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I DONT PAY ATTENTION TO THEM, I GET WEIGHED ONLY WHEN I GO TO THE DOCTOR.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

DEFINETLLY!! WHY IS THAT!!