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

I first learned about bariatric surgery from tv ads and was very very sceptical.

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

It was very easy for me to get approval from Kaiser and only took approximately 6 months to get through the system.

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

My surgeon was very direct and to the point. He is very knowledgeable but has a very direct manner.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I decided to have surgery after I was t-boned and resulted in 2 buldging and 1 hernieated disk as well as a failed fusion in my left subtailor/ tallus fusion.

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

The stay in the hospital was wonderful. Scripps Mercy in San Diego is set up for heavy people and the staff is kind, caring and well trained. I found the most important thing to bring would be a book to read and your own pillow and gown.

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

About 4 weeks after surgery I developed 2 bleeding ulcers because I didn't take my Protonix properly. I highly suggest you take you meds as prescribed. I was hospitalized for throwing up blood and had an endoscopy done. 4 weeks after that the ulcers were healed and I went back to a normal diet.

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 dealt with anxiety by comming often to the AMOS board and talking to all of the members.

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

The first 10 weeks I was home I was absolutely ravenous. I could have eaten the whole cow. I often would break down and eat too much or the wrong thing and it would simply come back up. After 10 weeks of this I finally learned. More like conditioned myself like Pavlovs dog that in order not to feel like crap I needed to eat right.

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

I flew approximately 550 miles to San Diego CA to have my surgery. The aftercare is fine. The group, Pacific Bariatric comes to Sacramento once a month for follow up care and consult with me regarding any problems I may be having.

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.

At 6 months out I still cant eat any dense meat like steak or roast. I have to stick with the ground meats. I can eat everything except for sweets. My body produces too much insulin and I have sugar dives (extreme).

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

My activity level immidiately after surgery was very low, but is increasing after 6 mos.

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

I take 2 multi's, 2 cellular, 2 calcium, and b complex daily. I also drink mellaluca tea on a regular basis.

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?

From months 3-5 I lost a great deal of hair. I increased my intake of protein shakes and the hair loss stopped within a week of the increase. I get very nasious when I eat dispraportional amounts of carbs vs. protein or too much sugar.

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

There really was no bad part of this surgery for me. I suppose the worst part was being hungry for the first 10 weeks and not being able to tolerate sugar which I love.

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

My support program is through this AMOS site. It is wonderful. My family is very supportive. I have not really felt a need for a support group persay.

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

My scar goes from my sternum to the top of my navel. It is exactly what I expected and is healing nicely. I am keeping mellaluca on it to eliminate scarring.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

When I have a plateau for a week or more I start eating 5 or 6 smaller meals for a few days and then go back to the normal 3 meals a day. I also up my water intake.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I have noticed people, especially will make eye contact with me now along with making small talk. People don't ignore me as they used to.