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

I SEARCHED THE NET FOR INFORMATION ON IT AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I WAS SKEPTICAL AT FIRST. NOW I AM SO GLAD I HAD IT DONE.

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

I HAD TO HIRE A LAWYER TO GET APPROVAL. IT WAS A LONG DRAWN OUT PROCESS THAT I WISH ON NOBODY. FIRST AND FOREMOST CALL YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR REQUIREMENTS ARE THEN GET THOSE REQUIREMENTS MET TO THE LETTER. MAKE SURE ALL YOUR DUCKS ARE IN A ROW BEFORE SUBMITTING ANYTHING TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THEN BE VILIGANT ABOUT CONTACTING THEM REGULAR. MAKE SURE YOU DEAL WITH ONE PERSON AND ONE PERSON ONLY AS IT MAKES YOUR LIFE ALOT EASIER.

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

MINE WAS GREAT. HE ACTUALLY PICKED ME UP AT THE AIRPORT IN BOGOTA. JUST ASK THE QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ASKED.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF BEING SICK ALL THE TIME AND BING STARED AT. IT WAS TIME TO GET IT DONE.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I WANTED OPEN SURGERY BECAUSE I HAD ALOT OF SCAR TISSUE IN THAT AREA FROM A CAR ACCIDENT YEARS AGO.

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 NO FEARS. I WOULD HAVE RATHER DIED ON THE TABLE THAN TO CONTINUE MY LIFE AS IT WAS.

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 HAD LOTS OF CONCERNS IN THE BEGINNING AND NOW ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE

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

THEY WERE ALL VERY SUPPORTIVE WITH THIS DECISION. I WAS OUT 4 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS.

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

MY STAY IN THE CLINIC DE PALERMO IN BOGOTA COLUMBIA WAS GREAT. IT WAS A VERY OLD HOSPITAL RUN BY NUNS. VERY CLEAN. I WAS IN THERE A TOTAL OF 4 DAYS. TAKE PLENTY TO READ AND DO AS IT GETS VERY BORING.

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

I DEVELOPED A HOLE IN MY NEW POUCH ABOUT 4 DAYS POSTOP. I HAD THE G-TUBE IN SO I AM TAKING NOTHING BY MOUTH FOR 6 WEEKS AND FEEDING THROUGH THAT TUBE NOW. I WILL GO BACK TO HAVE A BARIUM SWALLOW AND IF EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD THEN I WILL HAVE THE TUBE REMOVED.

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 FEEL GREAT. NO ANXIETIES OR WORRIES

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

FATIGUE AND A HARD TIME SLEEPING AS YOUR BODY HEALS. IT IS HARD TO GET COMFORTABLE. I AM NOW ABLE TO SLEEP ON MY SIDE SO THAT HAS HELPED.

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

I TRAVELED ALL THE WAY TO BOGOTA, COLOMBIA FOR MY SURGERY. WE TALK EVERY DAY THROUGH THE INTERNET AND I REPORT TO THEM DAILY SO AFTERCARE HAS NOT BEEN A PROBLEM. ANY MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT COME UP ARE TAKEN CARE OF BY MY PCP

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.

ALL FOODS ARE OFF LIMITS BESIDES WHAT I CAN GET IN MY G-TUBE FOR NOW WHICH CONSISTS OF PROTEIN SHAKES, WATER AND GLUCERNA.

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

IT IS GETTING TO BE MORE AND MORE EVERY DAY AS I REGAIN STRENGTH.

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

IRON SULFIDE, CALCIUM, AND B-12 SHOTS FOR ME.

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?

SLEEP DISTURBANCE BECAUSE IT IS HARD TO GET COMFORTABLE IN THE BED. I SLEPT ON MY RECLINER UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO GET COMFORTABLE IN THE BED.

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

THERE WAS NO WORST PART FOR ME.

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

I USE THE MESSAGE BOARDS FOR SUPPORT. THEY ARE VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF ALL THE KNOWLEDGE THAT PEOPLE POSESS.

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

RELATIVELY SMALL AND I WAS EXPECTING IT.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I HAVE HAD NONE.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES. ALOT OF COMPLIMENTS ON WEIGHT LOSS.