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

like everyone else, i saw it on t.v. i researched it on the net for about 6 months before i finally made up my mind.

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

there was some leg work for me, but 99% of the work for approval was done by dr. chung's assistant.

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

my first visit was very nervous because, like most doctors, i figured i would hear the same old things that other doctors preach about, but don't follow their own advice, concerning weightloss that is.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

i knew i was in trouble, and had to make some drastic changes in my life if i wanted to continue any kind of normal lifestyle.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

i went to a seminar for gastric bypass.

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?

it is a very serious surgery. it is a decision you have to make on your own, and cannot be influenced by anyone else. i just felt like my life was already handicapped by my excess weight, and felt like it was worth the risk. everyone has different fears, and for different reasons, that's why you have to make this decision on your own.

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 husband, children and immediate family were very supportive of me because this was something i wanted to do for myself. they knew i had researched it, and had my mind made up. they were nervous about it, but also knew, ultimately, it was my decision.

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

no problems with employment. i drive a school bus, and my surgery was done at the beginning of the summer break, so when school started back up, i was ready.

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

my stay in the hospital was ok, but i feel like because this type of surgery was still fairly new in my area, my care could have been alot better. i was actually there for 9 days, 2 were in icu. while i was in icu, i have to say my care was excellent. i will say, in my opinion, when you have to stay over night in a hospital, the most important thing to bring with you, is another person if it's possible. alot of times, they are more help during the night, because hospitals have a tendency to work short handed alot.

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

yes i did have some complications. due to some problems with staples, i had to be rushed back in to surgery to have that fixed, then i had some problems with swelling and had to be rushed back in to have that fixed. in 5 days, i had 3 surgeries. i am just glad i had a doctor who was able to find the problems, then fix them as quickly as he did.

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

as the surgery date got closer, i did get a little anxious, but i would call my surgeon's office, and spoke to his assistant. she was always eager to talk to me, and answer any questions i may have had. she always reassured me. and that was a blessing!

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

you can expect alot of nausea, and some soreness. but remember, it is temporary.

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

i had my surgery locally.

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 started out on things like yogurt, jello, and progressed to soft eggs, and alot of protein drinks. i am a year post op, i can eat anything i want, nothing seems to bother me. i do of course have to limit the amount.

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

my activity at the beginning was slow. just walking around the house. eventually, i started walking around in the yard. it wasn't long before i was going on short rides, and walking a little at the mall, or of course walmart.it was several weeks before i could walk the whole store.

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

i am daily taking a multivitamin, calcium supplement, and because i want to, i am also taking vit. e.

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?

i experienced alot of nausea, alot of vomiting,mainly because i tried to eat to fast, or to much. i didn't have any dumping for months after because i was cautious about everything i put in my mouth. about 3 months after surgery, i had some hair loss. it came back after a couple of months. i just had to remember, it was temporary. i was expecting it, so it wasn't so bad.

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

getting past the nausea. the first 3 months are always the worst, in my opinion.

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

i attend a monthly support group at the doctor's office who performed my surgery. dr. keith chung. he is a wonderful doctor, and leads an awesome support group. it is very important to me because i always have questions answered, or hear things, or ideas i didn't think of before. it is also nice to hear some others may experience some of the same things i do, the good as well as the bad.

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

you can barely see the scar. i really expected it to look worse. this is of no importance to me because, by the time you need weightloss surgery, a scar is the furthest thing from your mind. who's gonna see it anyway, right? and if they see the scar, in my opinion, they have aready seen alot worse!

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

right now, i am at 130 pounds lost. my goal was to lose 150. i am at a plateau. i am not sure if it's because i feel so darn good and i am not watching as close as i should be, or if i am at a plateau, and will continue losing.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

yes, people seem to notice me and talk to me more. there are even people that talk to me now, that didn't really have much to say to me before. go figure huh!