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

I found out about my surgeon through a co-worker that had the gastric bypass

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

Dr. Stewarts office helped me to get insurance approval. It took time but I needed that time to think about the surgery and if it was right for me.

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

I went to aeminar and all my questions were answered for me.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My diabetes being out of control and I had lost a brother and sister to heart trouble.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I talked with Dr. Stewart about which surgery was best for treating my diabetes

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 worried that the surgery would not work. I worried about the vitabmin defiencies I would have after surgery and I still worry about that.

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 family supported my decisions. Some of my co-workers tried to talk me out of the surgery.

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

I did not discuss it much with my employer except to tell them I needed time off for the surgery and that it was to help control my diabetes.

What was it like attending your first information seminar on weight loss surgery? Were you glad you attended? if so, why?

The seminar was very informative but it needed to talk about the complications that can arise from the surgery. After surgery I needed 2 pints of blood and I spent 6 days in ICU.

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

I thought the ICU nurses were terrible. They would not answer my call light and would only come when they felt like it. I was in terrible pain.

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

Yes, my sutures came undone and bile and such leaked into my system. I had to spend 6 days in ICU. I needed 2 units of blood and I was out of my head for about 5 days.

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 developed an ulcer 1 month after surgery. It was terrible and I could not eat anything for about 1 month after the surgery. I lost weight too fast.

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

I was very sick. I had to go back to the hospital and have an EGD. I had developed an ulcer along the suture line. I was prescribed medications for the ulcer. It took me about a month to pull through.

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

about 400 miles

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 much of anything 1 month out of surgery. I developed an ulcer along the suture line and lost a lot of weight. Later on I recovered, but I cannot eat bread or anthing that can swell in my stomach. Some meat is hard to digest. I can't eat fried chicken any longer but I don't want to anyway. It has changed my eating habits. I eat frequent smaller meals. I try hard to get protein down.

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

I layed around for 3 months. It took me that long to recover.

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

I take Bariatric Advantage Calcium Citrate. I take Bariatric Advantage Multiformula vitamins A,D, E & K. I drink Myoplex 42 grams of protein the chocolate flavor a day.

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 felt totally drained for the first 3 months after surgery and could not go back to work for 3 months. I developed an ulcer right after surgery and it took me about a month to recuperate from that.

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

Being so sick after surgery and the pain. I was in excruitiating pain right after surgery. I had complications though. Being so tired and sick for 3 months, but in the long run, it was worth it.

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

I have no aftercare support group, I research everything on the internet.

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

I had the laprascopic duodenal switch so there is not much of a scar.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Well it has been great losing the weight. Going from a 2X to and size 22 pants to a size 12 pants has felt great.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, I get flirted with more.