ROBIN2008

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Obesity & Me

Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.

I WOULD JOIN A GYM AND GO FOR A WHILE WITH A GREAT ROUTINE AND NOT SEE ANY RESULTS AND GIVE UP. I WOULD CUT BACK ON FOOD OR TRY DIETS WITH MINIMAL SUCCESS AND MORE WEIGHT GAIN IN THE END.

What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?

NOT BEING ABLE TO PLAY WITH MY KIDS AND GO SWIMMING WITH OUT WORRYING ABOUT HOW I APPEARED. GETTING TIRED EASILY, BACK ACHES, AND HEAD-ACHES.

If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?

PUT ON CLOTHES THAT AREN'T SKIN TIGHT. I ALSO NOTICE THAT I DON'T LEAK URINE LIKE BEFORE

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

A CO WORKER HAD IT DONE AND WAS DROPPING THE WEIGHT AND I WAS INTERESTED BUT WANTED TO HAVE CHILDREN FIRST.

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

MY INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NO PROBLEM IT WAS THE DR.'S OFFICE THAT WAS NOT UP TO STANDARD. I HAD TO GET ALL MY INFORMATION MYSELF AND APPEAL A DENIAL. THIS CAN BE AVOIDED IF THE SURGEON'S OFFICE IS DOING THEIR JOB. BUT I SUGGEST STAYING ON YOUR SURGEON'S OFFICE TO GET THE APPROPRIATE INFORMATION INTO THE INSURANCE AND THEN TALK TO YOUR INSURANCE.

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

GOOD! MAKE SURE YOU ASK ABOUT WHAT TO EXPECT WITH DIET PRE OPERATIVE AND POST OPERATIVE. ASK ABOUT VITAMINS,SUPPORT GROUPS,HOW MUCH WEIGHT YOU EXPECT TO LOOSE. HOW THE SURGERY WILL BE DONE OPEN OR LAPROSCOPIC. WHAT BRAND OF BAND THEY USE.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

BATTLING WEIGHT MY WHOLE LIFE. MY BP TRENDING UP. HAVING A FAMILY THAT I WANT TO BE HEALTH FOR. TO FIT INTO CLOTHES AGAIN THAT DON'T LOOK LIKE A TENT.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I FELT THEIR ARE LESS LONG TERM RISK WITH THE LAP BAND VERSES THE BYPASS. WITH VITAMIN DEFICIENCIES. THE BYPASS REMINDS ME TO MUCH OF THE TYPE OF SURGERY THAT IS DONE FOR ESOPHAGEAL CANCER PATIENTS AND GASTRIC CANCER PATIENTS.

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 FEARED THAT SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN BUT ALSO THAT WITH MY WEIGHT AND FAMILY HISTORY OF CO-MORBIDITIES THAT I COULD HAVE A STROKE OR HEART ATTACK ALSO. YOU HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION BY WEIGHING THE PRO'S AND CON'S.

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?

EVERYBODY WAS SUPPORTIVE. MY HUSBAND WAS LEARY BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT ME TO HAVE SURGERY. BUT WHEN I HAD TO APPEAL MY DENIAL WITH THE INSURANCE HE WAS MORE AWARE OF HOW DETERMINED I WAS TO HAVE THE LAP BAND AND LOOSE WEIGHT. NOW HE IS MY BIG SUPPORTER. EVERYONE IS SUPPORTIVE SINCE SURGERY AND I WOULD COMMUNICATE THE SAME AS I DID.

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

I FEEL MY SUPERVISOR AND EMPLOYER WAS SUPPORTIVE. I WAS OFF WORK ONE WEEK AND I WAS OPEN ABOUT MY SURGERY. I FEEL THAT IF YOU PUBLICALLY ANNOUNCE YOUR COMMITMENT TO WEIGHT LOSS THAT YOU WILL DO BETTER.

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

FROM THE SURGERY PERSPECTIVE GREAT. THE BAD PART WAS THE STAFF WAS EXTREMELY NOISY. I WAS NEXT TO THE NURSES STATION AND ACROSS FROM THE BREAK ROOM. I DID NOT SLEEP. I WAS THEIR 23 HOUR OBSERVATION. A TOOTHE BRUSH AND TOOTHE PASTE WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO BRING.

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

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 WAS GREAT AND ABOUT A WEEK AFTER SURGERY I DID TO MUCH AND FELT A STINGING FEELING WHERE MY PORT IS. ABOUT 7 DAYS POST OP I WAS GETTING TIRED AND I THINK THAT WAS DUE TO LACK OF PROTEIN. I WAS A LITTLE CRANKY WHEN COOKING FOR MY FAMILY SO THEN I CALLED A SUPPORT PERSON AND DRANK SOMETHING.

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

I FELT GREAT. I HAVE TWO YOUNG KIDS AND WAS ABLE TO CARE FOR THEM.

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

15 MINUTES

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

I REALLY DIDN'T STOP ANYTHING BUT JUST WOULD NOT OVER DO IT.

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

FLINSTONES VITAMINS TWICE A DAY. LOW CARB SLIM FAST.

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

WANTING TO EAT SOMETHING YOUR NOT SUPPOSED TO.

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

I HAVEN'T GONE TO A SUPPORT GROUP YET POST OP. I HAD SURGERY TWO WEEKS AGO. I PLAN TO GO TO THE NEXT AVAILABLE ONE.

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

ACTUALLY I AM HEALING BETTER THAN EXPECTED

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I DROPPED 22 LBS IN LESS IN 10 DAYS THEN HIT A PLATEU AND DROPPED ONE POUND IN A WEEK.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES, I FEEL PEOPLE ARE NOTICING ME MORE. IN FACT SOMEONE SAID THERE WAS A CERTAIN GLOW ABOUT ME.
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