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

I found about from customers who had it and was very excited about finding out more.

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

be patiant and let it run its coarse.

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

take a note book and take plenty of notes.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I never had to decide it just needed to be done

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

the surgeon and I decided this would be best

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 didnt really have any.God will watch over me and any decision he makes will be final.

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 worried of coarse and didnt think it was nessasary, every one is very supportive

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

no problems,about 6 weeks

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

I was in the hospital for 5 days and to tell you the truth I dont remember much about it.....I slept through the whole week....I remember being hot and having to prop myself up instead of laying flat.

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

I was one of the lucky ones....I have not had the first problem.

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

mine was so fast I barely had time to think as soon as they got my approval letter I wasin within a month and I was at different doctors every other day,,,,sleep tests ,,,,phsych evals ,,,,pulmonary,,,,it was crazy,,,but I loved every minute of it because I knew it was getting me one step closer to freedom.

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

I had open RNY so I was very sore and didnt like the fact that I couldnt take a shower ....I threw up alot at first because my antibiotics were way to much for new little pouch....My mother was there with me for 3 weeks so I had a lot of support, Thank the good lord above, I couldnt have done it without her.....I was really worried about the shots I had to give myself everyday but the were very easy....no worries.

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

25 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.

At first I didnt really have an appetite but then about 2 weeks post op I was eating eggs and asparagus those were the only two things I could tolerate....now 6 months post op...I can eat anything and havent found anything that doesnt agree with me...just MUCH smaller portions and I really watch carbs....

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

well I was a little upset with the hospital because no one ever got me up to walk after surgery and my mother didnt know that I should be up....afetr I got home my mother and I would walk everyday ...a little more each day...

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

mornings- pepcid,multi vitamin,calcium afternoon- potassium,antidepressant evening- multi vitamin

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?

The most disturbing thing to me was the hair loss...I didnt have much to start with and when a person sees it coming out in handfuls it scares the heck out of you. I bumped up my Biotin and started using NIOXIN shampoo.and it is all growing back now but it lasted about 3 months.... I had Nausia at first when I got home and then it went away for about 2 months and then it kicked in again....everything that I ate came back out,one way or the other...it lasted about 3 weeks and then I have never had another problem with it.

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

The anxiety , didnt want to fail at this wonderful chance.

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

Rightweigh meetings are wonderful and very helpful.

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

it is long from the middle of my breast to the top of my belly button...but it isnt ugly ....it reminds me everyday how far some people have to go for their health....

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

plateaus......ooooh....I dont like those....when you go from losing 5 lbs a week to nothing....but to get through it ....measure yourself because I always find if I didnt lose weight I lost inches.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

no