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

I mentioned it to my endocrinologist, who I was seeing for a pre-diabetic condition and extremely high cholesterol levels.

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

State your Body Mass Index index number. For most insurances companies, the insured must be classified as 140 or higher BMI. Document all prior attempts at monitoring weight through diet and exercise. List all surgeries you have had due to complications of your weight; knee surgeries, foot surgeries, etc. Highlight all co-morbidity conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. The bottom line is that if the insurance company can save on-going costs such as those listed above with a one-time expenditure for gastric bypass surgery, they are apt to chose the latter.

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

Admit you recognize your condition, that you are not in denial about your weight then at the first visit, it is time to listen to the surgeon as to how weight loss surgery can assist you to gain control and just possibly save your own life.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I have two beautiful grandsons who love me whether or not I'm "Big Grandma." But as they grow older, I was afraid they would be embarrassed by my size. I wanted to insure also that I would live long enough to see them grown into manhood.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I asked my surgeon and he flatly said -- "I won't tell you which procedure is best for you! Educate yourself with the materials I will give you and you decide." So I read everything given to me and chose RNY gastric bypass.

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?

There is a mortality rate associated with any surgery, and a 1% mortality rate for gastric bypass. I weighed the 1% against climbing cholesterol levels, and pre-diabetic condition and felt the scale tip to an early death due to morbid obesity. The decision gets real simple, real fast after that!

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?

The only people that I care for their opinion (my husband and my daughter and just a very few close friends) where highly supportive throughout the procedure and still remain supportive of my weight loss to this day. After surgery I will share with anyone to cares to listen my experience with gastric bypass surgery. If I keep it as MY secret, no one else will ever benefit. If I share my experience, it may just help someone else to consider the possibility of a better quality life, and just possibly save their own life through having the procedure.

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

I could have cared less how my employer/supervisor reacted to my decision. It wasn't their life, and it wasn't their decision to make. I told my employer very little before the procedure, although they knew at some level because we were self-insured for our health plan. All claims were review and paid in-house.

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

My hospital, while uncomfortable (I am not used to sleeping on my back,) was wonderful. The hospital and nurses were great. I was in the hospital three days (including day of surgery.) Toothbrush. With nothing to eat OR DRINK in three days, brushing your teeth makes you feel a lot better.

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

Stricture problems were addressed with two fundus expansions. The only long-term problem associated with the surgery was a reoccurring pain in the upper right quandrant which was ultimately diagnosed as gallbladder. The gallbladder was removed and no more pain.

In the weeks after you got your surgery date, how did you feel? How did you cope with any anxiety you might have felt?

The only anxiety I felt was in waiting the month until surgery. I had made up my mind to have the surgery, but needed at least a month of liquid diet to reduce the size of the liver to assist my surgeon in his laproscopic procedure.

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

Uncomfortable, but not more than uncomfortable. I was up and moving around the second day home. The third day home I was back to my regular routine, when I'd "hit the wall" I knew it was time to sit down and rest. I feel the sooner you're up and around, the better off you are. If you sit baby'ing incision sites, you will be more sore and stiff.

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

40 miles, not far.

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.

My surgeon gave put me on a liquid diet for two weeks following surgery and then two weeks on pureed foods. Then I started slowly introducing foods. Food stricture "sticking" problems occurred fairly frequently the first six months. I had two fundus expanditure procedures, and ultimately these problems subsided after 6 months post-op. Off limits for me are carbonated beverages.

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

As explained in #14 above, I got up and moving right away.

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

I take a chewable vitamin twice daily.

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 did experience nausea for the better part of the first six months. I looked upon this inconvenience as my "honeymoon" period as I lost a lot of weight during this time. Nausea subsided along with stricture problems after 6 months post-op.

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

A gown open down the back, a pasty white ring around my mouth, and hair that made me look like Lyle Lovett and then my GQ surgeon makes his last visit to my hospital room before I left for home.

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

A monthly visit with my surgeon during the first quarter, and then once quarterly after until my one year visit. Very important to get questions answered by your surgeon on a fairly rare basis.

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

Four 1/2" incisions which are barely visible 16 months post-op. Better than I expected.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have had my share of plateau's. Some caused by too many carbohydrates, some cause by not enough exercise, some caused by too much of the same exercise. After gastric bypass surgery, you know your body better. You also know what you're doing wrong and can make changes to get the results you desire. Gastric bypass is not a "fix" it is a "tool." One still needs to work at weight loss to get to your personal goal. I have reached my surgeon's goal for me (in excess of 100% loss of excess body weight.) Now I need only to reach my personal goal which is currently 7 lbs. away and in view which will bring me from 267 lbs to 125 lbs. Once I reach 125, I will then consider 118 lbs. I am experiencing problems getting a pair of size 4 pants to fit my hips and waist, but still fit the length of my 5'7" frame. This will be a factor in my deciding to go on down to 118 lbs.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I'm not sure if it is people treating me any differently, or my mental perception that I am being treated differently. I am sure they do look at me differently and why shouldn't they, I look at myself differently!