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

I SEEN A COMMERCIAL ON TV.IT WAS FOR THE BARIATRIC CENTER IN OHIO.I THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND SENT FOR THE INFORMATION.I WAS REALLY THINKING ABOUT DOING IT BUT I WAS STILL HAVING TROUBLE BEING AWAY FROM HOME.SO I PUT IT OFF.THEN I MET A WOMAN WHO HAD IT DONE AT ST VINCENTS BY DR JONES AND SHE WAS DOING GREAT SO I CHECKED INTO IT.

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

MY INSURANCE COMPANY APPROVED ME THE FIRST TIME.I GUESS I GOT LUCKY MOST PEOPLE HAVE TROUBLE I HEAR.

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

DR JONES IS A VERY NICE AND CARING LADY.I WAS VERY PLEASED.SHE ANSWERED ALL OF MY QUESTIONS.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I KNEW I HAD TO DO SOMETHING.I WAS OUT OF BREATH ALL THE TIME AND HAD NO ENERGY.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I LET DR JONES DECIDE WHICH PROCEDURE WAS BEST FOR ME.

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 WAS AFRAID OF DYING AND LEAVING MY HUSBAND WITH 5 CHILDREN TO RAISE ALONE.I PUT MY TRUST IN GOD AND EVERYTHING WENT WELL.

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?

ALOT OF THEM DIDNT WANT ME TO HAVE THE SURGERY.MY HUSBAND WAS AND IS VERY SUPPORTIVE.HE KNEW I NEEDED TO DO THIS FOR ME.MY HUSBAND,MY MOTHER AND BROTHER WERE THERE FOR ME THE DAY OF SURGERY.

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

I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL 5 DAYS.I WAS TREATED VERY WELL IN INTENSIVE CARE.I HAD TO STAY IN THERE 3 DAYS BECAUSE I HAD A TOUCH OF INFECTION.WHEN I WAS MOVED OUT OF INTENSIVE CARE IT GOT A LITTLE HECTIC.THEY WERE VERY SHORTHANDED AND YOU COULDNT GET MUCH HELP,I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE MY HUSBAND THERE WITH ME TO HELP ME.THE ONLY THING I BROUGHT WAS THE CLOTHES TO COME HOME IN BECAUSE THEY PREFERRED YOU WEAR THEIR GOWNS BECAUSE THEY CHECKED YOU AND ITS EASIER WITH THEIR GOWNS.

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

I HAD AN INFECTION WHICH THEY GAVE ME ANTIBIOTIC.

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 THOUGHT I WAS COPING WELL,BUT THEY CALLED ME AND MOVED MY DATE UP 2 WEEKS.THEY CALLED ME ON WENSDAY AND I HAD MY SURGERY ON FRIDAY.I FELT LIKE EVERYTHING WAS MOVING TO FAST.I JUST KEPT THINKING HOW GOOD I WAS GOING TO FEEL LATER.

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

THIS WAS MY HARDEST TIME.AFTER MY SURGERY I WAS THINKING I REALLY MADE A MISTAKE.I HURT REALLY BAD AND I COULDNT EAT MUCH AND I WAS MAD AT EVERYONE.THEY KEPT REMINDING ME THAT I CHOSE TO DO THIS WHICH REALLY MADE ME MAD.I CRIED ALOT.

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

THE HOSPITAL IS ABOUT 45 MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE.

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 CANT EAT EGGS,TUNA OR CRACKERS SO FAR BUT IM STILL FAIRLY NEW.I ALSO DONT DO WELL WITH MILK.

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

I AM WALKING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND I SWIM EVERDAY.

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

I TAKE PEPCID AC 2 TABLETS TWICE A DAY.2 CHEWABLE VITAMINS A DAY.AND 1 CHEWABLE CALTRATE TWICE A DAY.

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?

DUMPING WAS PAINFUL.IVE HAD IT TWICE AND HOPE I DONT ANYMORE.IT REALLY MAKES YOU WATCH WHAT YOU EAT.THE NAUSEA STOPPED AFTER I GOT MY G-TUBE OUT.

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

THE PAIN RIGHT AFTER SURGERY.

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

THERE IS SUPPORT GROUPS ONLINE THAT ARE VERY HELPFUL.ALSO THERE IS SUPPORT GROUPS AT THE HOSPITAL.

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

MY SCAR IS FADING AND DOESNT LOOK BAD.I ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE WORSE THAN IT IS.