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

television and website

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

just show your insurance card if your are interested in weight loss surgery and the insurance coorodinator will do the rest and least you know if you are approved.

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

it was very informative

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

after going to the seminar

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

dr told me which one was best for me

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?

afraid of the surgery itself

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

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

don't work

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

i was in hospital 6 days

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

just got an infection

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 happy

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

very weak and sore

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

about 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.

first clear liquids, then full liquids now i am on soft foods. i am only 2 months from surgery

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

limited

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

vitamins, calium and b 12

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

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

the waiting to have surgery scheduled

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

not been to a support group yet

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

still healing not what i expected

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

none

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

yes