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

The commercials on the lap-band really started to get me to think plus I know co-workers who've had it done.

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

Take a list of questions. My first visit was great. It went smoothly.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I did a lot of reading and for me the risks had to be weighed for me to make a decision. I felt the Gastric Bypass was too risky.

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 did have some fears,yes but really with any surgery ,it's a risk. I would tell people that a good majority of the time,everythings is fine!

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?

For the most part ,people were supportive,however I can tell that some of my friends act different around me.

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

I was out for a week. I was very upfront with my supervisor,however I did not tell a lot of people at work. Only a few.

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

My Hospital stay was ok. I stayed there a little over 24 hours.My main complaint ,is that I had a hard time getting help when I needed. I didn't bring a lot to the Hospital,I actually slept quite a bit.

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

The biggest complication that I had ,were my emotions that appeared to have gone haywire. The first week was tough and I felt depressed. I was in more pain that I thought i'd be in but by week 2 ,post-op I felt a lot better,almost back to normal. The other complication that i'm still dealing with is constipation.

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 felt good,it actually went by fast because I am constantly busy with home,work&school.

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

Expect to be emotional at times but remember it gets better. I wasn't really prepared how i'd feel after the surgery but it was a big adjustment for me because when I felt anxious or sad,i'd often turn to food but now I couldn't do that. For a while,it felt as if i'd lost a friend. I think people should also expect to be sick of the liquids stage. Just remember though,this too shall pass.

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

About 25 miles. No it didn't affect my aftercare because I work close to the clinic .

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.

Chicken has been difficult and so have the wraps.

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

The first week ,I didn't much at all but by the 7th day ,I started to exercise via walking.

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

Multi-vitamin,prilosec,anti-anxiety med & mylanta.

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've had none of these so far.

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

My emotional state the first week following surgery.

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

The message boards for Bariatric patients have been a huge help.

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

Not bad at all. I didn't know what to expect.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I had a plateau by week 3 of my surgery.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes,people that know about my surgery ..some have acted different towards me.