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

How did you first find out about bariatric surgery and what were your initial impressions of it??? I RESEARCHED this for several years before doing anything.

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

Describe your experience with getting insurance approval for surgery. What advice, if any, do you have for other people in this stage? In my case, I had to have a "nissens fundoplication" prior to getting the scopinaro procedure from Dr G.

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

HE WAS FANTASTIC!!!!! He layed all the information out on the table for me about having a "revision" to my previous surgery. The risk that would be involved became even higher due to not having a "virgin" stomach - mine had already been altered along with a previous screw-up where my esophagus was cut in half during the nissens procedure. He explained what I could possibly be facing.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

HEARTBURN and PAIN was so bad. Not being able to move from being heavy.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

How did you decide which proceedure to have? It was not decided until he went into my stomach because of this being a 3rd surgery... Dr G went in with a plan to revise the (Plan-A) "Nissens Fundoplication" (He went in with Plan-A, & Plan-B) - He ended up removing the lower portion of my stomach to keep me from building acid and to assist me with loosing weight.

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?

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? - Again, I was scared but I knew that IF it was my time to go, I wouldn't be late... My life would end right on God's que. If my time wasn't up, then I would pull through this.

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?

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? --- A co-worker whom I think a lot of, she made a comment to me one day that "Staci, I can't hang out with you anymore because you've lost so much weight that it makes me look fat & big to be seen next to you!" - That comment HURT my feeling so bad. She was really close to me before surgery, we shopped and went places together and after that was said, she honestly STOPPED coming over and going places with me and she STOPPED calling me even. She really didn't want to be seen with me.

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

How did your employer/supervisor react to your decision? What did you tell him/her? How long were you out of work? 3 of my co-workers have now had gastric by-pass surgery.

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

What was your stay in the hospital like? The 1st stay was great! The staff assisted me so much and was very caring..... How long where you there? Due to having an open procedure - I had to stay for a little over a week... What things are most important to bring? ONE THING I FOUND MOST HELPFUL - My godson & his mommy (who at the time was a cardiac ICU Nurse) brought me a "Build-A-Bear, Monkey" - Dressed in nursing / dr clothes... That MONKEY became my BEST FRIEND!!!!! I used it to press and squeeze against my belly to help me cough, coughing hurt so bad * you have to cough to keep from getting pneumonia - When I needed something behing my neck / head, monkey was flexi & soft enough that it worked perfect for that too. My godson called it a 'mon kaa key' - he couldn't say monkey, ahhahah ~ so that name stuck with monkakey SLIPPERS & A COVER UP (if you have one) for when you get up to walk in the halls. - If you don't have one, no need to buy one because you will be in hospital gowns and they will just put one on you that covers your back side - hahaha :-) --- SQUEEZE TUBE of lipbalm or LIPBALM is good to have - your mouth and lips will be dryed and stick together. Having the squeeze tube, you can put a little tiny bit on your finger and rub it across your teeth to keep your teeth from sticking to your lips so you can talk. Those were just a few things I found I needed and used. The stuffed animal (monkey) I would never have thought about.

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

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

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 had been on Effexor (didn't like it) so Dr G put me on LEXAPRO - 10mg, said that I needed to stay on this for at least 6 months and then talk to him if I felt I needed to come off of it. At that time, my body was going to go through some major changes and with all that I had already been through he felt it would benefit me.

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

Describe your first few weeks home from the hospital. What should people expect from this period? It will depend on the procedure that you have and remember EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT!!!!!! You may not loose as quickly as someone else did, don't worry and continue to do as you are instructed by your caregivers staff.

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

45 minutes

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.

BE VERY CAREFUL eatting BEEF JERKEY or HOTDOGS or anything that has been dehydrated.. those things will plump up and swell up in your tummy and possibly cause a blockage (which I had from beef jerkey) -

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

What was your actvity level in the days and weeks after surgery? I started going to the gym to walk on the treadmill only about 1 week after coming home from surgery. started very slow and progressed up a little each week.

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

OptiSource - Vitamin ADE&K B-12 Injections monthly - 120gm of protein daily... 1200mg Omega 3 Fish Oil - 3 daily.. Multi vitamin (gummy bears) vitamin D & Calcium 5000 mg of Biotin twice a day to keep my hair from falling out so bad.

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

What aftercare support group/program do you have? At this time - I am searching for a new doctor. - Support groups are wonderful to share recipies and being able to talk to others whom are sharing some of the experiences they faced while loosing weight from - eating to bowel movement issues, to reactions from others... How helpful/important is this? It is helpful to know you are not always alone with issues you may face... However it is just as important to know, DO NOT JUDGE YOUR SUCCESS / FAILURE BY SOMEONE ELSES SUCCESS / WEIGHTLOSS... YOU ARE YOU and YOUR BODY IS YOUR BODY.. YOUR WEIGHTLOSS WILL NOT BE THE SAME OR AT THE SAME PACE AS SOMEONE ELSES. YOUR WEIGHT WILL COME OFF JUST AT A DIFFERENT PACE. EVEN IF YOU ATE THE EXACT FOODS & AMOUNT THAT SOMEONE ELSES DID.

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

What is your scar like?--- My scar is from the base of my breastbone down 4 inches below my navel (bellybutton) - was originally stretched out as wide as my finger - my surgeon revised my scar and it looks much better now. Is this what you expected? yes and no... Length (yes), the widening of my original scar (NO)

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery... Get yourself one of the small bottles of water, switch the cap out for a flip top cap (SMALL bottles fits nice in a purse or side pak) Keep it with you at all times, when you pass a water cooler, refill your bottle, sip on this ALL THE TIME - DO NOT FEAR the plateau's - your body is in shock that you are not eating as much. You can imagine how this works... Your body says "hey, I'm going to hold on to every calorie that he/she gives me because they are trying to starve me. Once it realizes that you are still feeding it, the pounds start to come off again." -- another thing you can try that worked for me.. LEAN & GREEN only - any lean protein and any GREEN VEGGIE... do this for 3 to 4 days. Make sure you get all your water in too.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES! I have had "friends" say they cannot be around me anymore because it makes them look "fat" - ugggh!!!