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

I STUDIED THIS SURGERY AFTER A RELATIVE HAD THIS SURGERY, SIX YEARS PRIOR TO MINE. AT FIRST I WAS IN DENIAL OF BEING IN NEED OF THIS SURGERY. HOW COULD SMEONE MY AGE NEED SOMETHING SO DRASTICALYY DONE FOR WEIGHT. I COULD NOT SEE THAT I WAS FAT AS A WHALE, AND THE ENERGY OF A SNAIL.

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

I WAS A NERVIOUS WRECK, ALTHOUGH MY HUSBAND WAS THERE FOR ME AS SUPPORT. I HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY IN CONTACT WITH OTHER RECIPENTS OF THIS SURGERY SO I HAD BASICALLY KNEW WHAT QUESTIONS I SHOULD BE ASKING. MY ADVICE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THIS SURGERY IS... IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ASK IT. EVEN THE MOST STUPIDEST QUESTIONS MAY BE THE IMPORTANT ONES FOR YOU.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

MY HEALTH!!! I NEEDED THIS SURGERY FOR ME TO REGAIN CONTROL OF MY LIFE. I WAS DYEING A LITTLE EVERY DAY AND HAVE SO MUCH TO LIVE FOR.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

WITH CONSTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT EVERY POSSIBILTY THERE WAS. MY FAMILY AND I WERE IN CONSTANT CONTACT AND WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO THE FINAL DECISION, I RELIZED THAT THIS PROCEDURE WAS THE BEST IN ALL POSSIBLE WAYS 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?

MY FEAR WASN'T SO MUCH OF THE SURGERY BUT OF MY LIFE WITHOUT IT.

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?

MY FAMILY AND I WERE NEVER REALLY THAT CLOSE UNTIL I DECIDED TO CHECK INTO THIS SURGERY. BUT THEY WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF MY DESCISION. AND NOW THAT I HAVE HAD THE SURGERY AND THEY SEE THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE QUALITY OF MY LIFE, THEY BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS MY PERSONAL MIRACLE. BUT NOT ALL MY FRIENDS FEEL THAT THIS WAY. THE ONE THING I COULD TELL ANYONE THAT IS THINING ABOUT THIS SURGERY IS THAT THIS SURGERY WILL REALLY BE AN EYE OPENER FOR YOU. YOU WILL KNOW WHO ARE YOUR TRUE FRIENDS AND WHO ARE NOT. I HAVE LOST MANY FRIENDS BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY I NEEDED THIS SURGERY, I TTRULEY BELIEVE THAT IT IS BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES IN ME AS A PRESON, I AM A BETTER PERSON FOR THIS. I AM NO LONGER THE PUSHOVER, AND DO ANYTHING TO KEEP FRIENDS, TYPE PERSON. I AM A STONGER PERSON AND NO LONGER ALLOW MYSELF TO BE USED OR WALKED ON.

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

I DO NOT WORK BECAUSE I AM DISABLED FROM THE CAR ACCIDENT. BUT HOPEFULLY I WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH AND GET THE RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY I NEED TO BE ABLE TO RETURN TO WORK, SHORTLY.

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

MY STAY IN THE HOSPITAL WAS A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE. I WENT THROUGH MANY CHANGES THERE AND THANK THE STAFF FOR BEING SO SUPPORTIVE OF MY MOOD SWINGS. I WAS THERE JUST SHORT OF FOUR DAYS AND TO ME, I WAS EAGER TO GET HOME AND START THIS NEW LIFE THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME. AS FOR WHAT TO BRING TO THE HOSPITAL, YOU HAVE YOUR USUAL STUFF LIKE A NIGHT GOWN, TOOTHBRUSH, THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT WHAT I FOUND OUT WAS BY ME BRINGING MY FAVORITE BLANKET, A PICTURE OR FAVORITE MOMENTO TO SEE WHILEYOU ARE THERE, IT WAS OF GREAT HELP FOR ME. I WASN'T SO HOMESICK AND COULD USE THESE THINGS TO KEEP ME ON THE GROUND. WHEN I WAS FEELING ANXIOUS OR NERVIOUS I WOULD TAKE THESE THINGS AND HOLD THEM CLOSE TO MY HEART FOR EMOTIONALLY SUPPORT.

