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

Through my GP

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

Insurance didn't cover it, paid cash out of pocket

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

Very good, I flew from Dubai to Mumbai and checked into the hospital late in the afternoon. The doctor came in almost immediately and went through everything about the procedure with me. He was very helpful in explaining every little detail and being open to every question I had. How can people get the most out of the first meetings............ Don't be intimidated, if it doesn't feel right try and figure out why and make any necessary changes before you commit further.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

It was like a last chance belief in knowing that, this is it. Without it, I'm most likely dead in a year or so

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I was seeing doctors on a regular basis for diabetes, hypertension, liver problems and they referred me to a local obesity clinic in Dubai. When I visited the clinic the doctor explained my options but the only real option wasn't available in the UAE and with insurance not paying any portion it, considering a return home to USA was pretty much out of the question. I couldn't afford it. I finally hooked up with a company named Recover-Discover which made all the arrangements, was the go-between for all the resources and provided me with great information and helped make the selection process easy for me. It never came across as a sales pitch. It was a useful service.

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?

Well, I was pretty much resigned to the fact that I did my homework, felt very good about the procedure I was going to have as well as the doctor and his experience. I was very impressed with the hospital and my mindset was all prepared so I was very much at peace with the decision to proceed.

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?

They were happy for me and very suportive that I had made the decision to go through with it. My wife of course was my biggest supporter. My family was concerned with my choice of traveling to India to have the surgery done but I made sure they understood what type of research I had done and what I based my decision on.

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

They were also supportive as many of us had worked together through the years at various companies, the business I'm in is a small brotherhood where if not the face, most of the big names are well known. It wasn't ever a concern to them. I took off close to 4 weeks in total.

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

After my arrival they pretty much put me at ease with their competency and caring attitude. The hospital staff were great. The facilities were immaculate and well maintained although they may have not had the most modern of all the equipment of the hospitals of the world, what they did have was exceptionally cared for. I had pretty much packed my suitcase not knowing what I needed but of course you want copmfortable easy to slip on footwear, loose fitting clothese such as sweatpants and tee shirts. We all know how hospital gowns fit big people!

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

No complications what so ever.

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

The anxiety of the operation was over when I came out of the anesthesia. I was never in pain, never really in any discomfort. AS the days past I was becoming stronger. Staying in the hotel took a bit of getting used to as I had wanted to walk around so we would take all of our meals in the restaurant. The hotel staff was always concerned why I didn't eat anything more than soup and tea, so I had to explain the situation several times, but no anxiety!

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

Expect to not be hungry, you aren't. You eat so slowly when you do eat that anything starting off hot, gets cold. Its an adjustment to look at food on a plate, it looks like it isn't enough and more often than not, it surely is. You become more mobile, you may walk a little longer, a little faster, you begin to realize small changes in your wardrobe or how much further you seem to be able to reach during your morning shower! You get on and off the toilet better every day. Small but steady changes with the biggest change being............You aren't ever hungry.

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

I flew from Dubai, UAE to Mumbai, India. My wife flew from our home in the USA to be with me during the entire time in India.

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.

After I got off the liquids and went through the soft diet period (30 days) of yogurts, beans, protein shakes and bars as recommended by my surgeon Dr. Goel, I could pretty much eat any type of food I wanted, just eating very very tiny amounts. I haven't experienced any problems with foods. I don't drink during meals and lay off drinks either side of eating.

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

It got better almost daily and I was more encouraged to be more active as I felt much better healthwise and appearance wise.

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

I take Vitamin B 12 plus B multivitamins. I take iron supplements and an antacid every days. I take a daily Centrum Silver muti-vitamin

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?

Once or twice over the past 6 months while eating a little too quickly I have experienced slight discomfort where my mouth begins to water like you may feel beofre you throw-up, but it passed within a few minutes and I am more careful or more in tune with my eating habits so I haven't had a recurrence. I have experienced dry brittle hair and have lost more than I used to in the brush so am searching around for a different shampoo and conditioner to try and revitalize my hair. I have been rubbing in some aloe vera gel at night and then rinsing out during the morning shower and this seems to have helped and I see less hair ending up in my brush.

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

Not being able to have it done 20 years ago.

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

No formal support group although my family and friends are very open to talk things through with me and share in my joy at regaining my life and health

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

Couple little scars on my belly

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Has been much of a plateau period for me. Had the surgery in September and now we are in mid-june and I have dropped 180 lbs overall.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Probably, yes but I don't go looking for these differences, sometimes I just notice them. It hasn't been negative.