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

ON TV CARNIE WILSON PHILIPS

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

NOT VERY HARD

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

GREAT .I SEARCHED LONG AND HARD TO FIND SOMEONE WITH HIS OUT-STANDING RECORD HE IS A GRADUATE OF THE FINEST MED SCHOOL IN THE US AND I CHECKED OUT HIS PREVIOUS PRACTICE ATONE OF THE MOST EXCELLENT WOMENS HOSPITAL IN AMERICA .WRITE DOWN YOUR QUESTIONS,DO RESEARCH,RESEARCH.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I LOST MY MOTHER TO DIABETAS

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

RESERCH ON THE NET

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?

NONE I WAS NOT LIVING I WAS ONLY EXISTING DAY TO DAY

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?

I WAS CRAZY DONT DO IT AND AFTER I LOST 80 POUNDS THOSE FRIENDS FOUND REASONS TO NOT BE FRIENDS

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

TERRIBLE !THE NURSES TREATED ME TERRIBLE I WAS BASICALLY ON MY OWN I WAS TOLD YOU ASKED FOR THIS SURGERY SO LIVE WITH IT!

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

NONE!

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 FELT LOST AND VERY TIRED

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

YOU BEGIN TO QUESTION YOUR CHOICE,YOU HAVE TO EAT WHEN YOU CAN AND WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO OR YOU WILL BE SO SICK. ALSO TAKE YOUR VITAMIN AS RECOMENDED I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO DID NOT AND THEY DEVELOPED FATIGUE,ANEMIA,HAIR LOSS.

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

4 HOURS AWAY,LONG TRIP HOME VERY PAINFUL

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 DONT EAT OUT MUCH FRESH COOKED FOOD AGREES WITH MY STOMACH.NO MICKEY D"S ORFAST FOOD OR I GET SICK AND IT GET VERY PAINFULL ICAN MAKE HOMEMADE FRIES AND EAST THEM,ON OCCASSION BUT I HAVE LOST 100 LBS AND WANT TO KEEP IT OFF

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

AT FIRST NOT MUCH BUT AFTER A MONTH ISTARTED TO WALK AND THAT HELPED

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

ALWAYS EVERY DAY A DAILY VITAMIN AND OMEGA 3

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?

VOMITTING HAIR THINNED ALOT

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

I HAVE 2 SISTERS WHO HAVE JOINED ME ANDLOST 80 AND 100 LBS WE HELP EACH OTHER

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

NOT BAD ,YES

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

AFTER I LOST 70 LBS MY WEIGHT STOPED FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND STARTED AGAIN

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

OHHH YEAH! EVERY ONE !