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

Ad on the local channel on TV

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

I am happy to say it was simple, however being in Law Enforcement the surgery was seen by the Insurance company as a good investment.

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

I stayed 3 days and was released with a drain, something my doctor doesn't like to do, however I was very large and carried the weight in my stomach. I enjoyed the stay, the nurse were all trained to deal with WLS surgery and knew what I needed and didn't need. Bring your houseshoes and robe. The slippers and hospital robes are too small and don't cover you enough also I got a bit of comfort from having something familar.

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

They thought I might of had a small leak, it turned out that I didn't. It did however concern the doctor and thats why I stayed an extra day in the hospital.

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

Nervious and also excited, I had a family to think of and because the surgery date was so close to Christmas, I relieved my nerves and anxiety by doing alot of Christmas shopping,,,,my children loved it.

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

Great..I could already see the weight lose and knew it could only get better. I spent alot of time calling family and friends with the updates. Due to the nature of my job, my doctor didn't allow me to return to work for several weeks. I had a lot of time to enjoy.

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

I traveled an hour. The hospital I went too has an agreement with several local Hotels to provided rooms for out of town guests, I could have stayed at a hotel.

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.

No Sugars, No starches. For the first 6 months no red meats, hard for the new stomach to digest. No hard foods, in that I could have hard foods, just not foods that were hard for the stomach( hot peppers, peanuts,beans with a hard cover or shell...)

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

For the first few days a slower pace, after a week I could drive, as long as I didn't take any pain meds. I was off pain meds, the day after I got home. After a month, I had increased my level of activity to more then before the surgery. I had lost over 50 ibs in 4 weeks and could do more

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

Vit 12b, Omega fish oil, Calcium citrate w/ vit D and children Flintstones chewable vitamins.

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 am bald, so hair lose was not an issue. I did get a little nausea as I tried new foods, that last about a month. As I understood what foods caused nausea, I didn't try them anymore.

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

The wait.....and the wonder, would this really work for me. Nothing else had...would this?

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

CMC's aftercare services w/ Dr Frye and a monthly WLS support group.

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

No scars if they are there they have faded and can't be seen. They blend in with my stretch marks.....I gots lots and lots or stretch marks

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have plateau several times, The surgeon tells me that normal and just continue on the after surgery food plan and continue to exercise. He's right it always works...

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, people at work are amazed. They have all said I look 10-15 years younger and I seem to be hyper all the time. Hyper, Hell I just don't hurt anymore. No knee pains, No chest pains, no shortness of breath and I'm not in the bathroom every hour.