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

I had a friend who had a RNY GB. She approached me and told me about her journey and then I began to look into surgery. I was in awe of the thought of loosing weight and keeping it off. I had never been able to do that.

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

I had no problem getting approval from my insurance co since my husbands job and included WLS in their plan.

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

It was great. I would have a list of all questions that you want answered ready so that you can ask your surgeon.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Being 140 lbs overweight make me decide to have surgery plus the fact that I was very unhappy with my body size and shape.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

RNY GB was the only one that my insurance co. would cover at that time.

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?

None what so ever.....I gave my surgery to God and he gave me complete and utter peace in the situation.

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?

None of my family was FOR me having surgery. I would communicate with my family the same way if I had to do it overwith today. Everyone was extremely supportive of me once I had the surgery and they saw the weight coming off.

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

N/A

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

My hospital stay was great. I was there 3 days...he usually keeps you 2 but the leak test made me ill and gave me dry heaves and my bariatric surgeron made me stay a extra night. Lip gloss and loose clothes

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

No

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 walking on air and so excited I just couldn't believe that my prayers had been answered

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

To be tired and not to be able to eat more than a few spoonfuls at a meal if that.

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

I traveled about 4 miles from my home to have the surgery.

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.

The floods that I couldn't eat right away was salads, white chicken, ground beef. I was on soft stage foods right away. I can pretty much eat anything right now. There were foods at first that I couldn't tolerate but with time and trying them over and over....I eventually could eat them.

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

My activity was slow at first but eventually did increase weeks after surgery.

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

I take 2 Flintstone vitamins a day, a dropper full of liquid B12 every other day and 2 viactiv Calcium chews a day.

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?

The vomiting and hair loss were the worse. Both lasted abour 2 to 3 months. I coped well with both.

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

Nothing

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

I go to a support group once a month and I talk at my surgeon's seminars 2 times a month.

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

You can hardly see my scars now.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I would plateau about every other month or so.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes.....people are much more friendly to you since you have lost your weight. It is terrible but true.