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

described in my first profile teresa colbert

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

described in my first profile teresa colbert

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

described in my first profile teresa colbert

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

described in my first profile teresa colbert

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

described in my first profile teresa colbert

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

described in my first profile teresa colbert

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

described in my first profile teresa colbert

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

described in my first profile teresa colbert

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

described in my first profile teresa colbert

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.

first few days... only liquids after a week or so, baby foods and preed foods. after a few weeks soft foods.. after 5 weeks, normal food as before but i can only eat very small amts. i avoid alot of sugars and fatty foods. but i can pretty much eat anything ...

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

i kept walking around my house and yard even though it was a little painful.. i was careful for blod clots. now i can walk my butt off any time any where

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

i took 2 childrens chewables daily and faithfully since day one. now i am almost 5 months post op and i swallow a prenatal vitamin every day.. BUT.. they are very large so i have to break them up into small pieces before swollowing

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?

well i did experience dumping a few times once i was eating normal again... but now i am fune.. as for nausea i did experience that to for about 3 months. never vomited. water made me very sick up until last month... now i drink water fine... no problems

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

my hospitol stay wasnt very pleasant. i think they ar every understaffed... and i think what was hard was the diet restrictions at first... i wasnt ever hungry, but it was difficault to sit down with my couple teaspoons of baby food while every one had bbq ribs and the works... i soon got over it. i dont crave anything , and i could care less what everyone else is eating...

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

i am about 5 months post op. and my scars are small and redish purple. they are fafed from before. the surgeon says in time they will barly be noticable

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

definatly.. i get alot of comments and compliments.... i can say i get attention from men that i didnt before.. a little flirting here and there too. lol