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

A friend had it. I was sceptical and wanted to know more.

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

Just keep on trying. Make them understand how vital it is to your health and to living.

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

My surgeon was extremely informative and honest. Ask any and all questions even if you think they are silly.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Because I wanted to live a long life.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Because I was so overweight I needed the most extreme 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?

I had fears and I said that the lord was the one in charge and he would take me when and where he wanted to anyway. Just do it if you have bad health problems.

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?

My husband was scared. But after the surgery and I was ok he helped me so much.

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

I didn't work, because I wasn't physically able to.

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

My stay was good considering I had just had surgery. I was there from Monday until Thursday. Bring your personal things.

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

No complications at all.

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 was nervous and scared. I just kept telling myself that I had to do this if I wanted to live.

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

I was agitated because of trying to get all the fluids down that they wanted me to. I was nauseated most of the time. This doesn't effect everyone.

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

I live an hour and a half away from the hospital and Dr. It didn't effect my aftercare that much.

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.

Nothing but liquids and soft food for the first weeks. Sugar free jello and broth mainly was all I could have. No sugar. After a few months I could handle chicken and tuna and eggs and cheese. But only in very small amounts. Now almost two years out I can eat several things but beef doesn't want to digest good. I still have problems with anything with sugar in it.

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

Very little because I need knee replacements. But I could tell a difference in about a month in what I could do and not do.

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

Multivitamin, Calcium, B-12, Vitamin D,

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 nausea was the worst. Not everybody had it. It lasted about 6 months. I just kept trying to get my fluids and food down.

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

Being on a ventilator for extra time because my oxygen level wouldn't come up.

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

A group of friends and I talk a lot and meet to discuss our ups and downs. It is very important.

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

Just 7 little places. Not bad at all.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have had ups and downs about my excess skin.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, they seem to talk more to me and treat me more like a normal person.