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

I saw the Carnie Wilson Story and her surgery recording on TV ..... I saw the outcome and didnt care the risks ...i called and started the process ASAP

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

i didnt have much to do with that part other than me asking the doctors nurse , do they forsee any issues with me getting approval and they said no, they have a good insurance dept. that handles the letters to send to insurance to get the initial approval....and apprently they did, BUT my surgeon (after the several tests your required and months later) MY LOVELY surgeon had personal issues with the people who ran the insurance company that i was carried by SO .....2 YES 2 DAYS before my sceduled SURGERY DATE ...the office calls me and says were sorry the doctor (wont say his name ) is NO LONGER accepting your insurance ....HUH they left me out to DRY ...no where to turn , not even a suggestion as what i should do and , who else does these surgeries , so i Searched they internet and FOUND THIS SITE , which allowed me to research many doctors in my area whom did barriatric surgery and found DR ELLIOT GOODMAN (Montifiore Hosp BRONX NYC)

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

well my first visit to this office didnt consist of meeting him , i met his assistant , which went well , like i said i am 4 years post op , i do not remember it very well But i do know i was already educated to it beings ive been through it all with the issues of the previous doctor

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I had my mind set after the carnie wilson documentary !!!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I wanted what she had ...never did i explore the other options kind of wish i did because to my understanding and now experience (lap band would have had better results ) with skin hanging issues & being able to tolerate a different array of foods

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?

MAN OH MAN i was bombarded with people whom like me were over weight but they themselves i guess didnt like the idea of the surgery so they told me every con about it and made me feel like uhhh S*h!T and i was gonna die and i was gonna have complication and all this stuff not a once did anyone wish me well ....but i went through with it and PRAYED TO GOD SECRETLY and made the letters to my kids explaining what i was doing and why and if i didnt come back this was why and so on and so forth , i dont wish anyone to have a false sence at things to go wrong with the surgery but with any surgery, walk in it with you head high and Holding GODS HAND cause if he wants YOU surgery or not YOUR GOING .... I PRAYED AND HOPED AND CRYED but dont let that hold you back from the lifetime of happiness to follow GOD WILLING !!!!!!!!

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?

well i only had issues with my husband , whom didnt want me to have surgery because he himslef had issues with me ( Controlling and Possesivness) which ultimately Broke us up because i did the surgery without his "approval" WELL he wasnt supportive of my losing weight cause i might get too skinny and leave him well , i was trying to get healthy and if he wasnt supporting me on that HE HAD TO GO !!!! and i am in another state now , without him and divorce is following !!!!

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

well at that time i was not working , but as far as activities , i did well because ive had abdominal surgery before and was understanding of what was expected of me before i was to be discharged , walking upright ect ect I was out of the hospital 2 days after surgery slowly walking down fordham rd shopping for new clothes because i Dropped 30 lbs in 4 days i dont know how and i needed something other than a nightgown to go out in I dont suggest going shopping or anything but my doctor said with adult company and my strong will he dont see anything wrong with it ....So off i WAS...and did good too !

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

i didnt stay long , i was there 2 days only and i brought a change of clothes and a night gown , i didnt even take a shower. i did the small walks down the hall that they wanted and the bathroom and pretty much slept and watched tv I was exhausted and i dont know why but it was short and sweet and they were all very helpful but i didnt call on them much so i didnt see them much (nurses)

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

none

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

well im a worry wart so i think the 3rd day , i dont know why i did it (my fat PERSON INSIDE) made me eat refried beans I means they were soft watery food & protein , never thought that i would get gas from them so BAD i thought something was wrong inside i cried and called the doctor and (personaly) he laughed at me and said relax charlene your just gassy get gas X and stop eating foods you shouldnt ! OK i followed the advice of my doctor from that day forward HAHAHAH! Other than that i felt good i felt i wanted to eat more but wow 4 ozs of water FILLED ME up amazing i wish i could eat more than just liquids GOD i wanted a whopper

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

i pretty much am a busy body , i dont sit still so i did things as i saw fit , i mean not moving furniture or cleaning but my docotr said do what you normally do just take caution to how you feel (neasea, dizziness) and react on that slow baby steps he said

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

i lived a bus or train ride away 7 blocks or so Cant help out much here , i took a cab home

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.

well first few weeks was liquids , no sugary juices pretty much broth and water , i did that till i got to applesause and diet this and that ... i took my vitamins and drank protein shakes and REMEMBER **** FOLLOW YOUR DOCTORS ADVICE *** NOT MINE But all in all i slowly did what i wanted to i had to see what i could and couldnt eat some say no red meat and rices and and some say thats all they eat ,ME !? I cant eat either one TO THIS DAY i cant break down those things i dont know why I love cheeses i ate alot of cheese and yogurt and tuna and some soda here and there but too much sugar make me sick and some foods dont remember all of them but like steamed broccoli and califlower make me gassy and i end up rejecting that ***only i say *** everyone is different and no one knows YOU BUT YOU and you slowly have to take into account things that you can tolerate ****cause i lived by docotrs and books , i was opposite in alot of instances but i did pass that by my doctor and he allowed me to explore myself tolerences

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

AGAIN I SAY ...im a busy body i was GONE Woke up went to the bathroom brushed teeth washed face woke up kids , fussed with them till they were out the door off to school , slowly at breakfast , slowly got dressed and slowly went down 5 flights of stairs and went to corner store for newspaper and usually walked to PCP ofc a block away checked weight or went to doctors appointment or another doctors appointment elsewhere...went home , watched tv , prepared dinner etc ect ...

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

flintstones chewables 2 a day Necture Brand Protein mix from the Vitamin shoppe Met Rx bars occasionally

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?

alot of dumping when i explored foods i wanted to eat and was told i wouldnt be able to no hair loss no loss of sleep nothing bad i must say

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

the after math 5 years later ---the skin a little saggy nothing horriable noticeable with clothes on , just me knowing its not attractive and the fact i still have to hide under clothes. I also was extremely anemic for a period . no one knew why but i had to have IV therapy (feratin) and a blood transfusion which lead to a blood test taken by accident which diagnosed me with Lupus and no one knew i had it AMAZING HOW GOD works in Mysterious ways But im better now , i just feel my muscles are deteriorating and no one understands what im trying to explain I mean i cant squat down and come back up like i used to , i feel like my bones want to crack , perhaps im just getting old huh

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

N/A

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

I had my Gall bladder removed prior to surgery, so they re-opened that same scar up , and its just like having a open RNY

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

i plateau' at 180 for quite sometime thought i was gonna stay there just about 2 year later it started falling off again bringing me to my now 2 yr weight of 150lbs size 8-9-10

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

oh yes ..... ecspecially MEN ive known before who never would have taken their conversation to a romatice level if you will , now want to do so I tell them YOU DIDNT WANT ME THEN , WHY TALK TO ME NOW ???? the nerve I TOLD them TO KEEP ON WALKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!