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

I heard about it first fro my aunt when she was telling e about Carnie Wilson, but it slipped my mind. Then I had to see a surgeon about an abscess, and he referred me to my Dr. I also then spoke to a work assosciate of my friend and she had the surgery in August s she told me all she had went through and her opinion of the surgery. It sounded a little intimiating at first.

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

Approval was easy as I have medicaid medicare in Va and preapprovals werent necessary

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

Dr Kellum was very helpful, and very nice, he was sensitive and realistic, blunt forward and very honest. He didnt sugar coat things but at the same time he didnt humiliate or make me feel ashsmaed

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

This site and all the sucess stories finally convinced me

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I was part of a study and they randomly picked it from a hat basically at the time of surgery

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?

Be honest with ur surgeon and his nurses, do as much research as u can, email peers and ask questions, hold nothing bac, the resources and info are out ther e if u look hard enough. I was scared I would be sick all the time or that I would die but I am here and i am fine and almost 170 lbs lighter in less than a year!!!

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?

Everyone was supportive, some were scared for me but saw I had looked into this and not just jumped on the idea as a phase so they were supportive of my choice. I was eager to sgare with them and email them info so I would suggest the same. After surgery some ppl changed, I wont lie, there r a lot of ppl out there who hate to see u suceed and u might even lose friends like I have but u see who is real when u change your life like this

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

I was in the hospital 5 days post op because I was very constipated and they wouldnt release me until I had a BM, I was in pain but made myself get up and move, I felt miserable and wondered did I do the right thing but now I know I did. The most important thing to bring is that attitude u will survive and succeed!!

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?

well my whole life turned upside down, a jealous friend I was living with caused me to have to move 3 weeks post op and so while healing I ws stressed and upset the whole time but I think having to get up and pack and be out of bed was beneficial in the long run

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

well as I said my experience was unusual so I am not one to base it on I was sore but had to get up and pack and move and look for a new place so I just accepted it and did what I had to

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

1 hour

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.

RIce, regular breads, soda, pasta, all for the first 3 months made me vomit, but not many food problems AS LONG AS U EAT SLOW AND CHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I hardly ever get sick and I eat lovely

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

I was up walking a mile a day and packing to move, out looking for ann apartment

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

iron B12 calcium multi 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?

some hair loss but Im not bald, lol, food got stuck when I was greedy, hair lost was really for 4 mo post op to 7 mo post op

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

waking up and havingthat breathing tube stilll in!!!!!

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

i have found online chat rooms as I am far from the groups and dont drive, fellowship with peers from this site also

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

well I am a lotion freak....I attack the scar 5-6 times a day for 11 months with vit E, cocoa butter, and shea nut butter plus lotion and my scar has faded dramatically and I am not so ashamed of it anymore

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

when i finally saw all my pics on here altogether I cried to see the difference, it never set s in cuz i see my belly and what i still dislike or my arms and pick it all apart for the imperfections, but seeing the pics all together there was so dramatic to me

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

yes some ppl flirt that never noticed, some friends act odd or rude, and ppl in general smile more