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

Magazine articles and Carnie Wilson's surgery. I thought maybe there is finally something that would help me, but it was also very scary. The permance of the operation and the complications left me to put it on the back burner as a last resort for almost 10 years.

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

I didn't have trouble getting approved, but I did have to do 6 months supervised diet which was a complete waste of time and money.

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

He instilled confidence in his abilities and offered hope. He told me about gastric bypass surgery, the gastric sleeve and the lap band and we discussed what was best for me.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I had no life. I was growing more and more immobile every day. I had no hope of the possibility of my life getting any better without the surgery. I was no longer afraid to die. If my surgery was a success I would be reborn and if it wasn't I didn't feel like I had anything to live for. I was just surviving.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I didn't think the lap band was enough. I felt I needed something restrictive and malabsorptive.

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 of death kept me from the surgery for many years. I was ready when I knew my obesity was going to kill me if I didn't have the surgery. The surgery was my only hope of ever having a "normal" life.

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?

My family was fearful at first, but I told them I had no choice and the complications of my morbid obesity were far greater than the possibility of complications from the surgery.

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

They were and are very supportive. I was off work for 4 1/2 weeks.

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

I was in the hospital for 3 days. The hospital was understaffed. My daughter had to stay wth me to give me the care I needed.

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

I had swelling and an ulcer making it difficult to me to get anything down and I threw up a lot.

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

Excited, ready to start my new life. I wasn't anxious at all until they actually wheeled me towards the operating room.

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

For the most part it wasn't that bad. I didn't have much pain. The biggest challenge is learning to eat again.

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

60 miles. It's a little farther than I would have liked, but it's been manageable.

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.

At first liquids only and then soft solids. I ate mostly dairy products. I am almost 3 months post op. Meat still makes me throw up. I can't eat bread or oatmeal. I am starting to eat soft vegetables and fruits. I have also started eating a little bit of soy products. Sometimes I can eat South Beach bars.

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

I still haven't started exercising, but my mobility had steadily improved over the past couple of months. I used to have to use a scooter cart to shop and now can walk around the store.

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

Multi-vitamin, B-12 Calcium

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 and vomiting. I'm still doing it. I just deal with it. Why I feel pukey I only eat at home because I never know what will happen

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

Throwing up.

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

There is a group that meets once a month. The forum on this site has been great.

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

6 little scars. It's nothing compared to what I expected.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

No

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

No, not really.