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

I used to work in a hospital in the ICU and I saw first hand the patients who had the open r-n-y. At that point, I thought it was only for the really large, really sick, fixing to die, last ditch effort. I changed jobs, then heard about Carnie having it done lap. Then I heard an add for a local hospital who had started doing the procedure lap. I was my surgeon's second pt. he performed the procedure on.

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

Mine was extremely easy, but that's because we have United HealthCare and it's through Saturn. I would advise anyone having difficulty to request they be assigned a Case Manager at the insurance company, this may also be called the medical management department. They are nurses and usually can speak directly w/the medical director at your health plan and help move things along/get it overturned/etc.

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

He was AWESOME! Go prepared, ask questions, take a list of questions so you won't forget what you want to ask. Remember, although he is a surgeon, YOU are the customer here, YOU are the one paying him for his services, so he/she needs to fulfill your requirements/standards, not the other way around. You wouldn't buy a new Cadillac just because the salesman told you to, would you?

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Finding out I would likely be able to have it lap instead of open.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

After reading that this is the gold standard endorsed by the NIH and that only 3-7% of people who are 100# overweight and lose it by any other means are able to keep it off, not very good odds are they?

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?

Just thinking that it was an elective surgery, that I was willingly going under anesthesia for a surgery that could potentially kill me was very scary, especially having two sons; but I knew that if I kept on the way I was, I would likely die from an obesity related illness before they graduated high school. I decided I would have to take the chance to ensure a life I could actually be an active participant in, not just an onlooker.

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?

I didn't tell my mother, I let her think I had my gallbladder out. She is NOT supportive of anything, in fact I believe she's the single most negative person on the planet. Everyone else though was wonderful, especially my dear, dear husband.

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

I actually changed jobs in the middle of it. I was approved for surgery at 9 a.m. and the person I had interviewed w/called at 11 a.m. to offer me the job. I explained that this surgery was the single most important thing in my life at that time and it wouldn't be fair not to let them know I would be having it done soon. They still wanted me. I had my last day at my old job Thurs. 3/1/01, surgery 3/2/01 and started my new job Mon. 3/17/01, the doctor was actually going to let me start a week earlier, but I still had my drain in.

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

The first night all I remember was still being on oxygen and thinking to myself-God, I must have been in worse physical shape than I thought to have to still be on oxygen. The little turd who performed my leak test was a smart/dumb a__ and I told him as much, he must have ratted me out because my surgeon arrived in just a few minutes and made me feel a LOT better about the test. I was in 4 days, would have been out on day 3, but I had to wait to pass gas! Be prepared that you can NOT twist around to wipe your own butt-this was the worst part, the nurse came in and found me on the commode sobbing because I had to ask her to help me wipe my butt! Bring chapstick, lotion, slippers.

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?

My turn around was so quick I didn't have a lot of time to fret. I just kept telling myself that I was doing it to give my husband his wife back and my children their mother back and of course, me my life back.

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

I never picked my pain medicine up from the pharmacy. The only "pain" was in going from lying to sitting and sitting to standing-this was more sore (like you'd done a 1000 sit ups). The profound tiredness was a different story. I'd take a shower, then have to lie down on the bed wet, because I didn't have the energy to continue standing to dry off.

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

30 minutes, not at all

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.

1st week: water, broth, jello only-NO EXCEPTIONS After first week and after drain came out: THANKSGIVING DINNER-a poached egg and a piece of toast-it was delicious! Then I could experiment w/any soft protein-tuna, chicken, beans, cottage cheese, peanut butter. No fresh fruits/veggies till 6 months. No beef till 6 months, preferably a year. The only thing I really can't tolerate is rice-two bites and I'm ready to barf. Beef has to be really chewed well and feels me up the quickest and keeps me full the longest, I still try to avoid it most of the time though. I'm mainly a beans/chicken/salmon type of girl now.

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

At one month, I started walking on the treadmill at the glorious pace of 2.0 mph (I'm now up to walking 3 minutes at 3.8 mph, then running 2 minutes at 4.5 mph-I alternate like this for at least 30 minutes 3-5 times a week). I wasn't that faithful w/my exercise in the beginning. I would go faithfully for 2-3 weeks, then let work/kids/ballgames/etc. get in the way. Then when I hit a four month plateau still 15# shy of my goal, I got serious again, now w/the above program, I've dropped 4# in 3 weeks.

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

one multi-vitamin w/iron morning and night one selenium tablet morning and night (hopefully helping my hair strength) I don't take extra calcium because I have a hx. of kidney stones and just had a C.T. scan which showed multiple stones in both kidneys I don't take extra iron because I take depo-provera shots and therefore I don't have a period.

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?

No probs w/sleep. Hair loss started at 6 months and lasted till 9-10, it seemed bad at the time, but for the most part it's all grown back now. I don't consistently dump, but when I do-the worst part is I get a MAJOR headache that starts it off, I would give anything to never have that headache again!

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

Not being able to wipe my butt in the hospital.

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

We have a monthly support group at the hospital (Centennial). Plus, we have smaller support groups in surrounding areas that meet once a month. We have two on-line support groups one specifically for the postop. pt. that is 9+ months postop.

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

Tiny, tiny dots. I had it done lap.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I really didn't plateau until January. Then I was stuck b/t 175-177 for four months. I finally got up off my butt, went back to the gym everyday, gave up the bad habit of a daily white chocolate mocha w/caramel syrup from Starbuck's, make myself drink all the water required plus more and now I've lost 4# in the last 3 weeks.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES. My husband always said he didn't care how big I was, he loved me anyway, but he is a LOT more attentive/protective/caring now than before. Also, friends who initially were very supportive, great cheerleaders have changed their attitude now that I wear a smaller size than they do and continue to lose while they've been struggling to lose 10-15# for the past year. The population at large acknowledges me now, a smile, a good morning.