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

In March of 2002, I went back to my family doctor after a failed diet/exercise program, in search of any new pills or other therapies. It was then that I first heard about bariatric surgery for the first time. Afterwards, I got on the web and came across Carnie Wilson's story, and was deinitely intrigued.

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

In 2002, I had Cigna HMO, and got denied at every stage of the process. Even after hiring Walter Lindstrom to help out, I got denials on my level 1 appeal, my level 2 appeal, and my external review. All denials were given the reason, "Insufficient Documentation of Professionally-supervised diets within the past year." My advice for people in this situation is: As soon as you even THINK you might be interested in WLS, get to your doctor, and have them refer you to a dietitician and get on a 12-week diet, with periodic weigh-ins. When that's up, get your doctor to refer you to another dietitician, or to a reputable program like OptiFast, and repeat. Make sure all of the documentation is going into your medical record. Keep doing 12-week diets, and every time you complete one, submit a request for WLS to Cigna. Don't get so discouraged that you stop doing these 12-week spurts.

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

The first meeting with Dr. Meyers went great. I came away very impressed with him, and confident that I'd made an excellent choice. He was very good at explaining the surgery, including the risks and the long-term effects.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Early on in my research, back in April 2002, I'd read so many success stories that I knew that it was for me.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I went with the RNY because of its status as the 'gold standard' according to ASBS. I specifically requested a distal RNY to ensure a high malabsorptive component.

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 wasn't really afraid of the surgery. I knew that there's a 1-in-200 chance of dying on the table due to complications, and I knew the post-op risks (embolisms, leakage, &c.), but I had a lot of confidence in my surgeon, and adopted a fatalistic attitude about the rest. (I mean, every time you get in your car, you stand a chance of being involved in a horrible accident, but should that keep you out of cars?) I would recommend that anyone contemplating WLS do a risk-benefit analysis. You know what the risks are from surgery; now, compare them to the risks from NOT having the surgery.

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 family was supportive overall, and a little apprehensive. I involved my mom early on in the process, and she went with me to seminars, &c., and I think it helped to calm her anxieties. Of course, after the surgery, everyone was wonderfully supportive.

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

My supervisors were great; not an iota of resistance, and they went out of their way to work with me (e.g., with schedules, &c.). As far as what I told, I blabbed about WLS to everyone. I was out of work for exactly 2 weeks.

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

I was in for 8 days, all of them NPO (nothing by mouth), and that was kind of a drag. The staff (RHD Memorial Hospital, Dallas, Texas) were great!

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

As it turned out, I had absolutely NO complications from surgery. The swallow tests kept showing what might be a wisp-ish leak, but after collecting a sufficient series of shots, my surgeon concluded that what they were seeing was an odd shape to my stomach. It meant a longer hospital stay, but I was grateful for the extra caution.

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 started getting nervous the week before surgery, but it wasn't anything that needed dealing with.

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

First off, expect to have a lower energy level than you did before surgery. Second, keep an eye on your temperature and heart rate, since you'll want to be on the lookout for any post-op problems. Third, don't push your intake too hard; do what you can, but don't get worried if you're not eating enough.

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

The distance to the hospital was probably 12 miles...nothing bad.

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.

The diet mandated by the surgeon is essentially a transitional liquid diet for the first month. I'm at the 2 week point, and so far I've been allowed (and have eaten) yogurt, thin cream soups, protein shakes, tea and, of course, water and broth. At this point in time, everything else is forbidden. The only problem I've had is in getting enough in -- I am just not that hungry any more. (YAY!!)

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

Pretty low initially, but building up steadily, especially after returning to work.

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

Flintstones Chewables x 2, plus a TwinLabs Sublingual B-12.

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?

Diarrhea was the worst side effect, and it was probably due to a combination of the gastrograffin, the antibiotics I got in the hospital, and a basically all-liquid diet. I took immodium about 3 days after going home, since I was tired of all the close calls, and when my system restarted a couple of days later, things were much better. The only other side effect is in my sleep habits -- no matter what time I get to bed, I always wake up around 3:45 to 4am. I can usually get back to sleep around 5:30, but then I wind up sleeping until 8, which is too late for me. I think this is all due to having spent 8 days in the hospital, and I'm not too worried about getting back to my normal routine soon.

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

For me, the worst part was in the insurance approval part. I went from March 2002 to December 2002 trying to meet Cigna HMO's requirements, and spent a lot of time and money in a battle which I ultimately lost (i.e., Cigna never approved me, and it was only because I could switch to UHC PPO that I could qualify for the surgery). There's nothing harder than finding out about WLS, and becoming convinced that it's something you want to do, only to be delayed.

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

My surgeon's office has organized a support group that meets monthly, and I believe that it will be crucial to my progress.

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

I have 6 very small scabs scattered across my abdomen, and one larger scab where the drainage pump used to be. I had lap surgery about 10 years ago for gall bladder removal, and those scars went away quickly, and I have no doubt that these new ones will, too.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

None yet, but I'm determined not to let a plateau worry me.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, but mainly because I'm just out of the hospital; I think that it will fade soon.