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

I had known of bariatric surgery for a long time but recently discovered that my insurance pays for it, I had always wantexd it but never thought I could afford it until now.

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

I am not sure about this one because I have yet to go through this step yet.

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

he was awesome! do your reaserc h and ask as many questions as you can. write them down so u dont forget!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

was scared to fall asleep because of the sleep apnea. i was in pain all the time, couldnt stop eating...ect.. why not? what did i have to loose?

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

lots and lots and lots of research. was always thinking of the lapband but found there was too many issues with that so i went with roux en y

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 wasnt really worried about anything. i just said lots of prayers. and put it in gods hands. he always takes care of me.

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 were cool with it. very supporting

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

wasnt employed at the time

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

i was glad i attended but i felt i pretty much knew it all at that point.lol

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

my hospital stay was okay... coulda been worse. i was there for 4 days. bring comfy clothes and non slip slippers.

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

no complications

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 awesome!

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

head hunger! lol its a beast i couldnt get off my back!

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

an hour north

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.

well i stuck to my liquid diet because every time i treid to cheat, i barfed every where lol so stick to docs orders, they usually know what they r doing lol. but i couldnt eat grite the second week, but now 4 months post op i can eat them.

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

the first couple weeks...none because i was scared. now i work out when i can.

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

calcium daily chewable vitamin and PROTEIN!!!!