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

I WAS SCARED TO DEATH OF IT AND WONDERED HOW IN THE HECK COULD PEOPLE DO THAT TO THEMSELVES?

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

I WAS REALLY LUCKY AND HAD NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH MY INSURANCE PAYING FOR MY SURGERY AS LONG AS I WENT THROUGH THEIR 6 MONTH WEIGHT LOSS NUTRITION PROGRAM.

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

MY FIRST MEETING WAS GREAT. I WAS BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL DOCTOR. MAKE SURE TO WRITE DOWN YOUR QUESTIONS BEFORE GOING TO YOUR APPOINTMENT AND BRING THEM WITH YOU. THAT SURE HELPED ME TO NOT FORGET ANYTHING.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I JUST COULDN'T DEAL WITH MY ILL HEALTH ANYMORE.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

THE GASTRIC BYPASS ROUX EN Y (SP?) WAS THE BEST CHOICE FOR ME.

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 WASN'T REALLY ALL THAT SCARED UNTIL THEY WERE WHEELING ME INTO SURGERY. BY THEN IT WAS TOO LATE TO TURN BACK...HAHAHA! SERIOUSLY, I WAS SCARED TO DEATH BUT KNEW THAT IT WAS MY ONLY HOPE TO GET HEALTHY. I HAD TRIED EVERY DIET KNOWN TO MAN PREVIOUSLY WITH NO HELP. I NEEDED THE SURGERY TO LIVE AND I KNEW GOD WOULD BE IN THE SURGERY ROOM WITH ME.

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?

MY FAMILY WASN'T TOO HAPPY ABOUT MY DECISION BUT IT WAS MY LIFE AND I HAD TO MAKE THE DECISION FOR ME. THE WHOLE ENTIRE SURGERY WAS FOR ME. I HAD NEVER REALLY DID ANYTHING FOR MYSELF UNTIL THEN AND IT'S THE BEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE FOR MYSELF. I HAD A COUPLE OF FRIENDS WHO BACKED ME UP BUT NO TOO MANY. I THINK THAT IT WAS MOSTLY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT ALL.

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

I WAS OUT OF WORK FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS AT FIRST BUT THEN HAD TO ADD SOME TIME BECAUSE I HAD TO GO BACK IN AND HAVE MY GALLBLADDER REMOVED AFTERWARDS. I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH MY EMPLOYER.

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

CLOVIS COMMUNITY HOSPITAL IN CLOVIS CA WAS WONDERFUL! YOU DON'T NEED TO TAKE TOO MUCH. I WAS IN AND OUT IN A DAY.

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

I HAD NO PROBLEMS AT FIRST.

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 FELT EVERY EMOTION POSSIBLE AFTERWARDS. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ONLINE AND JUST KEPT LEARNING MORE AND MORE ABOUT THE PROCEDURE TO KEEP ME BUSY. :)

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

VERY TIRED, EXHAUSTED. I THOUGHT I WOULD NEVER GET MY ENERGY BACK.

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

30 MINUTES.

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.

I HAVE BEEN A LUCKY ONE. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS EATING FOOD AND DRINKING MY FLUIDS. I STILL DON'T DRINK ANY CARBONATED DRINKS AT ALL. I DON'T TOLERATE MILK ALL THAT WELL SO I TRY AND STAY AWAY FROM IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

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

NILL TO NONE. I WAS SO TIRED THAT ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS SLEEP.

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

I TAKE A DAILY MULTI-VITAMIN AND ALSO A CALCIUM TABLET EACH AND EVERY 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?

I HAD A LITTLE HAIR THINNING AT FIRST BUT NOT TOO BAD BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO GET THE PROTEIN IN WITH NO PROBLEMS. I STILL TO THIS DAY HAVE NEVER HAD TO VOMIT. AGAIN, I HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES! :)

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

THE WORST PART FOR ME WAS HAVING TO GO BACK IN AND HAVE MY GALLBLADDER OUT EXACTLY ONE MONTH AFTER THE ORIGINAL SURGERY.

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

I LIKE MY SUPPORT GROUPS AND THE INTERNET. IT IS VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE SUPPORT AFTERWARDS. PLEASE DON'T GO AT IT ALL ALONE.

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

I HAVE 4 TINY SCARS AND YOU CAN HARDLY EVEN SEE THEM NOW.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I HAVE HAD TWO REALLY HARD PLATEAUS AND THEY CAN BE VERY DISCOURAGING! I AM ACTUALLY ON ONE NOW AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR IT TO END. THEY CAN BE HARD, BUT JUST STICK WITH YOUR WATER INTAKE AND KEEP UP THE EXERCISE AND THE WEIGHT LOSS WILL KICK BACK IN AGAIN. :)

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

OH YES, IT'S VERY STRANGE HOW PEOPLE SEEM TO NOTICE YOU DIFFERENTLY. THIS WORLD IS SO MEAN TO OVERWEIGHT PEOPLE.