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

I DON'T REMEMBER HOW I HEARD ABOUT IT,BUT I RESEARCHED ON IT FOR A YEAR BEFORE I WENT FORTH ON IT.I COULD NOT WAIT TO MEET WITH THE STAFF THERE FOR MORE INFO.

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

IT REALLY DID NOT TAKE TOO LONG TO GET THE APPROVAL.PEOPLE JUST NEED TO BE PATIENT,THERE IS NO POINT OF GETTING WORKED UP ON THE WAIT FOR APPROVAL.IT WILL HAPPEN IF IT IS SUPPOSE TO.INDEPANT HEALTH WAS WONDERFUL WITH THE WHOLE PROCESS.

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

DR.CARUANA WAS WONDERFUL,HE TOLD ME EVERYTHING I WANTED TO HEAR.HE EXPLAINED EVERYTHING TO ME POSSIBLE.MAKE SURE YOU DON'T BRING ANY DISTRACTIONS WITH YOU BECAUSE YOU REALLY WANT TO LISTIN TO THE DOCTOR.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I NEW I WANTED THIS.MY SON IS WHAT HELPED ME MAKE UP MY MIND.HE WAS ONLY 4 AT THE TIME,A SINGLE MOM.HE NEEDED ME AROUND.I COULDN'T STAND TO FEEL THE WAY I FELT TRYING TO RAISE HIM.ALWAYS DEPRESSED.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

WHAT EVER THE DOC ORDERED!!!!!!!!!

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 FINE UNTIL THE NIGHT BEFORE.I WROTE MY SON A LONG LETTER.THAN THAT NIGHT WHEN HE WENT TO BED,I PRAYED TO THE LORD AND TO MY GRANDMOTHER.I PUT MY LIFE IN HIS HANDS.

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

THE STAFF @SISTERS WAS WONDERFUL.I WAS THERE 3 OR 4 DAYS.WHAT EVER KEEPS YOUR SPIRITS UP.YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE TO BRING MUCH,THE FIRST DAY IS ALITTLE RUFF.

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

I HAD QUIT SMOKING,SO HAVE AN EXTRA PILLOW FOR COUGHING.I DID VOMIT ALOT.IT EVENTUALLY STOPPED.

In the weeks after you got your surgery date, how did you feel? How did you cope with any anxiety you might have felt?

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

STICK TO THE DIET THEY GIVE YOU!!!!YOU WILL DO GREAT.YOUR BODY KNOWS YOU HAD A MASSIVE CHANGE.GO OVER ALL THE MATERIAL THEY GIVE YOU.

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

10 MIN

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 COULD NOT EAT ANYTHING WITH MORE THAN 12 GRAMS OF SUGAR.WHO CARES I HAD GASTRIC BYPASS.ALL PASTRYS ARE OFF LIMITS.ANY KIND OF BAKED GOODS,I SAY AT LEAST FOR THE FIRST YEAR.YOU SHOULD STAY STRICT FOR ALONG TIME.EVERYONES BODY IS DIFFERENT WITH THE SURGERY.I HAVE THE DUMPING PROBLEM,NO BIG DEAL.YOU LEARN WHAT YOUR BODY CAN HANDLE.

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

WELL I WAS SICK FOR A LITTLE WHILE,BUT AFTER THAT I FELT SOOO GOOD.I FELT LIKE I HAD MY LIFE BACK.

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

I TAKE THE ONES THAT ARE RECOMMENED.I JUST STILL HAVE A HARD TIME REMEMBERING TO TAKE THEM.

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 VOMITING WAS THE WORST PART FOR ME.

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

THERE WAS NONE!!!!!

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

I DID NOT GO TO ANY SUPPORT GROUPS AND I SHOULD HAVE.IT'S NICE BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS GONE THROUGH THE SAME THING.

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

I HAVE A HUGE SCAR.I HAD MY STOMACH CUT OPEN.BUT,I AM A 90LBS SMALLER.I'LL TAKE THE SCAR ANYDAY.I KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I HIT A HUGE PLATEAU,I WAS STILL LOSING,THAN I FOUND OUT THAT I WAS PREGANT.BUT IF IT WASN'T FOR LOSING ALL THAT WEIGHT MY FIRST SON WOULN'T HAVE THE WONDERFUL STEP DAD THAT HE HAS AND I WOULDN'T OF HAD MY NEW WONDERFUL MUNCHKIN.JOSEPH CARUANA CHANGED MY LIFE FOREVER.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

NO