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

I found out on tv. I saw Carnie Wilson on a magazine cover and at first I thought "that is really drastic". I was impressed by the weight loss but scared at the thought.

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

It was relieving. I have heard many things about the procedure and I was nervous. The surgeon explained everything in detail and the risks.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

After the consultation, I felt more comfortable in making my decision.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I choose lap rny over the lapband because I don't want to have to come in and have adjustments every 6 weeks. I want something permanent.

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 still have a fear of death or complications. I think that is natural. There are always going to be risks with surgery. I, myself, have had 3 c-sections and each time i was worried but I came through okay.

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?

Worried, but after receiving more information, very supportive. My family was extrememly supportive aftermy surgery.

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

I hadmy surgery while I was laid off for the summer, so time off was not an issue for me.

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

It was good, the staff wwere very supportive and could help me with their own experiences. I was there for 3 days. Bring a robe shoes because you do a lot of walking!

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

The gas pains were the worst but not a complication. They give you pain medicine totake home with you. I am 4 weeks out and I feel very good.

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

Scared, anxious. I was thinking horrible thoughts up until the minute I had surgery. Dr.Pupkova helped me deal with the anxiety and put it into perspective forme.

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

Extremely tired. I did not expect to be so exhausted. No hunger at all, hard to get in the protein and liquids day to day. Rest is the most important thing, to let your body heal.

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

I live very close tothe surgery center. About 15 minutes away.

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.

Suprisingly, I can drink milk and have dairy products. I have spoken to a lot of people who couldn't handle dairy after surgery. I am a milk drinker so as soon as I got home, I started drinking fat free milk, it actually went down easier than water. For some reason, egg whites make me nautious.

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

Just walking was hard for me. i made it 15 minutes then I had pain in my side, so I did a little each day.

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

Centrum chewables and B12 so far...and of course, those wonderful protein shakes.

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 is the worst for me so far. I haven't hadanydumping yet, I am very careful about reading labels and watching my sugar intake. I still get nausea sometimes in the morning.

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

When Igot up the first time, I was dry heaving horribly, they had to give me medicine for it. It hurt my stomach.

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

I have not gone to a support meeting yet. I don'tlike to be around a lot of people and I think my weight had something to do with that. So, for now, my family is my support system until I feel comfortable enough to go to a meeting.

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

6 small scars and hardly noticeable. Yes, I expected the small incisions.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

For approximately one week, I felt like I wasn't losing any weight but then all of a sudden it started coming off again. Ithink I wasn't getting enough protein. It is hard some days to get all the protein in.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

No, I feel like I am treated the same. I do have a very supportive family and they tell me how great I look since losing the weight.