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

family doctor did not think it would work

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

didnot have any problems, check first

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

reach out for help gives a hope

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

life threathing

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?

if life threating not much choice take the chance

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?

support decision

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

na

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

needed a computer and connection

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

yes many nearly died blead out had a very difficult post op

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

to sick to care

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

pain at incsion i had been cut open longer recover time

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

within 50 mi

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.

ate only sauerkraut

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

0 confined to bed heart and wound healing slow

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

numerous ones

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,hair loss,vomiting ,continues now has gotten better

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

inability to move and pain from being split open wounds kept opening

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

none but really need some help

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

top to bottom, no

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

a few but not much exposure to people yet