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

TV PERSONALITIES, READING MAGAZINES, FAMILY HAD SURGERY AND WAS VERY INTEREST FROM BEGINNING.

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

STAY WAS GOOD. THE ROOMS VERY SMALL. A BIT UNCOMFORTABLE FOR PRIVACY AND A VISITOR AT A TIME. STAYES FROM TUES A. M. TO THURS A.M. NO MAJOR COMPLAINTS.

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

I WAS UNABLE TO GET THAT SMALL AMOUNT OF LEAN MEAT AND LEAFY VEGETABLE DOWN THEN CONSUME FLUIDS. THE NURSES,. THE DOCTOR KEPT TELLING ME IT WAS JUST THE PROCESS, CHEW SLOW, THOROUGHLY AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. I FINALLY DEMANDED TO SEE THE DOCTOR THAT WOULD LOOK INTO MY STOMACK AND SEE IF THE OPENING WAS CORRECT./ IT WAS NOT IT WAS AT A 1 - 2 MM AND NEEDED BE OPENEED TO 10 MM OR MORE. DOING BETTER BUT I GOT SO RUN DOWN BEFORE THIS TOOK PLACE IT IS HARD TO GET BACK INTO THE PROCESS. I AM SCARED AND SCEPTICAL

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

IT CAME UP QUICK AND I WAS WORRIED IF SOMETHING HAPPENED WHAT ABOUT MY 13 SON. WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY HAD CLEAN CLOTHES AND COULD DEAL WITH ME BEING OUT FOR A WEEK OR SO. I WAS BUSY.

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

PER THE ABOVE I WAS NOT THE NORM. I HAD COMPLICATIONS. I WAS MISERABLE, DEHYDRATED AND FELT LIKE IS THIS SUPPOSE TO BE LIKE THIS??? NO ONE TOLD ME TO GO OFF MY ANTI DEPRESSANTS BEFORE SURGERY AND I WENT OFF THEM COLD TURKEY AND THAT SENT ME THROUGH WITHDRAWLS. I HOPE THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED TO ANYONE ELSE.

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

ACROSS TOWN, INCONVENIENT SINCE I LIVE CLOSE TO ALOW OF OTHER FACILITIES AND DOCTORS, HOWEVER., DR. WONGSA CAME WITH A STRONG REFERREL.

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.

DOCTOR SAYS EAT LEAN MEATS AND LEAFY VEGETABLES. IT HITS MY STOMACH LIKE A ROCK AND DOES NOT WANT TO MOVE FOR HOURS,. MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO LIQUIDS DOWN. EATING SOUPS, WON TON, EGG DROP, TRY TO EAT A SMALL BITE MEAT AS CAN

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

EXHAUSTED. I WENT ON VACATON TO S PADRE ISLAND. WHICH I NORMALLY DO NOTHING BUT RELAX AND ENJOY, HOWEVER, I WAS IRRITABLE, DID NOT FEEL GOOD AND CAME HOME EARLY. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET STRENTH UP ENTIRELY YET.

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

OH!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE HELP ME HERE. SINCE I GOT SICK AND RUN DOWN I CHOKED UP THE VITAMINS WHEN I TOOK THEM, FLINTSONES, CENTRUM, SOME OTHER CITRUS, JUST CAN NOT GET THEM DOWN. I REALLY AND TRYING TO RESEARCH THIS AREA. I WOULD TAKE A DAILY SHOP OF MULTI VITAMIN AND NOT BOTHER EATING THEM AGAIN. I JUST HAVE TROUBLE STOMACING THE VITAMINS. I WISH TO FIND A MELTING VITAMIN. IF I ONLY HAD THE FUNDS AND KNOWLEDGE TO DO THIS IT WILL BE BIG HIT FOR WLS.

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?

WHEN I TOOK VITAMINS OR OTHER FOODS THAT WOULD NOT GO DOWN THEN I WOULD START OVER 3 DAYS BROTH AND LIQUIDS. MY HAIR HAS THINNED, THANK GOD, I HAVE A LOT OF HAIR. NAUSEA PROBLEM FOR AWHILE, IT IS STARTING TO SETTLE DOWN AFTER 6 WEEKS AND THE OTHER SURGERY.

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

NOT KNOWING THE DIFFERENT FEELINGS YOU HAVE AFTER SURGERY. HUNGER PAINS FEEL DIFFERENT, PAIN ITSELF FEELS DIFFERENT. NOT SURE WHEN FULL AND WHEN PUSHING THE LIQUIDS AS REQUIRED. THE CHANGE IN FEELING OF THE STOMACH COMPLETELY CHANGE. HAVING NO CONTROL

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

NOT YET ABLE TO ATTEND SUPPORT GROUP. HELD ON DAYS I HAVE BEEN GONE AND IT IS ACROSS TOWN. I DO WANT TO AS I FEEL THE NEED FOR SOME OTHER EXPERIENCES.

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

SCARS 5 KNIFE WOULD LOOKING SCARS NOT BAD. I CAN LIVE WITH THEM.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

DROPPED ABOUT 35 LBS IN THE SIX WEEKS AND MANY HAVE NOTICED AND COMMENTED. I DO SHARE EXPERIENCE AS IF IT WILL HELP SOMEONE ELSE I WANT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THAT INFO