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

My neices aunt and uncle on her mother's side both had the surgery. The weighted over 400 pounds and she was close to 400. I saw him and he had lost over 200 pounds. Every since I was a kid I had known him to be that big, over 400 pounds.

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

Fortunately, I did not have to deal with my insurance company. I sent my application in and waited for an answer. Two or three months later I recieved my surgery date. I assume that I was approved on the first try since I didn't have to provide anything additional and since I have diabetes which came along with weight gain.

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

I was not very happy with my surgeron the first time I met him. He seemed to make light of everything that I asked him. I was very nervous. I forgot half of the questions I was going to ask him. I suggest that you make a list of questions that you want to ask in advance. Make sure you get answers to the point you are satisfied with them.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

The fact that I wanted the surgery and everything just fell in place. I was able to get the time off work as well as my husband. My insurance paid 100% for the surgery. Last but not least, I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE THIN.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

In talking with the surgeron.

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 was very afraid of dying. I asked the doctor about his mortality rate as my first question. Then when I talked with my primary care physican she told me that being diabetic and morbitaly obese would kill me far before the surgery would.

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 family was supportive. My mother would have rather i not had it. She was very afraid something would go wrong and I would not make it out of surgery or something after surgery would kill me. After the surgery everyone has been veru supportive also. My mother is so glad that I had it and made it throught it fine so far with no complications.

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

I didn't tell my co workers or employer what I was having done. I just told them I was having surgery. I have been off for two weeks and will be returning to work on Monday, Light duty, which consist of working from home on a laptop and making phone calls.

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

My stay in the hospital was ok. I was there for three days. The most important thing to bring was my spouse. He stayed the whole time with me in the hospital.

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

No.

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 ok. Every now and then I had soreness especially when my mother would take me to the mall and walk to me to death.

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

I had anxiety about how I was going to get everybody where they needed to be. There was no good sleep for the first week. I would sleep a couple of hours then get uncomfortable and have to get up and try to sleep somewhere else. To the chair, to the bed, to a different chair. Then finally lets give up on trying to sleep.

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

Not far at all, 15-20 minutes away.

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 really don't have a list. I am still in the liquid stage. I am exspecting no problems due to the fact I haven't had any problems with anything thus far.

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

Going to the malls and shopping five days after surgery.

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

Childrens chewable vitamins and elite shakes from Hi Health.

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 haven't had any side affects thus far, but I am only 11 days post op.

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

The pre anxiety that I had about the surgery before the surgery.

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

My sca is nothing like i had exspected. Two weeks after surgery and you can barely tell where it is. I think once the dead skin falls off just to look one might not be able to tell where the scar was unless they examine very closely.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

No I don't notice people treating me different. No one except my close family really even knows that I had the procedure. The people at my work just know that I had surgery. Of course they haven't seen me yet.