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

A cousin of my husband's had it and thought this was a good way to lose the weight forever. My husband would hear nothing of it. But about a year or so after we first discussed WLS he told me he would support my decision.

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 trouble getting approved. Just keep good records of ALL of your weight loss tries, doctors who have helped you along the way.

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

My first impression was that he was a very kind man. Very thorough. Don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions. Find out how many surgeries he has performed. How many patients he has lost and what were the reasons.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Desperate! Knew I had to do something or my quality and quanity of life would continue to diminish.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Found a surgeon I liked and went with what he suggested.

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 worried up until I went into the operating room that I would not survive this. I prayed a lot. I would tell people to research, research, research! Get in a support group and learn from their experiences.

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 and friends were very supportive. And still continue to be supportive.

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

My two bosses were very supportive of my decision. I was out of work probably less than two weeks. Too little time if I had to do it over again.

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

My stay was very pleasant. I had surgery on Tuesday and came home on Thursday.

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

I was blessed not to have any complications.

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

Anxious. Wish it would hurry up and get here. I prayed a lot.

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

It took me a while to regain my stamina. I was not hungry so I had to force myself to eat cause I knew if I didn't eat I would get sick.

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

I travelled approximately 90 miles. I hated being so far from the doctor's office/hospital in case something did happen.

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 pretty much been able to eat anything I've wanted except for fried foods. As I said before, I had to force myself to eat. I got sick to death of eggs. As the months went by, though, things have gotten better. I ate grits. I would mix a little fruit juice with Crystal Light to take the after taste away. I could not tolerate any of the protein drinks which the doctor said he didn't want me to do anyway. He wanted me to have the real thing as much as possiple.

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

It took a few weeks to want to do anything. I didn't walk like I should have.

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

I take B12/B6, Complete vitamins, Calcium citrate

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 did not have much, if any nausea, vomiting, sleep disturbance or dumping. Hair loss I had. So I used the nioxin. I still struggle with losing hair every now and then, and it's been a year and a half. The last few months I have had trouble staying asleep. I wake up around 2:30 or 3:00 a.m. and cannot go back to sleep.

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

The gas pains where they blow your belly up.

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

Mostly online stuff. It is important and has been very helpful.

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

The scars are not that bad. Not sure what I expected. Didn't matter after all the years of being overweight.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Not really had any plateaus.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Oh yes. But I think, too, that a lot has to do with my confidence level. I don't mind walking with my head up and looking into people's faces.