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

I have always known about it. Once it was being offered through OHIP I was in!

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

Live in Ontario there is no approval process it is an approved surgery!!

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

Well met my surgeon 5 minutes befor surgery! was seen through a regional assessment centre

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Could access follow up in my home town

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Was not my choice, surgeon decided best course of action and I went for it

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?

well tried to put that behind me and move forward, did not focus on that and knew that my surgical centre had a great track record

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?

very supportive, all were in favor

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

very supportive, a few jabs about themselves needing to loose weight and should get surgery (they are maybe 40lbs over weight LOL) I took it all in stride and focused on my journey not anyone else

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

I had already done lots of research so it confirmed information that i knew about

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

I was there 3 days I brought laptop, books magazines....... used none of it! stayed in hospital jammies and walked and sipped and napped

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

nope nothing major feeling great thanks for asking :)

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

well feeling good remember protien and water

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

was good i so wanted to do more than i was alowed to do:(

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

really far! from Thunder Bay Ontario to Hamilton had to stay in hamilton a couple of extra days post op befor flying home but other than that no after care concerns as we have a regional assessment centre.

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.

2 weeks liquid, 2 weeks full fluid, 1 week puree, 1 week minced No sugar and limited fats

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

walking walking walking........

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

prenatal, vitamin D and Calcium Citrate

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?

only a month out nothing yet time will tell

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

I was surprised how sore a was the first few days post op, it didnt take long to heal though!

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

5 years follow up through our regional bariatric assessment centre, including dietician, social worker and and nurse practictioner

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

small it was done laporscopic

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

still pretty early out

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

not yet ....... more to come i am sure