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

The only thing I had heard of the was the bypass and that scared me. I was thrilled to hear of the band because it was so flexible and less scary.

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

I got my band relatively early in the process (2001). We had to go through a rejection letter and an appeal then we were good to go.

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

It was actually pretty cool. I didn't have a lot of questions but if you are the kind of person that has questions, make sure you have your questions written down.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

LIFE!!! I didn't have much of a choice. I was ready to live.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Bypass wasn't an option for me. Banding was the only thing that they were doing here in central Maine.

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 didn't have any major fears with banding.

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?

All in all, I think people were cool with my decision. Everybody has been pretty good.

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

I was only out a week. I am not even sure I told my supervisor.

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

I was only there for a couple hours after the surgery. Most evreybody else that was banded that same day stayed a couple days, but I felt great and went home.

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

I ended up with a series of seromas. They had to take out my port and wait for things to heal before they could put it back in. I was glad that the infection was just around the port and not the whole band. I didn't want to have the band removed. It was a long and frustrating process.

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 excited. I just wanted it to be sooner. Instant gratification of a fat person HEHEHE

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

All in all, I did pretty well with both the pain and the hunger. I wanted to rush through the stages and that is not a great idea, but some people (like me) have to learn that for themselves. Do stay away from beans, the gas will make you feel like you are going to explode.

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

3 miles. I was lucky to be close.

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 followed the "diet"; liquids; mushy; soft; regular CHEW CHEW CHEW!!!!

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

Minimal at first but after the weight starts coming off, it makes it so much easier to move. It also gives an incentive to do more.

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

Nothing

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?

Other than the seromas.. things went well.

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

The seromas were horrible. I even got used to being poked by needles and the whole surgery process.

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

There was a group and I went for a couple weeks, but I dropped out.

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

Because of the seromas, I have scars on both sides of my belly. It isn't a big deal because even if I had the body, I am not a bikini kind of gal.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have had quite a few. I lost my health insurance after about 18 months. After that I hadn't done much wth adjustments. I have gained back a lot of what I lost but am finally ready to hit the ground running again, get a new adjustment and rock this thing!!!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Definately.