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

My Primary Doctor Recommeded it to me because I tried all diets and no luck. I attend a weight Loss semminar and they told me so much,I had a good feeling about it so I did

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

I was approved super Fast it took about a month for appoval and had to go through psyc. evaluation before anything. Also had to loose some weight before i was able to have it. I Lost 35 pounds before.

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

my doctor is GREAT he answered all my questions I had no Fears. Dont be afraid to ask questions..No Question is too Dumb.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My Health

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

life comment. is what I want.. I did not want to go back and get adjusted every month...

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 had no fears at all .. I Belived I would have Died if I did not have the Surgery.. I feel when it is your time to go then it is... I felt it was NOT my time andmy Doctor made me at ease about it.. I had no worries

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 was and still with me . They even loss a little weight them selfs by eating better like me.

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

not working

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

I was there for 2 days.. It was an ok stay . had to get out of bed alot to go to the restroom, I had no help getting out of bed but other wise it was fine.

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

No Major problems.. I had to leave my Drain in a week longer to be on the safe side Due to Color of discharge coming out.. I had to wait for all the results to come back before they could take it out.

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 Great..with everything I had no anxiety at all. my Doctor and all the staff were there for me every second..and still are.. Even when I moved out of state 2 months ago.

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

It takes a while to get used to eating Puree foods..I advise to eat slow..You eat too fast you feel pain and then throw it up.

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

I had to drive a 10 minute ride

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.

I was on a Puree diet for for weeks.. I only were able to eat all puree foods. Like Baby Food,Mashed potatoes. and drink lots or water

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

it impoved 8 weeks.when i was able to bend and lift.

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

I have taken and still are are 2 Children Chewable Multi vitamins and B-1 Vitamins

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?

My Side effects were only when I eat too fast I would Have dumping and also alot Hair Loss

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

I Had no worse part ( Besides Dry Mouth from the surgery for a few weeks )

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

All the Support is Great to have.. I had alot of Family Support plus My Doctor and his staff was and still is there for me when I need them or even if I have a question

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

I have a few little scars... I thought it would be worse.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I had a great experience with the surgery Highly reccommed it.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES.. I notice people look at me different,without any disgusting looks .. when I was 398 they look at me like gross..