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

by my family doctor.

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

oh what a mess that was... due to my health i could not work any and my insurance changed 4 different times. and the day before surgery they decided that i could not go to vermont because my insurance company would not pay there because i could have went to one in ny... but i couldnt because they said i was to high risk. go figure

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

oh it was scary and it was great.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

because my health was getting really bad.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

well it was suppose to be laperscopit but it ended up not to be .

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?

oh when i went into surgery i was fine til i left my husband and i started crying.. but they gave me some happy meds and i was fine after that.

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?

at first when i was talking about the surgery my husband said no. but that changed when my health was getting really bad

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

i wasnt working at the time

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

my hospital stay was the best i have ever had. i was in the hospital for 3 days. the most important thing to bring is something to wear

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

oh yes i have had my share of complications. but i have dealt with them one by one.

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. but i kept myself busy.

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

very hard, because i could not sleep in my own bed because it is upstairs. and after a few weeks i had to make my way up there because i could not sleep on the couch anymore.

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

i only had to travel 1 hour and a half. but the only thing that got me was the fairy ride

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 could not eat sugar free pudding at first. i am 7 months out and i still cant eat chicken and other meat.

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

very slow.

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

i take a vitamin b12, a chewable vitiamin, caltrait, and a fibar supplement.

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?

well lets see. i had and at points i still have nausea, vomiting,sleep disturbace, hair lose. just deal with it as it comes.

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

at this point nothing. maybe getting sick.. i have always hated that.

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

my family, my very good friends.

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

i have a scar on my stomach. yes it is what i expected

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

good old plateau... just love them... i think i have 2 of them just on this month alone.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

no not really. pretty much the same.