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

I met a gal in our local small hospital that had it a few yrs back and she said it was the best thing she ever did

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

My insurance approved it right away the first time

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

My visit went well. I prepared a list of questions for him and he took the time to review my list and had great answers for me and made me feel like this was the right thing for me

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was told by my primary that this could possibly be what saves my life from all my co-morbid problems from the weight

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

In one of our classes we were required to take the doctor talked about the band being better for men than woman in MOST cases do to the emotional eating woman do and that right there made up my mind.

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 had those fears but in my health state it was either die from all the health problems or die trying to get rid of them so I took the chance but now days with the knowlege they have only 1% have that bad of complications so the odds are on everyones side these days to survive

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?

Oh my family was great my mom and dad were a little scared about it and at first tried to talk me out of it. My parents flew into Reno for my pre-op class and after going to a 2 hour class with me they were like begging me to have it cause they saw what a life I could have. My husband and children were the same scared at first but stood behind me. I had great support from my friends as well.

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

I had to quit my job April 16 2009 do to the stress of my weight and my job

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

My hospital stay was great after I got out of recovery. The recovery nurse was very mean and told me I was fat because it was my fault ect and she was horrible. I brought my slippers and a change of clothing my own pillow and a night gown.

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

I would say no but there was one problem and that was my pain as I had taken so much pain meds for headaches that the morphine was not enough and I had to have 3 different kinds to take the pain down enough to rest.

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 am only 3 weeks out at this point. I still have a little anxiety but I am able to take pristiq which I can sollow and is bariatric friendly to the pouch. I should only have to take them a few months

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

I just was very tired which they say can last from 4 weeks to 8 weeks. I rested until day 5 I started walking a little every day and I seemed to heal so much faster than others. I had no bruising and can almost not see the scaring. They say the walking speeds up the healing in the mind and body

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

I drove 5 hours to the hospital and then we drove the same home and I was just fine riding in the car. I did take a pill to keep from getting car sick so I slept most the way

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 was on liquids all clear ones the first 3 days, then I was on all liquids clear and not clear by the 4th day. I was on mashed foods by the second week and now I am on diced foods and this is week 3 and by the 4th week I can try anything but ground red meat and no beer ect for up to 1 yr I have to remain off those which is fine I dont drink. I also am not suppose to eat real bacon nor any white things like bread or rice ect but I can have whole wheat

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

I am 3 weeks out started walking on the 5th day out and now I walk 2 miles a day on a treadmill.

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

I take 4 chewable vit daily. I take a b-50 and an iron table and 4 chews of 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?

I have had some nausea and I have thrown up twice cause I ate to fast both times. Since I am only 3 weeks out the hair loss has not started yet as this happens usually in the 4th month.

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

I would say the just getting thru the red tape to have the surgery was the worst but I do have to also put the dumping up there as well. But I want to say this is only a tool and if you did not ever dump from ewating to fast or the wrong foods then the tool will not work and you will get fat all over again

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

I live in a small town that I dont have support groups here and it is way to much for me to go VERY month to one 5 hours away. So I use OH and facebook and youtube for my support daily.

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

You cant even really see them at all I know I am one of the lucky ones with this.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I am acually in the honeymoon stage of the surgery so I have not yet hit a plateau but when I do I know to beef up my workouts just a tad and it will all be fine

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Not yet but I am sure it will be good and bad. Good cause people will talk to me like I am a person not like I am a fat person. Bad cause I know my friends will change cause I can tell some of my fat friends already have stopped talking to me but then they were not friends