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

On the internet searching obesity. I was totally scared of the idea, especially when I read that you can die from this surgery.

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 since I met the insurances criteria

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

Very imformative. I had already been to the support group meetings and joined the online support.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My 4 year old daughter would call me fat. Also a close friend of mine had to remind me that I gained the most weight out of our circle of friends...I missed my 10 year high school reunion because of that comment. If my friend was thinking that..what would everybody else be thinking?!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I let the dr choose which was best for me

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 did have bad fears in the begining. After I had to wait almost a year for surgery I took the time to research everything, talk to people who have had surgery already. This helped my fears tremendously. After I recieved my date for surgery I was finally calm and I was not nervous as they rolled me into the OR!

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 think it was a little shocking for everyone, even though I had been contemplating it for a while. So far after I had surgery they seem to be very supportive.

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

I told him the truth and he was very understanding. I was out of work for 5 weeks.

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

The hospital was great. I do think they need more bariatric nurses. i was there for 4 days. Bring lotion, my skin was really dry after surgery.

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

No

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

Im feeling great although I am still learning to deal with head hunger

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

I didnt know about gas pains, or how painful the gas would be. Constipation... I learned what it meant to be truly constipated...im thinking it was from the pain medication.

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

I am only 25 minutes away

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 had no problems when I followed my surgeons diet/food manual. It was when I deviated that I would get that foaming feeling in my throat, or pan in my chest for a good 20 min..I am not a vomiter. I eat ALL foods...the only thing I am still careful with is sugar

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

I was slow but able to climb stairs and walk around.

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

chewable multivitamin b-12 vitamin c iron

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?

dumping and overeating are both lessons learned...some learn slower than others...lol

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

It was my very first surgery in my life, so when I woke up from surgery, I could not believe what I had done to myself. The pain was ...well painful. 7 years later, i still dont regret my decision!

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

My dr has his own support group that I facilitate and also they have online support. I dont think I would ever have been as succsesful if it wasnt for my extended WLS family

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

I had the RNY done laporscopically procedure done. It is what I expected and it is already fading

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

about 4 weks out when I started to eat a more solid diet

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

oh yes.. people actually notice me now, not ignore me