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

MY COMPLICATONS THAT IHAD WERE NOT DIRECTLY FROM THE SURGERY, BUT IT WAS THOUGHT OF THAT WAY AT FIRST. I WAS SO EMBARRASSED WHEN I WOKE UP TO FIND MYSELF BLEEDING, THEY THOUGHT I COULD HAVE INTERNAL INJURIES FROM THIS SURGERY. IT WAS LATER FOUND OUT THAT I HAD STARTED MY MONTHLY ON THE OPERATING TABLE. IT WAS OF GREAT RELEIF TO FIND THIS OUT BUT MOST EMBARRASSING.

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 DIDN'T DEAL WITH THIS VERY WELL AT FIRST, BUT MY FAMILY WAS THERE THROUGHOUT THIS ORDEAL FOR ME. THEY WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF MY MOODS SWINGS, EVEN WHEN I WAS HAVING SEVERE DUMPING SYNDROME. I WOULD CRY ALOT BUT NEVER DID I WISH I NOT HAD THE SURGERY. ONE MINUTE I WOULD FEEL GREAT AND HAPPY THE NEXT I WOULD BE DEPRESSED.

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

NEVER EXPECT ANYTHING. EVERY EXPERIENCE IS DIFFERENT FOR EACH PERSON. BE ADVISED OF WHAT OTHERS HAVE GONE THROUGH, BUT KNOW THAT THIS MAY OR MAY NOT BE OF YOUR EXPERIENCE. FOR AN EXAMPLE A FRIEND WHO HAD THIS SURGERY HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME WITH ADJUSTMENTS AND PAIN. BUT I SEEMED TO HAVE A BETTER HANDLE ON THING, AND THE PAIN WAS ALOT LESS FOR ME THEN I HAD ORGINALLY BELIEVED IT WOULD BE.

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

ALTHOUGH I TRAVEL ABOUT A HALF HUR FROM MY HOME, THE DISTANCE I HAD TO TRAVEL WAS OF NO PRONLEM FOR ME. I WOULD HAVE TRAVEL MANY TIMES LONGER IF I HAD TO. THIS IS HOW MUCH I BELIEVE IN THIS SURGERY. NO AMOUNT OF DISTANCE WOULD HAVE KEPT ME FROM GETTING THIS DONE, WHEN I FINALLY NADE THE DECISION TO DO IT.

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 WAS EATING EGG WHITES ONLY A FEW SHORT WEEKS AFTER THE SUGERY, ALNG WITH SOUPS AND JELLO. I SEEMED TO HAVE LIVED ON SUGAR FREE POPSICLE. IT WOULD HELP WITH THE NAUSINESS SOMETIMES. I AM NOW 11 MONTHS INTO THE SURGERY AND EAT BASICALLY A NORMAL MEAL. ALTHOUGH I SHOULD TELL YOU THAT WHAT MAY HAVE BEEN YOUR FAVORITE FOOD BEFORE THE SURGERY MAY NOT NESSCARILY BE THAT AFTER THE SURGERY AND THE FOODS YOU COULD NOT STAND COULD VERY WELL BE A PART OF YOUR FAVORITES NOW.

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

MY ACTIVITY LEVEL HAS DRASTICALLY CHANGED, THAT IS FOR SURE. AT FIRST, I WAS BARELY GETTING AROUND BUT NONW, WELL I AM ALWAYS ON THE GO!!

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

I TAKE A MUTLI-VITAMIN EVERYDAY AND CALCIUM 600 ALSO. I ALSO HAVE THE DAILY INTAKE OF THE VITAMIN B12.

