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

ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO...THROUGH A FRIEND. I WANTED TO SEE IF I CAN DO IT ON MY OWN. I HAVE SO MUCH BELIEF IN MYSELF THAT, KNOWING THAT I HAVE OVERCAME SO MANY GREAT OBSTACLES...I TRULY BELIEVE THAT I CAN HURDLE THROUGH IT ON MY OWN. I WAS SO AMAZE OF THE OUTCOME OF IT ALL, THAT I BELIEVE THIS IS IT FOR ME.

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

I CAN'T REALLY SAY...I AM JUST LUCKY MY HUSBAND IS IN THE MILITARY SERVICE. MY APPROVAL FOR THE SURGERY WAS NO QUESTIONS FROM THE VERY BEGINNNING, IT WAS ALL UP TO ME TO MAKE THE NEXT MOVE.

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

WELL ACTUALLY IT WAS QUITE PRETTY FAST, DR.SHAPIRO WAS MORE PREPARED THAN I WAS...PRETTY MUCH I JUST SAT BACK AND LET HIM TELL ME EVERY DETAIL. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I WAS AWARE OF EVERYTHING HE TOLD ME OR ANY ADVISED HE WANTED TO MAKE CHANGES.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

MY HEALTH AND I WANT TO TAKE CHARGE OF MY LIFE.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I GAVE EVERY DECISION TO BE MADE BY MY SURGEON FOR THE BEST OF ME.

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?

MY BIGGEST FEAR IS DYING OF BEING TO FAT. I JUST PRAY AND I HOPE GOD WILL SEE ME THROUGH ONE OF MY TOUGHEST TIME IN MY LIFE, AND MY WISH IS TO RECOVER HEALTHY. I DON'T WANT TO DIE, BUT IF IT IS GOD'S WILL; THEN LET IT BE IT. MY FAMILY KNOWS THAT I LOVE THEM MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD...AND THIS IS WHY I WANT TO MAKE THE CHANGE.

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 HUSBAND AND CHILDREN ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF ME, AS WELL AS MY FAMILY MEMBERS. WHAT FAMILY THAT DOES NOT CONCERN OF THE OUTCOME OF IT ALL, THIS IS A MAJOR DECISSION. YOU MUST MAKE SURE, YOU COMMUNICATE OPENLY.

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

WELL THANK GODNESS I AM A HOMEMAKER...BUT MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO CARE FOR ME...A PERIOD OF SIX WEEKS.

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

THE SURGEON AND THE STAFF WERE GREAT...SO IT MADE MY HOSPITAL STAY QUITE EASIER. I WAS THERE FOR 4 DAYS. AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO BRING WITH ME WAS MYSELF AND MY INSANITY AFTERWARD. THIS IS THE MOST DIFFICULT DECISION MAKING I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED...BUT I OWE IT ALL TO MY SUPPORT GROUP FOR THE ENCOURANGEMENT AND MY BELIEF IN GOD.

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

SO FAR SO GOOD...NO JINKS...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?

WELL THIS IS MY FIRST WEEK AFTER THE SURGERY, AND RIGHT NOW I AM GOING THROUGH SOME DIFFICULT STAGES IN MY LIFE. I AM STILL MAINTAINING MY GROUNDS...AND MY ANXIETY OF WANTING FOOD IS THERE, I CRAVE FOR IT EVERYDAY. NO ONE SAID THIS IS AN EASY HAUL.

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

My first few weeks from the hospital was really diffult. I was in tremendous pain, i needed my family support; and which they were patient of giving it to me.

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

Well i was one of the lucky one, the facility was on post; military hospital was only 5 minutes away from my home at the time. So therefore this did not affect my aftercare at all.

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.

Well in the beginning i had alot of cravings of the things i ate before the surgery, i thought it wasn't going to be that bad if i had a taste of two. Boy was i wrong, i was constantly sick. Now that i am nearly 6 months out, you have more cravings of things that you couldn't have then. I allow myself to take it day by day, no pressure. My tolerance has changed so much that i don't even craved sugar as much, and when i do eat them i get sick still (the richness from it). I am born pacific islander phillipino, and our family eat rice in every meal ...i truly believe my main reason of my weight gain is this. Before the surgery i would eat about nearly ten cups of rice cooked, a day. I have cut back so much that i rarely choose to eat rice, if i do i would atleast eat half or 1 cup for the day. My way of eating has totally changed for the best. I love to eat salad and fruits...and if i choose to eat solid i go for turkey sandwiches (half).

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

My activity level has changed so much...I love being outside now. I use to hide inside my home before the surgery, i was afraid people would definitely made fun of me. I held so much grudge with others that, if i see them stare that i would diffinitely get into a argument or fight with that person. I DID NOT CARE!!! Now everything changed around me. I am now much happier person, and content with my weight lost, just as long as i don't ever gain that weight again. I have just started recently jogging with a friend, it feels really good.

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

I have taken flintstone chewable twice a day, i cannot tolerate adult vitamins. Chewable calcium, caramel favor.

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?

Well right now i am going through the stages of hair lost, and i am concern because my hair is thin already. I am thinking of buying rogaine for women. I have cope with so many hardship in my life, that i feel this is something that i can ressolve on my own.

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

I have not came to this acknowledgement of the worst part, i just truly believe that if you want help in your life...to get you started for a better one, i would not change it for the world.

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

Actually the support came from my family wasn't able to find a support group for aftercare

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

Well at first it was dramastic for me and unattractive i felted like a dead pig that has been gutted...I was pretty much well educated about the scarring before hand.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

The only problem I came across was two weeks after the surgery I couldn't hold in enough fluid and ended back in the hospital for nearly two weeks, due to kidney infections and lack of fluids intake.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, very much so!!! Those who had problems speaking to me while my obesity stages I choose not to communicate to them at all, it's seems like I am worth talking to now in their perspective...although underneath it all I am still ME.