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

Carney Wilson, watching her transformation was amazing.

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

My insurance made me jump through soooo many hoopes, everytime I finished one list of items they wanted me to do, they came up with another. It took from Aug. to Dec. for them to finally run out of stuff! I also had Medicare and they don't pre-authorize anything. I would have had to come up with the whole amount before surgery. So it would have never happened. Thank Heavens for them though, my other insurance wanted me to have Medicare fill out these forms which would have taken months, and I called their hotline and the wonderful woman got on the phone with me to them and varified it right then and they accepted it! That was a huge stall tactic, and it didn't work. I also called the Dept. of Labor/ Virgil Perez, he told me that the insurance can't deny you if your health is in jepordy! God Bless Him!! After getting all my ducks in a row, and never giving up, I was finally accepted....PHEW....

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

My surgeon was awesome, he was informative, caring and had a great bedside mannor. Not to mention he is tall and thin and about 45yrs., I think it's amazing that he got into this field, and he is great at it, I would recommend him to anyone!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My health had deteriorated over the course of 1 yr. enough that I had to start taking Blood Pressure medicine that made me really sick, and I would have had to had my kidneys checked for damage from the meds, every couple of months. Also no matter what I ate, I gained weight, my husband said he had never seen someone eat such a small amount and gain weight!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I don't believe that you should be opened up to the air unless it is life or death. So the only choice for me was Laproscopic, but I would have had open had I not had a choice!

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 had a great fear of my Daughter having to live her life without her mother. We have always had a amazing bond, and it was very frightening to think something I choose to do could jepordize that. But then I came to the reality that your gonna die when it's your time, not sooner or later, and I would have rather died trying that not to have tried at all..... Fear is a normal emotion, and I would be more worried about you if you didn't have it! If you have children, make a will, write it out by hand and have it noterized by a public notery. Give it to someone you trust, and you will be surprised how much pressure is relieved. Besides, I should have had one long before now. Get all those ducks in a row!!!

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 and My Husband did everything to talk me out of this surgery. Just one more diet please....I wouldn't be swayed, and my Daughter was my stonchest supporter, she told me she wanted me around as long as possible! Now my Mom tells everyone it was the best thing I ever did, and how proud she is of me. Sometimes she tells people before they even ask! My Husband told my neighbors that every morning he never knows who he is going to wake up with..I even fit into his pants for the first time in 20 yrs.! I didn't tell anyone outside of famliy about my surgery, until I came home. Although it had managed to leak out, by the time I got home! I didn't want anyone to know so I didn't have to explain my decision to anyone so they could give me the same greif I was getting from my Mom and Hubby. As a matter of fact I swore everyone to secrecy, I worked except for one guy who was indirectly related to me. He spilled the beans, but that was ok because I didn't hear about it until I got home. The community has been so supportive and genuinely interested in me and the info about the surgery. I love for people who haven't seen me in awhile to see me now, I like seeing their faces!

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

I was hurt in 97 at work and am now disabled. I'm sure this contributed to my failing health.

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 3 1/2 days, on the 3rd day I had a bout with displaced gas, it was very painful. But only lasted at it's worse 1 day. I had great care, except for the last day, they had changed nurses, and they weren't as great as the first 3 days. Those nurses were compassionate, caring, and genuinely interest in me. I never wanted for anything and they kept everything clean, including me!

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

I had displaced gas, which made my stomach look like I was 9 mo. pregnant. It was very painful, but only lasted 1 day, 1/2 the day required pain meds. My Dr. was great! Other than that I had my wisdom teeth out and that was more painful than this surgery!

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 just wanted to get it overwith, if I could have driven to the hospital and had it done right at that moment I would have, instead of waiting... I was scared, I had my Mom and Husband trying to talk me out of it! I was determined to have it done, and no one could talk me out of it! It was very important to me that I make out a will, for my Daughter, I wanted to make sure she was covered just in case. The pressure was off me when I finished it, I couldn't afford a lawyer, so I took it to our City Hall and had the City Recorder noterize it for me, I sealed it and sent it off to my Daughter. (she is grown up) I instucted her to not open it until my death, whether it be that day or years to come. That was a relief, I could then concentrate on my surgery and getting better...It worked!