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 HAVE EXPERIENCED THE NAUSINESS, VOMITING, DUMPING AND HAIR LOSS. THEY HAVE LESSENED A GREAT DEAL AS THE MONTHS HAVE PAST. I COPE WITH THESE AS THEY COME, BY NOT LETTING THEM GET ME DOWN. IT IS A PART OF THE SURGERY THAT I HAVE LEARNED TO DEAL WITH. EVERYONE HAS TO LEARN TO DEAL WITH THESE THINGS ON THERE OWN TIME AND IN THEIR OWN WAY, EACH IS DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE.

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

THE WORST PART OF THIS SURGERY WAS THE HEAD GAMES YOUR MIND WILL PLAY ON YOU. ALTHOUGH YOUR STUMACH SAYS YOU FULL YOUR HEAD HASN'T QUITE ADJUSTED TO WHAT SEEMS A VERY MINIMAL AMOUNT OF FOOD INTAKE. IT WILL MAKE YOU THINK YOUR STARVING ALTHOUGH YOU ARE NOT. YOUR MIND IS A WONDERFUL TOOL, BUT CAN BE VERY DECIEVING IN THESE TIMES.

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

THE HOSPITAL THAT I HAD MY SUREGERY IN HAS A WEEKLY MEETING, THAT THERE IS PRE-OPERATIVE AND POST-OPERATIVE RECIPENTS THERE.

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

ITS ABOUT A FOOT LONG, DOWN THE CENTER OF MY BELLY. BUT AS I LOOSE WEIGHT IT HAS BEGUN TO SHRINK. I CONSIDER THIS SCAR THE MOST IMPORTANT BATTLE SCAR AND MEDAL OF MY FUTURE.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

AS I HAVE SAID I HAVE LOST MANY FRIENDS THAT I LATER FOUND OUT WEREN'T REALLY FRIENDS AT ALL, BUT WITH THE NEW SELF-CONFIDENCE I HAVE I AM A BETTER PERSON FOR IT. AS FOR THE FEELINGS SIDE OF THE EFFECTS, WELL I WAS BASICALLY A NERVIOUS WRECK. ONE MINUTE I WAS FINE AND THE NEXT I WAS CRYING FOR NO APPARENT REASON.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

ITS FUNNY THAT YOU SHULD ASK THIS, BECAUSE I SEE THE DIFFERENCES IN A MAJOR WAY. PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T KNOW ME BEFORE THE SURGERY, CAN'T BELIEVE THE CHANGE IN MY APPEARANCE FROM BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES. THEN THERE IS THE ONES WHO DID KNOW ME, THEY HAVE SEEN THE TRAMATIC CHANGES THAT I HAVE BEEN THROUGH AND MOST OF THEM TREAT ME WITH MORE RESPECT. I HAVE EVEN ENJOYED GETTING EVEN WITH CERTAIN SALESPERSONS THAT HAVE RIDICULED ME OR MADE BLAITANT FUN OF ME. NOW WHEN I WALK INTO THESE STORES THEY DO NOT RECOGNIZE ME AND TREAT ME WITH RESPECT THAT THEY NEVER HAVE BEFORE. THEN I POLITELY PUT THEM IN THE PLACE AND SHOW THEM MY BEFORE PICTURE AND TELL THEM THAT THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ARE IN NEED OF A MAJOR OVERHAUL IN ATTITUDES AND COURTESY TO THEIR CUSTOMERS. AS I WALK AWAY FROM THEM THEY ARE USUALLY STANDING THERE WITH THEIR MOUTHS OPENED WIDE ENOUGH TO THROUGH A BALL INTO. LOL I KNOW THATTHIS IS NOT NICE, BUT BOY DOES IT EVER FEEL GOOD TO MAKE THEM REALIZE THAT FAT PEOPLE HAVE FEELINGS TOO!!!