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

I first found out about WLS from a friend of my who had had WLS 8 months prior to telling me about it.

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

I am very lucky, I called prior to even attending the seminar and found out that my insurance covered it. Once I started the program my insurance company worked with my doctors office and my approval came through perfectly on the first attempt.

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

The first visit with the surgeon comes pretty late in the process so I was just excited and ready to get a date.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Once I saw what it had done for my friend and found out that my insurance covered it I was READY.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I researched all my options and did a pro's and con's kind of list to see what best met my needs.

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 was so petrified of dying on the table that I had totally prepared my husband with all the important paperwork he would need and updated my insurance. I also told the closest people to me that if I should happen to die during the procedure that I went doing something that was VERY important to me.

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?

Less the 1% of my friends and family were VERY supportive and for those who weren't it was because of their lack of knowledge about the process so I did my best to educate them on how and why and assured them that if it was not totally needed I wouldn't not be doing it.

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

I only told my boss that I was having surgery I did not discuss what I was having done. Its none of his business and it is illegal for them to ask anyways. I was out of work for 17 days but I will say if you have the option to be out longer TAKE IT

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

From what I remember it was pretty good they keep you pretty drugged up so that you dont' feel any pain so that is the good thing. I was in the hospital for 4 days. The most important thing to bring was a blanket and pillow.

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

Not yet well at least nothing serious. The minor things would be that I am freezing all the time and I have a lot of pain on my left side and that it hurts to drink just about everything.

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 was so excited and I didn't deal with the anxiety well at all infact I was so anxious that I had terrible hives for weeks.

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

SLEEP get as much as you can. Don't expect to eat much of anything. Focus on drinking lots of fluids any way you possibly can. Take you vitamins and did I mention SLEEP.

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

Once again I am lucky. I have a hospital within 3 miles of my house that did my surgery.

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.

The worst part for me is that every type of protein drink made me seriously sick to my stomach. So getting the protein in was pretty tricky. I lived on cottage cheese, sugar free pudding and 98% fat free cream of chicken soup.

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

-5 thats the one thing that is driving me crazy is that I have NO energy and it takes so much effort to do EVERYTHING

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

2 Multivitamins a day 1 calcium chew that has A,D& K and a Prevacid I also am trying to either take liquid Tylenol (which is too sweet) or I crush up 2 Tylenol tablets and swollow it with some warm tea (which tastes NASTY) for the pain

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?

only 2 weeks out so so far so good

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

5 weeks of group and the waiting

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

I have a post-op support group once a month that I wilk be attending.

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

I have 5 small incisions

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Not yet

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

not yet