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

my mother in law's aide just had the surgery and that told me to try and get it done for myself.

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

dont give up

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

First visit was very imformative,Dr. Floyd is really kind and understanding man as well as outstanding.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Knowing i was finally getting out of fat prison and would be healthier again.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Dr. Floyd decieded for me.

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?

We all have fears of all types, yes i had fears of dying while in surgery as well as after. it is normal to be scared.

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?

not real happy that i made the decision the family thought i should try other ways.they didbecome very supportive

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

My hospital stay was very good.i enjoyed being at edmond hospital.the staff are wonderful they are there when you needed them.what to bring? robe gown hairbrush slippers crossword puzzle books and alot of faith strength and courage

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

alot of pain trying to eat after going home was hard,i wanted the same food as before.i have learned to adjust to one to one and a half ounces of food.its been hard espically when people around you are eating sonic or pizza hut foods

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

very anxious tryed to prepare myself for my new life.i coped by cleaning house and being on dr. floyds site daily

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

very sore,no energy,and did not really want to eat.what to expect? to feel tired,very sore ,eating new foods and tolerating them.

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

i traveled 2 1/2 to 3 hours no affect on aftercare

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.

could not eat fried foods ,spicey hot foods or fast foods.candy is off limits. fried foods fast foods and potato chips. my tolearance changed alot coffee and tea will cause me diahrea and to be naucious.if i do eat anything with grease it causes me to get a upset stomach.i still dont eat alot of things as i once did.

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

very very low

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

flintstones,one a day and centrium ,vitiamn b 12 shots weekly

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?

nausea was horrible hadit everyday for about 1 week,sleeping was hard for me i am a stomach sleeper and had to sleep on my back.hair loss was minimal.i took it one day at a time.

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

waking up in recovery wanting to go make funeral plans for someone. didnt know who though.that was bad

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

the aftercare support i had was from dr. floyds site and the people i met there

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

I have a very large scar it is about 14 inches long. did not know what to expect

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

not losing enough in the first few months

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

no