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

heard about it on different talk shows, initial impression was no way in hell was I going to do this.

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

No problem with insurance at all. I had everything in order and NuWeigh helped with all documentation. Insurance approved immediately. The only thing, once insurance approves you have so many days before that approval expires. But, they approved me after the expiration date. Please watch this closely.

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

Scary, but he was very nice & explained everything completely. Any questions, he provided his home number for me to call.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was miserable, felt as if I hit rock bottom

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Research each procedure, heard from others on their surgeries and made my decision based on what I felt comfortable with.

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 don't recall having any fears, I was going in positive and coming out positive. I put it in Gods hand to watch & protect me through this decision

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 best friend & mother was very supportive of my decision. My cousin & father was scared for me, but understood what I needed to do. As for my brother, he did not approve of my decision at all. He is proud that I'm healthier than what I was and now sees the difference it has made on my life.

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

Manager was happy that I was taking care of myself, they seen that I was going down with High blood pressure & chol. Advised that I was miserable and had to take care of myself before further complications occurred. I was out for about 3 weeks, but during that time I was able to work from home. My company was great during this time, I love them for that.

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

My stay at the hospital was great, only there for two days. As for taking anything, I didn't take a thing with me and didn't miss it. My mom, best friend & God was there and that is all that I needed with me.

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

I did get sick about a week after the surgery. Felt as if I was dry heving, went back to the emergency room and spent another 5 days in the hospital. Had an appt for another dr to open the ?? between the esphogus & the stomach a little more, it was to tight. But didn't make it, got sick again and had to go to the emergency room again. Spent 5 more days in the hospital. Had the opening redone and a nutrientist came in to see me. We found out that I was taking in to many fluids right after my surgery. You are only suppose to have 2 oz, no more than that. But to tell a fat person that, that hadn't eaten 2 days prior is the wrong thing. Your thinking eat something, but you can't feel anything or how much your taking in at that time. Everything worked out after the 2nd time to the emergency room. Finally, got my head working with my stomach.

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 felt a couple of times, did I do the right thing. I know for a fact that one day, I ask God to take me now, I don't know if I could do this. I finally had to get my head to thinking correctly to what I needed to do and keep on schedule. It is tough, very tough.

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

My first week was good, it was the weeks after. See complications. But I survived and got everything going to the way it needed to be.

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

It was a 30 minute drive in Houston. No problems 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.

1st four weeks, fluids. Then I was able to start introducing some foods. The foods that I have been off limit to is overcooked, dryed, fried, floured, raw vegetables and a few others. No fully loaded sugar items at all.

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

I walked consistently, it was great. My knees did not bother more and I could breathe easily.

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

Multi-vitamins with minerals, potassioum, Biotin (for my hair)

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?

Dumping, that was bad. But I would keep a list if food items that caused me to dumb and I stayed away. The only other thing was hair loss, I reseached OH on this side effect and seen that people were taking Biotin. It worked and my hair is thicker than what it was. I was almost bald on top and ended up cutting it as short as possible and start over again.

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

overeating or eating to fast at times. You will get sick, stop when you get full and slow down. This is the main thing I figured out after numerous times.

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

I went to one meeting, it was to far for me to travel weekly. Find one close enough to you. Other than that, I spoke with my best friend and a coworker daily on my ups & downs, what I was feeling and going through

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

I have very small scars, you can not even see the scars unless you get really close to look. My primary dr advised that they were great because of my skin tone. And the healing was incredible.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have been the same weight for the last year, but I am still losing the inches all over.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I see guys looking at me now, that is a shocker compared to not being noticed before. As for customers & other co-workers throughout our company, they are surprises when they see how much I have lost. Some didn't even recognize me until I start talking.