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

I've known about WLS for a long time. My wife had gastric bypass back in 2009 and it went very well.

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

My insurance approved it right away. My advice is to do everything insurance and your surgeon ask you to do and to find as many records regarding your weight and any weight related health issues. It makes the approval process go much faster.

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

Be as honest as you can about how you got to this point and talk about your challenges. The surgeon is there to help and to make sure you are successful with the surgery. They will also set you up with other resources such as nutritionists and physical therapists.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

When I hit 450lbs and my sleep apnea and blood pressure were out of control. I needed a big change very quickly.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My surgeon recommended it to me as long as my insurance covered it. He said the results were promising and not as invasive as bypass surgery and way better than lap band.

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?

Don't even worry about it. I was in and out in a short period of time. They used a robot and my recovery time after surgery was minimal.

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?

Everyone was super supportive and excited about my decision. I am just now getting used to hearing praise about how different I look from family and friends.

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

I wasn't working at the time as I took some time off to focus on my health (plus I had gotten let go from my previous job that I hated anyways because I sat down on a field trip. Hello! I weighed 450lbs!!!!). It's all the weight I've lost and the reaction I et from fellow coworkers who never knew me heavy.

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

It was really easy. Only 24 hours and bring something to do. It gets boring when you snap out of aesthetics and nobody is around.

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

None at all.

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 started noticing a bunch of changes a couple weeks after surgery especially on the scale.

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

It all depends on how well you heal and what they usd for bandages and how big the incisions. Mine were small and had self dissolving internal stitches so I slept on the couch for a few days and then back o bed. Nothing that big of a deal. But be prepared for some pain and don't lay on your stomach for at least a week.

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

Only 30 min from where I lived at this time. No big deal.

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.

First off I was on a liquid diet for 6 weeks after surgery then started slowly adding in solid foods although I grew accustomed to soups and to this day that is mostly what I want to eat. Has what I need and the liquid helps not fill me up right away. Food is a hit ad a miss ad I still try to figure it out. No fast food!!! Ever!! Nothing fried or breads. It's really all about experimentation. No ground beef at all(unless its natural butcher quality from a cow eating grass in the backyard). Use ground turkey or chicken in everything.

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

Kept slowly increasing as the weight kept falling off.

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

Just 2 multi vitamins a day. That's the advantage of the sleeve versus bypass: still have full use of intestines so I don't need to take a lot of 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?

Mostly with nausea and vomiting. Comes with the territory and it is annoying but hard to combat it since its different each time. Maybe we that one bite too much or just something my stomach rejected. It's still continues at times and I just deal with it.

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

Nothing really. All positive !!

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

None. I've mostly shared my journey on Facebook.

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

Just 6 little scars about half an inch or so in length. They aren't very noticeable.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Pretty much now. Haven't lost anything in a few months.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

All the time! Especially if they haven't seen me in a while. A lot of "Wow" and "OMG"