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

one of the nurses in my job had the operation about 4 years ago and she was my inspiration.

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

make sure your doctor's office contacts the insurance company in plenty of time before the operation.

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

make sure you bring a list of all your questions that you have been thinking about concerning this operation....also bring a pen and paper so that you can write down items that the doctor explains to you concering this operation.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

After all the medical problems that i was having,,my doctor told me that at the rate i was going with my life , i would properly be not live to age 50, so i went to see another doctor for a second opinion, and he told me the same thing that the first doctor had said...and i decided I wanted to live !!!!!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I wanted the operation to be done by lap, and I found a doctor that did the gastric bypass that way.

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?

No, i wasn't afraid...i really had no choice..i wanted to live. Have confidence in your doctor, and speak to other people that had the operation from this doctor....also ask the doctor who else is on his operating team and check them out.

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?

1. the decision: My friends thought i was crazy, my parents were scared for me, 2.i just wish i had known how difficult it would be to eat after the operation...it's a whole life change....difficult in the beginning, but it eventually get better. 3. after the operation, my parents, I went to their home after i was discharged from the hospital, they couldn't get over that i was up and around with only slight discomfort. They were very supported to me especially my mom...she really helped me with the food, etc, but both my parents were great..I stayed at their home for 1 month.

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

My boss thought i was crazy....he felt the operation was very drastic..but he supported my decision. I WENT BACK TO WORK AFTER 3 WEEKS ON LIGHT DUTY....ABSOLUTLY NO LIFTING until your doctor tell you that you can!! I could of stayed out of work 8 weeks, but doing the operation the lap. way, you recover quicker.

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

STILL TAKE SHOPRITE SUPER VITAMIN, I'VE UPPED THE VITAMINS TO TWO A DAY {IN THE MORNING WITH MY 3 OZ OF ORANGE JUICE).

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

THERE WAS NONE

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

JUST 4 POINTS....NOT A SCAR AT ALL....THANK G-D...IT WAS JUST AS THE DR'S SAID IT WOULD BE...I WAS LUCKY!!!

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

WELL I REALLY HAVE'NT REALLY REACHED A PLATEAU YET.....6 MONTHS SINCE SURGERY.....LOST 114 LBS ALREADY...AND STILL LOSING. DOWN TO A SIZE 14 NOW ALL THE WAY FROM A SIZE 26/28

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

OH YES....MANY MORE MEN LOOKING AT ME (HAVING A HARD TIME HANDLING THAT)...PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT I STILL HAVE THE "FAT HEAD".,IT JUST DOSEN'T GO AWAY SO EASY. ONE OF MY FRIENDS ASKED ME IF I WAS GOING TO THROW AWAY ALL MY OLD HEAVY FRIENDS SO THAT I WOULD ONLY HANG OUT WITH THE NEW SKINNY FRIENDS.....I THOUGHT THAT WAS A STRANGE AND STUPID THING TO SAY....MY FRIENDS ARE MY FRIENDS....NO MATTER WHAT THE SIZE...I WILL NEVER FORGET FROM WHERE I STARTED FROM!!!!!