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

MY DR. TOLD ME ON A VISIT IN MAY OF LAST YEAR THAT IF I DIDN'T DO SOMETHING I WOULD NOT LIVE TO SEE 50. I HAD JUST HAD MY 45TH. BIRTHDAY AND THAT DIDN'T GIVE ME A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO. AS SOON AS HE SUGGESTED IT I STARTED RESEARCHING. MY INITIAL IMPRESSION WAS "COULD I REALLY DO THIS FOR LIFE?" THEN I REALIZED THAT THERE WOULDN'T BE MUCH LIFE IF I DIDN'T!!!

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

I WENT FOR MY CONSULTATION AND THE DRS. OFFICE ASK FOR APPROVAL ON MY BEHALF. THAT WAS ON A FRIDAY AND ON MONDAY THEY CALLED ME AND TOLD ME I WAS APPROVED.

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

THEY WERE VERY INFORMATIVE. THEY REALLY EXPLANED THINGS WELL. TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR CONSULTATION, DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS NO MATTER HOW SILLY YOU MIGHT THINK THEY ARE.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

AFTER SEEING THE WHOLE PICTURE MY FEARS WERE CALMED AND I JUST KNEW THAT THE SURGERY WAS FOR ME.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

MY SURGEON ONLY DOES ONE PROCEEDURE

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 WAS REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT BEING PUT TO SLEEP. I AM A SMOKER AND I HAD SLEEP APNEIA REALLY BAD. MY SUGGESTION IS TO FOLLOW THEIR ORDERS TO A "T" AND CHECK YOUR SURGEONS RECORDS VERY WELL.

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 FAMILY AND FRIENDS WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE BEFORE AND ESPECIALLY AFTER MY SURGERY.

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

I AM A HOMEMAKER

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

MY STAY IN THE HOSPITAL WAS AS PLEASANT AS IT COULD HAVE BEEN. YOUR SURGEON WILL TELL YOU WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO BRING. MY STAY WAS 7 DAYS DUE TO COMPLICATIONS.

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

I HAD EXTREME COMPLICATIONS. AFTER SURGERY I WAS GIVING MORPHINE WHICH BROUGHT MY O2 STAT DOWN. I ENDED UP HAVING TO GO TO ICU AND WAS PLACED ON A VENTILATOR. I STAYED ON THE VENT FOR 2 DAYS AND DEVELOPED PHEMONIA.

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

FOR THE 1ST FEW WEEKS I WAS SCARED OF EVERY BITE I PUT IN MY MOUTH. IT WASN'T LONG THAT I GOT SETTLED INTO THE HABIT OF EATING AND ESPECIALLY CHEWING MY FOOD REALLY WELL.

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

OF COURSE YOU ARE VERY SORE AS WITH ANY SURGERY BUT IT WASN'T LONG I WAS MOVING AROUND PRETTY WELL. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO FOLLOW YOUR SURGEONS INSTRUCTIONS AND DRINK, DRINK, DRINK

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

I TRAVELED 3 HRS. AWAY FROM HOME. IT WAS A LITTLE INCONVENIENT BUT WELL WORTH IT. NOW WITH MY FOLLOW UP BLOOD WORK, I HAVE IT DONE HERE AND THEY FAX IT. I HAVE PHONE CONSULTATIONS AFTER THEY HAVE RECIEVED IT.

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.

BREAD IS THE ONE THING I STILL CAN'T TOLERATE AFTER 5 MONTHS. IT JUST WILL NOT STAY DOWN.

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

IT WAS A FEW WEEKS THAT I DIDN'T DO MUCH BUT AS THE WEIGHT HAS COME OFF I HAVE FOUND THAT I HAVE MORE ENERGY THAN I HAVE HAD IN YEARS.

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

I TAKE PRENATAL VITAMINS, B12 AND A CALCIUM SUPPLEMENT

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?

I HAD A LOT OF NAUSIA AND STILL EXPERIENCE FROTHING AND VOMITING WHEN SOMETHING DOESN'T AGREE WITH ME.

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

I HAD TO UNDERGO AND EDG NOT ONCE BUT TWICE IN THE FIRST 6 WEEKS DUE TO THE OPENING CLOSING.

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

I HAVE SUCH WONDERFUL SUPPORT FROM FAMILY & FRIENDS THAT I HAVEN'T HAD THE NEED FOR A SUPPORT GROUP UP TO THIS POINT. IF I HADN'T HAD SUCH GREAT SUPPORT I WOULD THINK A SUPPORT GROUP WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY IMPORTANT.

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

I HAVE THE FIVE LAPROSCOPIC SCARS. THEY ARE NOT BAD AT ALL.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

AT FIRST I LOST SO MUCH SO FAST BUT 5 MONTHS OUT IT IS SLOWING DOWN. ONE WEEK I ONLY LOST 1 LB. AND I GOT A LITTLE NERVOUS BUT I AVERAGE NOW 3 TO 5 LBS. A WEEK.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES I DO. I SEE SOME THAT JUST GO ON AND ON ABOUT HOW GREAT I LOOK BUT I ALSO SEE SOME THAT LOOK BUT DON'T SAY A WORD.