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

friends that had WLS, maybe this is my way out!!!!!!!!!!!!

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

It took awhile but only because there was a miscommunication between my family doctor and surgery doctor

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

Know what you want to ask and have it wrote down. Things go so quick and your nerves will be shot, that you forget what you wanted to ask

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

There was no deciding!!! I wanted a chance to live and see my kids grow up. To be a Grandma one day

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Doctor decided

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 am the type of person that if it can happen to you it will happen. I really had a great surgery and recovery. I don't remember even asking for any pain medication. I felt really good.

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 feels tha I am going to leave him, has never entered my mind ( well at least not because I had this surgery) everyone one else has been great!!!!!!!!!!! My daughter and her 2 best friends think it is really cool (they are 15) because now I can buy clothes that we can all share!!!!!!!!!!!!

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

My boss is GREAT!!!!!!!! I was going to wait and she said no to go ahead and get my date. I was out 4 weeks, was ready to go back sooner but being I am a driver and you cant drive our own car for that long I did not think that was to bad!!!!!!!!!!

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

My stay was ok, wish I would of had a different roommate but I guess there could of been worse. I was in for 4 days, this is including surgery day. A fan if you sleep with one, and comfee pj that you can have an IV with

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

Only after 5 weeks. My potassium dropped and I was taken to ER, was not sure what was wrong, I was in there for 6 hours. When I got there I was not sure I was going to make it out, but after a painfull IV for 4 hours I was ready to take on the world!!!!!!!

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

it seemed to take forever till the last week, then I just did not have enought time to get the things done that I needed to have done before going in. I just took one day at a time and tried to remember why I wanted to have WLS and how long it took me to put on all this weight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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

You will be tired. Drainage, even if you don't have any at first dont think that you won't. I had my first bout with this after I had my staples out, I don't know how to put it besides- I sprang a leak. Then I did this again a week later, and then the week after that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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

I only had a 35 minute drive, I thought the ride home would bother me, this is the only time I remember asking for meds for pain- only so I was not in pain during the drive. The only problem I had was I felt a bit car sick.

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.

At first broth or tomato soup was all I really ate (drink). When I was on crunch foods the doctor said porkrinds were good- not for me and I loved them!!!!!! I ate a lot of chexs mix and nuts. Did not want any "potato chips" and now they are off limits. Pasta is a problem for me, we use to eat a lot of pasta and my kids love it, so we cut it down and I still have some now and then but not much at a time, usually just the sauce. Potatoes are off limits for the next year, as are carbs! I never realized how many carbs were in things, it is kind of hard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I eat a lot of chicken, the doctor was surprised in that I guess most people have problems with it for a while but I did not. I have problems with beef all but hamburger.

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

always tired, still am some. When I get home from work I am pretty well done for the day, but I am at work at 6:30am and don't get home till 5:30pm. Doc says when I go back in June I will have 3X the engery I ever did before

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

calcium 600 mg 2x- big pill I have problems with this one, when I get new I am getting chewable iron 27 mg 2x multi vitamin-big again taste nasty get a chewable if you can B6

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?

vomiting is all I have had so far (3 months)its not fun at all, just don't push yourself I have been told if you keep your hair short you don't have as much trouble with hair loss, so I keep mine spikie now

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

the antiacid they give you before they take you to surgery- it was the worst thing I ever tasted until I had to drink that potassium 5 weeks after surgery because mine droped so low but when I had to take more potassium 8 hours later.....the antiacid was by far the worst. I was just so sick at the first potassium that it made me sicker

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

I have not went to any groups or programs, before or after. My insurance did not make me but the doctors advised for it, I am a mother of 3 who are in everything under the sun I work from 6:30 am to 5:30pm....I just don't have time. I have several friends that have had WLS and talk to them about it. I have a 15 year old daughter who is great too!!!!!

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

Breast bone to bellie botton. Wider at the top that is because I had trouble with drainage and it keep opening up again and again. I actually think it is not to bad, even thought I have seen people who have only 1 inch scars in a couple of places, but they seem to of had a lot more pain then I did, so I will keep my scar!!! It is not like I will ever wear a bikin anyways.....3 kids 300lbs...strechmark city is all I can say

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have had 2 plateaus on weightloss but lost inches in these times. Just remember....you did not put all that weight on overnight..its not going to come off overnight either. Hang in there!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

At first people were calling me skinny at work...but now that they can really see that I am lossing weight they are just like WOW!!!!!