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

Work....An easy out.

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

Insurance approval was a headache....However it worth it in the end. It took 4 months to get straightened out) Be very persistent and do not take no for an answer. Document everything. If you do not like how they are handling thinks take it to the executives.

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

Do your homework... prepare as if you we going to an interview.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Being sick and tired of all the hard work I put in to dieting and not having anything to show for it.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Need to keep my weight under control for life...lap band will be in for life.

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?

Fear is ignorance.... research, talk to people. The more you educate yourself the more confident you will be. How bad do you want this? Above all I would do anything to be successful!

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, Thought i was crazy.I My husband and I gave them the book Dr. Garth Davis Big Medicine The experts guide to weightless surgery. The book describes feeling, guilt, embarrassment and how weight loss surgery is a tool to assist in weight loss.

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

Surprised. Very supportive.I told them I have to have time to work on my personal goals also and the biggest it to get healthy. I was out of work 1 week.

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

Information seminar was oky. They were not as prepare as I like and several post ops where int he room and ran the floor. Make sue to research....it's very important!!!

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

1 day Bring something that makes you feel good. slippers, pj's, ect.

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

Get up and walk....the more you walk the looser the wounds feel. My calves were more sore than my incisions..LOL

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 great not hungry, swelling was apparent. No anxiety...... just one day at a time.

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

Get up an moving as much as you can...even it you are sore moving helps

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

NO I traveled 30 mins.

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.

1 wk-liquid 2-3wk - blended foods Followed and tracked with Garth Davis book Big Medicine had sample menus. followed it religiously

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

More furniture a week after...walked and could not wait to go swimming.

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

Flintstones vitamins

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?

No side effects

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

Insurance approval and the laziness and unorganizational process for approval----It's worth it!

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

Program is very important....Pick a group closer to you so you can go weekly.

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

Everyone heals differently.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

yes the comments are nice but we ca not stop with a couple of comments ...