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

A friend had it and she done great and so I started getting information on it and went from there.

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

I had KY Medical Card it took about 3 weeks to get approved with no problems. Just the wait to getting approved was the hardest.

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

Dr. Nease and his staff was very informational and they were great through it all

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I had to have help to lose the weight I had tried almost every thing. I knew in 10 years I would not be in good health at all.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

By the amount of weight I had to lose.

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 really had no fears I feel that every thing went fast and easy and it was just meant to be. I was not nerves at all and I did great.

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?

They supported me in every thing went to some of the support groups and meeting with me and did what ever it took.

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

I did not work.

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

The stay was alright I had my friend with me and she was my life saver hospitals are to busy to take care of people really. I was in there for 2 days. I think chap stick my lips was so dry

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

I got a celluites infection above my belly button. I was in the hospital for 3 days and it had to heal from the inside out about 2 weeks of packing it and changing it but it was aright.

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 good I cleaned my house up

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

I did well it was just getting use to chewing my food and taking my time. It is worth it all when you get though these few weeks when the pounds come off and you are feeling good it it great.

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

I was only about 40 min. from my house so it was not a problem for me.

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 can not eat grape jelly. I love grapes and sometime they are good and other time they are not. I can tolerate just about any foods in small amounts I have done so well.

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

I think I had energy to spare about a month later and still got plenty to burn.

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

I take a prenatal and b12 every day

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?

I did lose a lot of hair it thined out alot it feel out for about 4or 5 months but it is all good now.

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

I think waiting on the insurance to approve

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

The hospital offers a once a month support group and it is very nice and helpful

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

I have to point them out for them to be seen really

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have for about 3 weeks at a time it is hard for that but it give the skin time to shrink. but when I get my protein in I start loosing again.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I get comments on how good I look and people will hold the doors for you it is so much different being smaller as to being a large person.