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

An ex-boyfriend's mother had had the surgery and I called her surgeon but he wasn't taking patients. Then I started exploring internet sites to find out about other doctors, surgeries that were available, and support groups. On a couple of Yahoo OSSG groups, I found all the information and support I needed!

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

I live in Canada so the surgery was covered by my provincial health insurance except for a surgeon's block fee of $300.

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

My first visit was fast but informative. People can get the most out of this meeting by talking to others who had had the surgery, who had had that particular surgeon, and downloading lists of questions that they might want to ask from online support groups.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

When I finally realized that no amount of dieting was ever going to fix the problem because diets weren't the answer. Because my stomach was so stretched out, a regular diet made me feel like I was absolutely starving and completely weak all the time, and it was nearly impossible to exercise effectively at all because of my physical problems (pain in ankles, knees, hips, sleep apnea, asthma, etc.).

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

There are only three procedures available in my area - lapband, RNY and VBG. The lapband is not covered by provincial health insurance but the latter two are. VBG does not restrict the absorption of fat, sugar and carbs into the bloodstream and RNY does. Also, there's a good chance that you will have dumping syndrome if you have RNY (if you ingest sugar or fat you will feel ill) so it has a behaviour modification factor which prevents you from eating foods that you shouldn't. While I didn't end up getting the dumping syndrome, I still don't feel 100% when I eat those foods (diarrhea and gas) so I tend to avoid them more than I would if I didn't. That is why I chose the RNY.

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 honestly didn't worry about it. I was already dying the way I was - I certainly wasn't living. I basically told myself I had a 199 in 200 chance of living a full, happy and healthy life and that those were odds I was willing to take.

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 and best friend were 100% supportive and I was able to answer any and all questions they had because I fully researched the subject before going to them with it. I was also able to refer them to links that they could explore on their own. A couple of my larger girlfriends and my boyfriend at the time were against it - the main reason being jealousy on all their parts! The girls for fearing I would look better than them and consequently not want anything to do with them (when it fact it was they that ended up not wanting anything to do with me!) and the boyfriend because he was worried I would leave him for "someone better". They all disguised those fears as concern for my well-being however. Except for them, everyone was extremely supportive before, during and after my surgery and I wouldn't do anything differently. It helped me know who my real friends were and who wanted the best for me!

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

Because of other health issues, I was off for almost five months. My employer gave me a leave of absence without pay and my job was waiting for me when I was ready to come back. I felt there was a bit of resentment though so when a better opportunity came up following the surgery, I took it.

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 relatively short compared to other open RNY patients - only three days. I most appreciated having my parents with me for the trip to keep my spirits up. I wasn't up to much more than visiting with them, watching some TV, chatting a bit to friends on the phone and snoozing. Because of the online support group I was a part of, I was fully prepared for my stay and not lacking in anything. Perhaps some notepaper so that I could accurately describe the whole process as it was happening might have helped - I think the drugs might have affected my recall a bit!

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

No complications whatsoever. No dumping syndrome. I have problems with loose stools and gas sometimes, but that is my own doing if I consume very high fat or high sugar content foods.

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 like crap for the first week or so, which is to be expected, but then I started feeling amazing. The weight poured off and the results were quite incredible, so it was very encouraging. When I hit a plateau, I was reassured by my support group, so I tried not to get too anxious. When the weight loss was significant, I started to stress about hanging skin, which is when I then began the next research project into having plastic surgery done.

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

I was in pretty bad pain the first week, but then it eased up considerably. Expect that you might need help getting out of bed for awhile, that you will definitely be spending your time on your back and that you have to sleep propped up on pillows that way, but that you will be able to have liquids which you probably weren't allowed to have in the hospital (even though you won't be hungry AT ALL). It's a necessary part of the process and it really isn't all that bad, and it's over quickly.

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

I travelled 5 hours away by car to have the surgery (from Ottawa to Toronto). I had no aftercare with my surgeon, but felt I didn't need it. I knew all the warning signs to look for, knew about another bariatric surgeon in my own city that I could see if I needed to, and had lots of support from my online group about what to look for and what might be a problem.

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 fast-tracked my diet following the surgery. I was supposed to be on clear liquids for a couple of weeks, then full fluids, then soft or pureed foods, then a soft diet, then introducing harder foods. I was on full fluids almost right away because I was pretty light-headed. Within a couple of weeks I was having yogourt, applesauce and soft scrambled eggs. I would say that I was eating mostly normal foods within a month. Hard meats and long stringy pastas took longer to become accustomed to. I had to learn to chew the food very well or it would get stuck and I would have to pop it out. I had a few incidents of vomiting (if you can call it that when there is no longer any stomach acid or half-digested food - it really just is a piece of food popping back up) until I learned what I could eat and how I should eat it.

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

I was on my back for the first 5-6 days, then getting around rather well, and surprisingly enough having sex after 14 days, getting out to clubs and parties within 21 days, and pretty much back to complete normal within a month.

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

I regularly take multi-vitamins, with iron and B-12 supplements. I am conscious of eating more protein when I can since it's beneficial, and trying to lower carbs since it is very filling and doesn't contain any useful nutrition.

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 only had a bit of nausea and vomiting if I didn't chew something well enough and it got caught in my pouch. Sleeping was hard the first few days simply because I am used to sleeping on my stomach, so that back was tough. I had no dumping. Hair loss wasn't too bad, but since I had extremely thick hair to start, I was probably the only one that noticed it was a bit thinner. It was pretty long and straight when I had the surgery and then I cut it short and it's growing back in with loose curls! Weird!

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

For awhile I was part of an online support group, and have just recently rejoined in order to help others. It was EXTREMELY helpful and important for all the questions I had.

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

My scar is about six inches long, white, and quite detailed. It is not pink or ropey at all, and I was hoping it would fade more, but didn't. I am thinking of having a flowering vine of some kind tattooed on my belly to cover it. :)

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I've had MANY. They, too, shall pass. It is hard not to get worked up or anxious about it, but one should try to be as patient as possible - perhaps shake up their exercise or diet routine a bit to get it jumpstarted again. What is really difficult is when you have to lose that last 15-20 pounds!!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

VERY much so. Women seem to be more standoffish and less friendly (perhaps because they see me as a threat?), and men are much MORE friendly and outgoing, because they finally see me as an object of desire instead of derision. My family is very happy for me, and very supportive. I had a couple of larger girlfriends that drifted away - perhaps because they felt we didn't have as much in common with each other anymore. My best girlfriend, who was also large, had the surgery too, so we have lots in common and are still very close. Since surgery I have found a wonderful love-in boyfriend, bought a house, found a great job, had plastic surgery, had laser eye surgery, and am basically a much happier and more well-rounded person!