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

I new about bariatric surgery all my life, but growing up you hear all kinds of horror stories about this surgery, only to finally find out they were all bull. Best thing I've ever done for myself!

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 my insurance provider to okay this surgery (as fat as I was they must have figured they'd save money on me in the long run.) Just make sure you meet the guidelines of your coverage and be patient. They like to drag their feet.

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

He gave the obvious pros and also the cons. Nothing was sugar-coated which I respected. The individual time with him was very short, but he didn't need to spend much time with me that day. His concern is genuine. I feel that I made the right choice in selecting him for my surgery. Don't leave your meeting without getting all the info you can on this surgery, ask lots of questions, get his qualifications, how many of these he has done. etc...

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Being 381 lbs. and feeling like life was over at 37.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

The internet and www.obesityhelp.com I learned all I could first.

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 really had no fears, I looked at it as I'm 381 lbs. I felt lousy 24-7, my knees were all but shot, life was not fun, so what was there to fear.

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

I never really told my employer or supervisors until I got back to work why I was off. At the time I felt it wasn't anyones buisness. I finally told everyone (after awhile I had no choice. I was off work for 4 wks, I could have been back at 3 wks, but I said what the hell, and the Doc gave me another week.

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

My hospital stay was really good, I couldn't have asked for better people. I was there for 3 days, and I brought my laptop and DVDs

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

No complications other than just feeling absolutely tore up. But things got better.

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 I got my date and then had surgery like 2 1/2 weeks later, but I was feeling better the closer I got to the date.

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

I didn't feel very good for the first couple of weeks. I won't lie, I suffered for a few days. My wife really helped me to get through all this.

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

About 60 miles

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 really could not eat much of anything at first (everything made me sick), But after a few weeks thank god for campbells chicken noodle soup, I ate that all the time. I drank kool-ade all the time, just use splenda instead of sugar and you'll have a calorie free and really tastey drink. Then came stuff like mashed spuds, really soft foods, but pastas were still not goin' down. When I finally started to be able to eat meat, it was yes and no. some days some meat would stay down and the next day the same meat would come right back up. But chicken was a no-no. always made me sick. I am now about 8 months out and I can eat anything I want. But I eat small meals and keep away from fats and sugars. Splenda is a great sugar substitute, try it. Food is no longer my main thought everyday, Keep looking in the mirror everyday and use what you see as your driving force. And things will get easier.

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

In the days right after surgery my activity level was nill, I was just happy to move a little. After a few weeks I was walking alot. Then I started rollerblading, and riding a bike. 8 months later I feel great.

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

B-12 Calcium pills Multi-Vitamin and a protien drink.

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 vomitted ALOT, and I lost a lot of hair, but I knew that would all stop and the hair would grow back, so i figured it was just a little set back.

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

Nobody told me about head hunger. Even though I was not hungry anymore, my head still wanted the food and every smell still made me wanna eat. But of course I couldn't eat. That took a few weeks to get over, but i won't lie, it was hard. But it does go away and you will feel normal again.

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

www.obesityhelp.com and a good mirror and scale are the only support program I needed. www.obesityhelp.com is the best place to get support. Goto the chat. it really helps.

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

My scar is the least of my concerns, but it was what i expected, so I wasn't shocked.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I haven't had any.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

sure some people act different toward me, happy for me, and some heavy people kinda shy away when they find out how I lost it, I guess afraid I'm gonna push the surgery on'em.