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

Well I got home, and I wasn't drinking enough water and dehydrated, so I got with the program. And started drinking as much as I could, it was hard because I couldn't hold much. But I never had any trouble with staples, other than itching toward the end of the 10 days. I wasn't ever hungry, and found myself wondering how I was going to end up eating. I had had a love affair with food for so long, I found myself mourning it's departure. I did get sick of the food I was eating but it didn't last long and it was time to eat something new. Expect adjustment, you have no choice but to deal with it, that is why it's sucessful!

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

I live 2 1/2 hrs. from my Dr., I simply made a day trip of it and had no problems with any aftercare. He always calls back immediatly or his nurse does.

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 could eat everything on my menu, babyfood wasn't something that I liked too much. That was my idea though, it doesn't matter how much salt or flavoring you add it still tastes bad! I couldn't stand the taste of eggs, now 5 mo. later I eat them and they taste the same as before. I couldn't drink whole milk, I am somewhat lactose intollerant, ice cream is something I have to take in small doses, it causes gas and my stomach just rumbles, then my intestines...Now I can drink whole milk and I try to drink 2 cups a day. I was a protein powder failure, I can't take the texture or the taste, so I drink milk instead. When I had my 3 mo. blood work my protein was fine, so I was doing ok. I still drink milk instead and I'm 5 mo. post-op. I works for me!

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

I had so much energy the second week after surgery, my Dr. had to tell me to slow down! Now I have enless energy, it's truely amazing!

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

I couldn't stand the chewable Vista Vitamins, so I went to Flintstone complete until I could take the pill form of Vista. They are awesome, I feel sooooooo much better when I take them, they cost a bit more but they give me everything my body wants. My husband even noticed the difference on Vista as opposed to everything else. I stared taking vitamin E also for skin, and extra calcium just for some extra.

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 have only dumped once in 5 mo. and it was sheer stupidity on my fault, I had a dinner for a couple of friends and made something I dearly loved. And then came dessert, and I had a full serving of it too, I started sweating, and then feeling light headed, I then went into the bathroom and threw up. But amazingly, I was fine within minutes, I didn't feel like I even got sick. But now when I start to feel full, I stop! And I listen to my bodies cravings, it's like it's telling me,Ok we're gonna do this but you need to give me....because I need some for balance. So I listen....

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

The displaced gas and it didn't last long but at the time I would have traded places with my worst enemy!

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

I use this website Obesityhelp.com as my support group, I live 30 miles away from my group, and because of a prior commitment, I cannot go to their meetings. They tried to change the date but couldn't, so I use this site, my surgery peers, I help answer questions, and lend support where I can. It has been the best support group I could have ever gone to, we help each other. It is extremely important to have support and know other people who have had this surgery. There are questions and answers that are required and only someone who has had it can answer them. And seeing the photos of people who are similar to you makes such a positive difference!

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

I have 4 3/4" scars and one 1/2" scar, they are better than I expected. They give me no problem, I have other scars that bother me. I never notice them, as a matter of fact I'm proud of them, for them represent the new change in my life!

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Your talking to the plateau queen here, sometimes I will sit at the same weight for a week or 10 days, and then overnight I will loose 3 or 4 lbs., do I eat differently no, do I excersise differently no, I call it argueing with my body, and it takes that long to win the arguement! The one thing I have learned is you cannot eat the same things all the time. You have to mix it up, I mean mix it up! Eat something you shouldn't sometimes to throw your body off, or it will adjust. After this lady told me that, I don't have near the plateaus I used to!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I do, they now look at me, before they ignored me unless I spoke to them, and they they would just barely speak. And men well they are now constantly looking, and speaking even from a distance. They open doors for me, and are more polite, and I still weigh 206 what are they gonna do when I hit my goal! My husband hasn't noticed yet, but he knows I love just him....