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

Spouse

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

Get a good Doctor and it goes very smoothly. I had surgery within 2 months of start.

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

Very informative

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Health reasons

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My Doctor recomended it

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 none. I had complete confidence in my Doctor.

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?

I have friends that still don't know that I had surgery. I had 81 pounds to lose and they think I just got serious about weight loss. All other friends and family were very suportive. I made the decision for surgery for me and my health. I did not want to be old,fat,unhealthy and not being able to get around and be active. My husband and I want to travel when we retire.

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

I told my supervisor and she was very supportive of my decission. I was out 2 1/2 weeks. It has been 3 1/2 months now and I have accomplished 53% of my total weight loss to date. I am off all medications - diabetic, high blood pressure,acid reflex, cholesterol (good and bad).

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

I had to stay overnight. It went very fast. I was up walking shortly after I was sent to my room and was released the next morning.

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

I had some constipation when I started to introduce food. Other than that it went great and I felt great from day 1. There was no pain, a little difficulty getting up the first few days especially when I was in my recliner.

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 was just excited to finally get it done and looked forward to feeling great and not taking all my meds.

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

Drink, drink, drink. Your day is planned around drinking your 48 oz of liquids. Drink very slow.

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

Just into Huntsville. Only about 25 miles.

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.

Follow the advise of your Doctor. I did not have any trouble with any foods I have started eating. I do find that some things that I think I am hungry for do not taste as good as they did before. I have not been hungry since surgery. I still stay away from pasta, alcohol, soda, bread. Just chew very well and eat very slow. You will know when you are full if you listen to your body.

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

I felt more engery day by day. I have now join a gym and do things I never dreamed of before. Walk and remember to do weights.

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

2 vitamins - 1 iron - 1 B12 - 3 calcium citrate with vitamin D

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?

Had none of the side effects and it has been 3 1/2 months.

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

spending the night in the hospital and the constipation.

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

I go to the support group meeting once a month. Several of the people from the group also excerise at the same gym.

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

Several 1/2 inch scares and the little drain whole scare. Not bad at all.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have had 1 or 2. But it seems when they happen usually in a few days I will drop 2-3 lbs. Maybe water retension.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Not really.