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

AN OLD CO-WORKER HAD THIS SURGURY DONE AND I WAS QUITE INTERESTED IN HAVING A CONSULT. I WAS VERY IMPRESSED IN THE RESULTS. MY EX COWORKER WAS ABOUT 350LBS AND WHEN I SAW HIME ABOUT A YEAR AFTER THE SURGURY I WAS LIKE "WOW, I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE YOU".

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

JUST BE HONEST...LET YOUR PHYSICIAN TAKE CARE OF THE REST

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

ASK AS MANY QUESTIONS AS POSSIBLE

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

THE POSSIBILITY OF A NEW LIFE

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?

CLOTS....CAN BE VERY DEADLY BUT DON'T JUST STAY IN BED GET UP AND EXERCISE

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 ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE AND INQUISITIVE

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

THEY WERE SUPPORTIVE AS WELL

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

WELL I WAS IN THE HOSPITALS FOR ABOUT 4 DAYS. THE ONLY THING I DIDN'T LIKE WAS THAT AS SOON AS I FELL ASLEEP THEY WOULD COME IN TO TAKE MY BLOOD PRESSURE, TEMP AND MEDS. PERSONALLY I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO BRING IS ANYTHING TO KEEP YOU OCCUPIED. TV USUALLY SUCKS

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?

DEPRESSED...HAPPY? HAPPY TO BE HOME TO BE WITH FAMILY BUT IT IS HARD TO SEE EVERYONE EAT WHILE ALL THAT I COULD EAT IS WATER....FRUIT POPS, BUILLION..WEL ANY WAY ALL CLEAR LIQUIDS. PHYSICALLY I FELT BETTER AND BETTER WITH THE PASSING OF EVERYDAY.

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

ELATION...DEPRESSION....PAIN...ISOLATION... ALL WRAPPED UP TOGETHER. NOTHING BAD JUST ITS AGAIN ITS HARD TO SEE OTHERS DO WHAT YOU CANT.

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

NOT FAR.....NO PROBS FOR AFTERCARE

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.

1ST WEEKS ONLY CLEAR LIQUIDS...AND ONLY 4 OUNCES AT A TIME EVERY TWO HOURS..THIS IS HARD FOR SOMEONE WHO LIKES TO DRINK ALOT OF WATER. 2ND WEEKS FULL LIQUIDS (=) PROTIEN SHAKES, YOGARTS BUT STILL WITH CLEAR LIQUIDS

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

MY ACTIVITY WAS ABOUT NORMAL, BUT I WOULD GET TIRED EASY.

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

SO FAR...FLINTSTONE CHEWABLES

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 VOMMITED TWICE SINCE THE SURGURY AND THAT WAS FROM DRINKING AFTER EATING

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

THE SMELL OF FOOD AND NOT BEING ABLE TO ENJOY IT.

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

THERE ARE SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS BUT DUE TO MY WORK SCHEDULE I CANNOT ATTEND. PERSONALLY I DONT FEEL THAT I NEED THEM RIGHT NOW.

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

NORMAL....A SCAR IS A SCAR

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

IVE HIT ONE PLATEAU....I BELIVE IT REALLY WAS NOT ONE THOUGH. I FEEL THAT I WAS LOOSING THE FAT WHILE PUTTING ON THE MUSCLE MASS. THEREFORE WAS NOT REALLY IN A PLATEAU.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES. THE LOOKS, THE COMMENTS THE "YOU LOOK GREAT" COMPLIMENTS. ITS NICE TO HEAR AND SEE.