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

I had seen programs on TV and have friends who have had the surgery.

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

I was initially denied, but my surgeon did all the hard work to get me approved.

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

The first visit was a seminar, followed by a meeting with the surgeon. Very informative.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I have a 5 year old daughter, who I felt, didn't have the best mom she could.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Talked about the pros and cons of each procedure and talked with the surgeon about which procedure would benefit me the most.

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?

Going in I had no fears. It was at my first checkup where I found out I had 2 pulmonary embolisms. Then I was scared. All I could think about was my daughter growing up with no mother.

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 friends were very supportive as well as most of my family. Some family members told me it was the "easy way out" and didn't agree with my decision.

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

My boss had a lot of questions regarding the procedure and any possible complications, but was supportive. I do most of my work from home, so I was working about 3 days after I got home.

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

My hospital stay was fine...no problems. I was there for 2 days. Extra pillows are a must.

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

I found out I had developed 2 pulmonary embolisms at my 1 week checkup. I had a CT Scan and was hospilized for an additional 7 days.

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 excited...ready to start a new chapter in my life...no fears, no regrets

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

I had open RNY, so I was a little sore. It was just a little difficult to get used to the new eating arrangements.

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

It is about a 2 hour drive for me. There are no local bariatric surgeons, plus if there were, I would still travel. It is a liitle frustrating knowing that if you have a checkup, it's going to take all day.

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.

After 6 months, there are still things I can't eat. Turkey, eggs, most fast foods, fruit juice, sodas. I really didn't experience "dumping syndrome", just very uncomfortable.

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

I progressively got more active. Now I'm even exercising, that's a word that never came out of my mouth before.

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

Multi-vitamin, protein supplements, biotin for hair loss

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?

Hair loss is a big one for me...still having problems with that. My sleep was off a bit as well. I couldn't get comfortable.

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

People telling me I took the "Easy Way Out"

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

My surgeon has support group meetings every week. I try to attend as many as I can, but it is quite a distance to travel.

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

My scar is not a problem. It's a small price to pay to get your life back.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I'm actually going through my first plateau now. I was losing steady and consistent weight for the first 6 months, now it's slowing...

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Of course. I'm not the fat one anymore.