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

I saw an ad on the TV and called and was seen right away and had the surgery the next week.Of course this was back in 1997.

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

I really dont remember, but I know it was done through medicare and my husband s insurance Blue Cross bluesheild.

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

I asked all the questions I could and I got just what I wanted, he said I was a good candidate and had the surgery the following week. Ask lots of questions!!!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I could not stand to look in the mirror one more minute!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

The doctor decided..

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 dying a slow death anyway and I really only had some nausea and that was nothing compared to the life I had before besides which, that was temporary.

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?

Family and friends were totally 100 % behind me all the way!Still are.

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

I am house wife .

What was it like attending your first information seminar on weight loss surgery? Were you glad you attended? if so, why?

When I had the surgery,I went to see the doc and and had the surgery only one week later,so I didn't go to any seminars.I did attend a few aftercare meetings and they were helpful,and I lived 70 miles away so I only went those few times.

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

Stay was hard i was not really active so it was like a hospital stay when you have surgery. I was there 4 days. Bring nothing .

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

Just nausea after, I had incisional hernia in Nov. 1998 had the gortex patch placed , supposed to be outpatient but was in hospital 8 days have pain from the operation. But no real problems.I could not eat for several months lost too much weight and could not stand up straight for several months but as time went on I got better and now am fine.

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 did not have to wait long so it was great.

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

Very tired and had nausea but no real pain and sent home with no meds I did not need them.

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

70 miles. no problem

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.

hardly anything but water and fluids not anything really,although bananas are very hard for me to eat for some reason.

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

bed rest for few weeks and then normal activities.

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

at first i could not tolerate the vitimins now i take daily supplements

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?

a little nausea and then nothing really

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

the nausea

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

been to a few meetings very helpful.

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

scar is very light and minute. yes.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I am now 15 years post op and weigh 132 I lost a lot after the hernia repair but now I have reached a place that I am staying.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes,people used to look around me instead of looking directly into my eyes or even looking at me as a human being.I wasn't obese all of my life so when I did become so large it was a shock to a lot of people including myself.It was a horrible experience to go through and to look back on it now seems almost unreal to even me...It was a difficult time in my life and a crucial time as well and at an age when I could have done so much more than sitting on my butte and eating my life away.I had purpose and instead of using the skills that I had picked up earlier in those years,I chosed to eat instead..So yes.People treat me very differently and sometimes it is negative and then sometimes it is positive..It all depends on the way you look at the situation..