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

I was having a conversation with a doctor following a seminar on heart disease. He asked me if a have ever considered having surgery. I started researching and went to an informational meeting 2 days later.

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

The only difficulty I encoountered was that my meetings with the doctor and dietician was not documented like Medica wanted.

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

Questionable - I got sick with the foamies the first night and no one knew what to do. 2nd morning a woke up frightened because my oxygen alarm went off. Having chest pains I was transferred to critical care unit for heart problems. Last 2 days my bed alarm kept going off for a service problem no one knew how to fix. The nurses were great.

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

I had a very low hemoglobin level where I needed blood transfusions. Called for the ambulance after talking to surgeon's nurse and nurses at local hospital. Transfered to city where the did a probe - found a whole in the connection of pouch and intestine.

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

Little anxiety, but turn around was quick. I had total confidence in my surgeon and the hospital where the surgery was preformed.

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

Tired doing small tasks like walking. Trying to figure out what food I could or couldn't eat.

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

35 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 had trouble with hamburger, chicken, fish and tuna.

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

I was lazy for 2 weeks. I returned to worked 1/2 time, after 2 and 1/2 weeks.

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

I prefer Viactiv- both multi vitamin and calcium. I added Biotin hoping to decrease my hair loss.

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?

Hair loss is very emotional seeing I had thinning hair to start with. Coping was researching and making a decision along with my doctor.

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

The hospital stay - lots of little problems like a gremalin was dogging my footsteps.

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

I try to go to many different support groups as I can. Learn something different at each one.

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

Scar is great. Smaller than what I expected, and is fading.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Not any significant plateus. I sometimes just eat the wrong things, or do not what my portions.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

No not really.