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

I have a friend who had it done and have been extremely interested since hearing of hers.

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

I have had no problem with my insurance. My problem was with Drs.

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

Make sure to write down any questions and ask them. My first impression with Dr Q was he was knowledgeable.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Tired of being fat.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I had no choice, my surgeon only does the RNY.

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 was very scared of not making it thru to see my children grow. I got over it. This surgery is considered very safe now. It is all relative to your beginning weight. The heavier you are, the more risks.

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?

Everyone has been very supportive.

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

N/A

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

Oh, my "vacation" in the hospital was wonderful. Most nurses were very nice and there as soon as I needed them. There was one or two nurses that couldnt be bothered, but they were actually NA's, so no biggie. I brought my brush, hair bands, deodorant, DVD player and plenty of DVDs, toothbrush and toothpaste. Dont bother with shampoo as you cant shower with the drain tube in.

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

I guess its kind of a complication. I walked WAY to much and had very low BP (80/60) because of this. I was also bleeding heavily in my drain. It was beginning to clot heavily, even tho I was getting Heparin shots. I have always clotted very well. Once I slowed down the walking, my BPs came up and the bleeding slowed.

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 scared. I dont recall how I dealt with it.

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

DONT go back to work for at least a month. It took me that long to finally get some energy back. I was tired and couldnt sleep all at the same time.

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

2 1/2 hours from home. It didnt effect me too much. Even tho the surgery was that far away, the Dr office is closer (1 hour). So aftercare was no biggie.

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.

I have not found any foods EXCEPT leftovers that my pouch doesnt like. I did have a couple meats that I had a hard time with before my 6 weeks were up, but since 6 weeks, I havent found anything I cant tolerate, except too much sugar/fat. Thats a GOOD thing!

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

Activity? What activity? My activity involved going from the couch to the bed and back again.

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

Im on 2 chewable multi-vitamins, 1500mg calcium chews, 54mg iron chewable, 1000mcg B-12 sublingual, 10000mcg biotin capsules and 2 actigall daily. I take the actigall for 6 months starting from 6 weeks out.

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 sleep is the worst, but Ive been dealing with this my whole life. 2 Benedryl at night and Im out, but I still wake constantly thru-out the night.

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

Not losing as fast as some. Im barely lost 2 lbs a week and it just seems so little. Its hard not to compare.

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

I go to support group as often as I can. It is the BEST thing for me.

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

I have 6 little scars. No biggie, Im really not seeing myself in a bikini ever in my life. Ive never even worn one.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

OH GOD, PLATEAUs! I feel like Im constantly on one, but Im also weighing to much.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

No, not yet, I havent lost enough.