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

MY CO-WORKER AND MOM'S FRIEND...I WAS A LITTLE SCARED BUT EXCITED

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

I DIDNT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS..JUST DO WHAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY WANTS YOU TO DO AND YOU WOULD BE OK

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

EXCITING..LISTEN TO WHAT THE DOCTOR TELLS YOU TO DO

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

UNHAPPY WITH MYSELF

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

THE DOCTOR TOLD ME WHAT WOULD BE MORE AFFECTIVE

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 DIDNT REALLY HAVE ANY..I WOULD TELL PEOPLE TO TALK TO SUPPORTIVE PEOPLE

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?

MY MOM WAS A LITTLE UPSET. I WOULDNT CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT MY DECISION..MY PARENTS STILL CRITICIZE ME ABOUT THINGS AND I DONT THINK THEY REALLY LIKE THE FACT THAT I DID THE SURGERY

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

THEY WERE EXCITED AND HAPPY FOR ME..I WAS OUT OF WORK ABOUT 6 WEEKS DUE TO COMPLICATIONS

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

I WAS NERVOUS AND EXCITED..I WAS GLAD THAT I ATTENDED THE SEMINAR

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

IT WAS GREAT AND A LITTLE PAINFUL..I WAS IN THERE FOR 3 DAYS..I WOULD BRING COMFY SWEATPANTS,NON SLIP SLIPPERS

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

I HAD ALOT OF STRICTURES..IT WAS A LITTLE STRESSFUL AND DISCOURAGING

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 WAS IN PAIN

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

IT WAS PAINFUL TO GET OUT OF BED AND WALKING..JUST MAKE SURE YOU MAKE YOURSELF WALK TO GET THE AIR OUT OF STOMACH

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

THE HOSPTIAL WAS ABOUT 45 MIN FROM MY HOUSE

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.

I STILL CAN NOT TOLERATE PORK OR SOME BREADS. I CAN TOLERATE LETTUCE,TUNA,NUTS

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

I WAS MORE ACTIVE THEN I HAVE BEEN IN YEARS

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

VITAMIN B-12,CALCIUM CITRATE,MULTI-VITAMIN AND PRILOSEC

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?

NAUSEA,VOMITING,HAIR LOSS..I TOLD PILLS FOR MY HAIR AND THE VOMITING AND NAUSEA WAS FROM THE STRICTURES

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

THE STRICTURES THATS ALL

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

ST.MARGARET HOSPITAL SUPPORT GROUP

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

THEY ARE 4 LITTLE LINES

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I HIT A PLATEAU NOW DUE TO BEING ALMOST 1 YEAR OUT

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES