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

I thought about it for 4 years.I remember hearing about Carnie Wilson. I wasn't sure what I thought about it at first. But the more weight i gained the more serious i became about it.

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

it was an easy process. the hospital dealt with it all.call them all th time to see if you are approved.

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

it was good. He was very informative. Answered all my questions. Ask any questions that you might have even if they might seem corny. Sometimes this is the only time that you meet them except for when you have the surgery

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

courage just took over.I decided that after all the yo-yo dieting didn't work that this was the next step for me. I see how hard it is for my father and (not to sound bad)but i didn't want it to happen to me.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I knew from the begining i wanted the rou-en-y procedure but then the doctor i went to does the lap. procedure instead of proximal. Then I found out healing was better with the lap. Well that made me happy

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 put faith in the surgeon that he knew what he was doing. I wasn't worried about death to much cuz i figured if i didn't have the surgery death was in my close furture. If you have put alot of thought into it, i wouldn't think about it too much. The more you think about it the more it bothers you.

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 very, very scared for me, but i excepted that. My family and friends were and are very supportive. they want to see this work for me and so don't i.

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

My hole team was completely supportive of my desision. They couldn't believe i was actaully going to go through with it. I was out of work for 6 weeks

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

The hospital i stayed at was great. They were very friendly. I went into the hospital thursday and came home Saturday evening. I brought my own robe cuz it made me feel comfortable, and a picture of my family that i was able to take to surgery with me.

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

No, doctor said every thing went very routine.

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 was very excited after i found out i had a date. The time seemed like it went by so slow. I tried to stay busy so i didn't think about it much.

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

The first two weeks i thought were miserable. I did not handle the pain very well. This was the first major surgery that i had been through and i think that was why. except to be sore, if you aren't though don't push it. I made that mistake twice and then paid for it with pain. you might also be very tired.

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

I went about 60 miles. It isn't too bad.It is nice to get out of town once a month.

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.

The first two weeks was nothing but mush, pureed food.Then the next month was soft tolerable foods. Second month is pretty much anything except beef and raw fruits and vegies. Those will be at 6 months.Sugar is a big no-no. You get so sick with sugar, don't even tempt it.

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

Days after surgery i was in bed except to get up and walk alittle bit twice a day. two months out i exercise 4 days a week and i am on my feet at work.

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

B12,Calcium,Multi-vitamin,iron

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 have only had one dumping syndrome and one was all i needed. I have had this really bad pain where you don't chew your food well enough and it covers the hole. That is a pain you don't want to experience. I literally thought I was dying. SO CHEW CHEW CHEW and CHEW some more when think that you have done it enough.

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

The learning to eat right after the surgery. It's the whole retraining yourself after so many years that will get you. I still feel like I don't do to well and I probaly have my bad days but then I just have to get right back on track again so it don't go back to bad.

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

I just talk to other people who have had it done. it is very important to have someone who is going through what you are going through to talk to. Family is nice but untill you have been through it you truly don't understand. Since then, my father has gone through it so it's nice to have someone so close that has gone through it.

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

My scar is five little incisions which is just what i was excpecting.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

People I used to know are talking to me differently now. even just taking to me. They will include me in thing that they felt I couldn't do before.