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

my sister in law had the surgery in jan 2004. i was leary at first but i know that something has got to be done.

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

It was ok at first, but even after being approved my surgery was cancelled because of a screw up at bcbs office. so we had to reschedule.

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

I was great the people in his office are wonderful.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

my health was not gettinga any better, and i knew i needed to do something about it.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

really we decussed the optons and the lap was the best for 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?

dyeing, blood clots. not waking up after surgery

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 were supportive some of the time

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

they took very good care of me. i was there 3 days. slippers for walking and something comfie to wear home

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

no

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

took alot of deep breaths. told my self to stay calm

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

well i went back to work a week after surgery. i did get tired alot. still do 1 month post op. getting the food and water in is my main problem. the energy level is not there, not what i expected as far as energy.

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

45 minutes. in no way did this effect any of my care.

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.

soft foods, soups, mashed potatoes, sugar free jello, water, coffee, tea, crystal light. sugar free tang a life saver. after 2 weeks they introduced checken , fish and cooked veggies to my diet. the chicken i have a problem with.

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

limited some. but it gradually got better

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

i drink a liquid vitiman daily. i had a problem with the chewables making me nausous. i take a B12 shot monthly. zantac at night before bed.

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?

some hair loss not much. nausia yes, it according to what i try to eat. sleeping better than ever. the only problem it the growling stomach. it can get loud

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

no sign of even having surgery. no i thought i would have scars to add to my old battle wounds. but Dr. clements done a wonderful job

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

yes people seem to want to talk to me more. be around me more. i a people person anyway and have always been.