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

I read about it somewhere a number of years ago. The risks were pretty high then and I did not think I was THAT fat. Man, was I wrong!

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

It was a harrowing experiece with 5 insurance denials for little stupid things. After five denials I called the review office and explained the financial risk of not covering the surgery vs. the financial risk of the surgery. I guess when I finally spoke their language it made sense and the approval was only three days later.

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

The surgeon did a great job of covering everything, even those things we felt comforable with in advance. He answered all our questions and then set the date for my surgery.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I realized there was no other hope for my condition and at my age it was time to get it done or it would soon be too late.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

We had a good discussion with the surgeon about the lap band vs. RNY. We opted for RNY after a good discussion about the pros and cons of each.

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 not fears of dying. If I did not have the surgery I would die too soon anyway. We all die sometime so it was a risk that did not bother me. I was a bit concerned about possible post op infection, but not enough to make me have second thoughts. Don't let your fears hold you back unless there is some extraordinary complication you may have. It was the best decision of my life.

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?

They were all very supportive. My wife was my constant companion for the first two weeks. This made my recovery much easier. Everyone I know has been supportive and very helpful. We spent three years getting approved so it was not anything sudden or unexpected to them. They had resolved any concerns they had a long time ago.

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

I had no problems there. My job is essentially left to my supervision. They also felt this would be good for me and therefore good for them.

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

I went into the hospital for surgery on a Wednesday morning early and left the hospital on Saturday afternoon. The hospital had a special wing for Bariatric Surgery so the staff was very well trained and experienced with all facets of care. The pain was well controlled and the staff kept a close watch on me. It was as pleasant an experience and being in a hospital could be.

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

I had absolutely no complications.

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 had not anxiety, but I was much, much weaker than I expected. I knew there would be some weakness, but not to the degree I experienced. I did improve daily, but it does not happen overnight.

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

Expect some discomfort for the first few days. There was not a lot of pain and I went off the pain meds to liquid Tylenol in about three days. After about three more days I stopped the Tylenol. Other than that, the only other issue was the substantial weakness and exhaustion I experienced.

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

I traveled about 30 miles. It was in another part of the City we live in.

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.

So far I am only a matter of a few weeks post surgery. I have followed the dietary recommendations of the Obesity Center very carefully and am just starting solid foods. I have had not problems tolerating the foods. The main problem was the meds. Some of the meds I take do not taste very good when crushed. OK. They taste REALLY NASTY! The first week I used Unjury (unflavored powder). It was not very tasty. I was very glad to get to the protein shakes the next week. Of course, by the end of that week they were not my favorite thing, but still better than the Unjury! The next week was soft foods and that was much better. The sense of smell has been so sensitive since surgery that any food smells great, even if I am not interested in it. My first meal was 2 scrambled eggs with a little cheddar cheese and asparagus tips finally chopped mixed with the eggs and then cooked. It was wonderful!

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

It has increased regularly over the weeks. The first few days walking was a bit tough (I have walking problems anyway) but as my strength has improved, walking is easier. It is still tough, but I am doing much better.

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

Mulit Vitamins, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Calcium, Omega 3.

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 slight nausea at times, but nothing serious. Sometimes when I drink water it will give me a bit of nausea. I try to drink warm beverages several times a day to help or popcycles (sugar free). They help me get my hydration without the nausea. The only other side effect was one bout of Gas Pains. It was worse than the surgical pain and lasted for about six hours. I finally got some Gaviscon and it helped relieve the pain in about thirty minutes.

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

The length of time it took to get approved by the insurance company.

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

Our program has a good number of support groups. I go to one near my home. I don't know that it has been that much help yet, but who knows.

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

I have eight small scars from the surgery. I look like I was hit with a machine gun. It is about what I expected and it does not bother me.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

None yet, but I am still fairly recent.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Not much yet. Some of the people that have not seen me in a bit give me a strange look like something is different but they don't know what. I expect the next few months will get more reactions as I lose more weight.