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

My mom had it done 4 years ago for health. She is doing great it really helped her. I saw it as my last chance to get healthy again. I was tired of being tired and sick all the time.

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

It took from april when I finished my classes and all my testing untill the middle of june untill the doctors called and told me it was aproved. I had my surgery july1 2008. I never got a writted aprove from medicare untill a month after my surgery. That was the hardiest waiting for aprove from the insurance. If you dont hear in 30 days start calling your insurance to find out what is going on.

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

It was good I had a list of all my questions and concerns The doctor and the staff took time to explain the proceures and what to expect. They gave me numbers to call at any time with questions. I dont reget my decision to have the surgery, and I would recomend my doctor and hospital to any one.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My health was really going down hill and i wanted to live for a long time yet, but I was tired of being sick, tired of being tired and tired of not being able to do much.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I was thinking of doing the lap band but my doctor explain that proceure doesnt help with diabetic as well as the gastric surgery. H e left the dicission to me, so I chose the one that would help me health wise more, which of course was gastric surgery.

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 felt this was my last chance to be healthly, if not I was going to die any way. I did my research on the computer, I talked to several people who had the surgery,made my decission and hoped for the best. I am doing great.

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 mom was great, she had the surgery, so she was my suport group. My 3 sisters were not happy with my decission to have the surgery ( 2 of them are RNS). My boyfriend was behind me all he way know matter what i decided. My children were behind me two. My mom and boyfriend were the only 2 who knew from the start. I didnt tell any one untill a week before my surgery. I am glad I did it that way, because then I didnt have the pressure of people trying to talk me out of it and i was able to make the decission of what was best for me.

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

Because of all my health problems and back surgerys I have not worked in all most 6 years. Since I had my surgery I am doing so good I went back to work part time at the end of sept, and i am loving it.

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

I WENT IN ON JULY1 AND OUT ON JULY 4TH. bRING YOUR PERSONAL ITEMS AND ANYTHING YOU THINK OF THAT WILL MAKE YOU FELL MORE AT HOME.

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

yES MY RIGHT LUNG DIDNT COMPLETLY IN FLATE AS IT SHOULD SO I WAS ON OXGEON FOR ABOUT 10 DAYS. aFTER SURGERY MY BACK AND RIGHT HIP HURT MORE THAN MY STOMACH, DUE TO MY BACK SURGERYS.

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 FELT GOOD. i HAD A LITTLE DISCOMFORT BUT NO REAL PAIN. i WORRIED THAI i WOULDNT BE ABLE TO STAY ON THE PROGRAM OR GET ENOUGH PROTEINS IN. i WORRIED ABOUT THREWING UP AND STRECHING MY POUCH. i TALKED WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAD THE SURGERY AND THAT SEEM TO HELP CALM MY FEARS SOME.

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

yOU NEED TO REST AND DONT OVER DUE IT. dRINKS LOTS OF FLUIDS. yOU WILL BE IN PAIN THE FIRST WEEK BUT IT DOESNT LAST, BY THE SECOND WEEK YOU WILL JUST FEEL A LITTLE DICOMFORT. It think it was WORTH IT.

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

2 HOUR DRIVE. i HAD MY PAIN meds BEFORE i LEFT THE HOSPITAL AND i HAD MY PILLOW SO i DID OK.

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 had to take classes for 6 months prior to surgery. I had to keep a journal of everything I ate and drank. I cut down on calories and amount of food but i didnt cut out any one food item. I tried to drink more water.The 2 days before surgey i could only have clear liquids, and nothing the day of surgey then back to clear liquids for a week then pureed food for a month then soft foods for a month then i started adding other foods. I have found that i cant eat corn, rice, lettuce or spicy foods I cannt seem to digest them. I dont eat sugary foods, no caf. every in low fat and low carbs. I dink lots of water.

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

no actvity for the fist week and low for the next 2 weeks that i was good to go

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

b6 b12 ,iron ,baby asprin, c, calcium, d, muti vitamin

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 biggest thing for me is hair loss which i still have. I havent had dumping and i only had vomiting a few times and that was when i tried regular foods and found out i cant digest certain foods.

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

It was the pain in my back and left hip because of all my back problems and my chest for a week due to the lung not inflating completely.

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

I have my family who is very suportive and also my friends, my doctors.

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

very small i have 5 there is only 1 that you can notice a little

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

none

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I think some people treat me different since i am know longer overweigth.