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

When my husband was told that it was his last resort if wanted to live 6 more months. After researching our options, I was impressed by the success rate.

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

I never had to deal with the insurance company. My PCP staff and the staff at CHRIAS took care of all of that.

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

I asked a lot of questions. He tried to talk me out of the RNY and have LAP-BAND instead but I felt I did not have the time to lose the weight slower. I needed to get it off fast. Do your research and be well informed before your consultation. Write down any questions you have, no matter how silly they seem.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My decision to proceed with the process was based on the fact that I had suffered 3 heart attacks in 8 years time, and could no longer work and my health was rapidly deteriorating. I could not exercise because of arthritis pain, alot of which was caused by the excess weight. Update 11/09/06: My surgery was performed October 4, 2006; and as of January 23, 2008 I am 3 pounds UNDER my goal weight and have had my Tummy Tuck and Breast Reduction.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I wanted something permanent that could NOT be reversed, or expanded. This absolutely had to be a lifetime change.

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 have made peace with God and I did not fear dying from the surgery. I did however, fear complications such as infection, incisional hernia(if I couldn't have it done laparascopically), and I worried that I would have tons of loose skin to deal with. None of those things are as bad as how I was living before surgery...in constant pain, couldn't even stand for more than 5 minutes without horrible pain in my back, never wanted to go out anywhere where folks might see me like that. Update: I have had some suture rejection issues since my plastics in November '07. It is apparent that I am allergic to dissolvable stitches and have had a terrible time healing as the sutures surface and cause abscesses and pain. It gets better every day though. I have pulled at least 36" of plastic, barbed sutures out of my incisions, and still have some bits and pieces trying to come out.

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 Mom thought I was being extreme...she thinks that anyone can lose weight over time if they would just stay with it. 11/09/06: Mom may have protested at first, but I think she sees now that I made the right decision. I think she was scared she would lose me. 01/23/08: The whole family is very happy I had this surgery because they see how healthy I am now.

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

I wasn't working at the time of my surgery.

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

The hospital stay was short and my pain was controlled well by the PCA machine(patient controlled anesthesia). Once they took that off though, I was mad. They wanted me to drink liquid Vicodin. Gross but not as bad as I thought it would be. Bring a chap stick! Your mouth gets so dry that first day. Ask your nurse for those little mouth swabs with the mint flavor, and swab your mouth alot.

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

I had 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 felt uplifted, relieved. I was very anxious to get going. The last few days before surgery though, I got very afraid of maybe dying on the table, or having some complications. I just told myself to stay positive and knew things would be ok.

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

Expect tons of frustration. Your small stomach can only handle tiny amounts of food and liquids. Sip alot. Wait 30 minutes or so after eating to drink. Stop drinking 30 minutes before eating. Expect to be sick to death of yogurt, cottage cheese, and jello. Push fluids...broths, caffeine free teas and sugar free non-carbonated drinks. Once you get off purees and soft foods, go very very slow. Don't try new foods away from home. Take small bites and chew until it's almost gone. Don't swallow anything bigger than a pencil eraser.

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

Christiana Hospital is a 2 1/2 hour drive from where I live. It is a long trip but has not created any problems with aftercare. I just try to schedule as many follow-ups as I can for the same date.

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.

Immediately after surgery, it was a struggle to get in 8 ounces of fluid a day, but every day it got easier. You have to pay attention to what your pouch feels like. Sip Sip Sip. I cannot eat breads, cereals, pasta, or potatoes. They just fill me up too fast. I have to get the protien in so I just leave out the starches for now. If there's room after I get the meat or fish down, I have a little bit of vegetables. Then a bit of starch but usually by the time I eat a couple bites of veggie, there's no more room for anything else. My gut has begun to reject dairy products lately by making me suffer with horrible gas, so I have slowed down on that stuff.

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

Each week, I am able to tolerate longer and longer periods of mobility without pain or fatigue. The only thing that keeps me from walking like I should is the arthritis in my back. That still hurts, though not as severe as pre-op.

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

I take Centrum Kid's Complete, twice a day. Tums Bone Health twice a day, and an iron supplement twice a day. I add protien powder to just about everything. Update: 01/09--I stopped taking supplements due to my ulcer. My iron and vitamin D are very low.

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 had a lot of nausea the first couple of weeks, every time I tried to eat. Water caused pain in my pouch so I was very frustrated about my fluid intake. You just have to be patient and keep trying. Once my tummy was healed, I was ok though. I just have to be careful not to overeat.

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

So far, I would have to say the gas they fill your abdomen with when you have a LAP procedure. It takes a couple of weeks to get it all out and it's really uncomfortable. Then comes the experimental phase with foods..you just don't know how you will react to things until you try them. It's frustrating to sit down with the tiniest portion of food and NOT be able to finish it.

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

I must admit, I have not attended the support group meetings that are offered in my area. I really haven't felt the need for that much support since I had already been through this process when my husband had his surgery 4 years ago.

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

I have 6 small scars. No big deal. One of them is a round scar but the rest are just little slit type scars, about 1/2" long. The one right over the belly button is about 1" long. Update 01/023/08: Since my plastics, I no longer have a belly button...I am not a bikini person at my age so a new navel didn't mean anything to me. I have a smile shaped scar from the abdominoplasty from hip to hip, and the breast reduction scars fron armpit to armpit horizontally, and a vertical scar under each breast from the nipple relocation. All of these are easily hidden and will fade with time.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

My weight fluctuates by sometimes 3 or 4 pounds daily. It simply depends on what and how much I ate, and whether or not I went potty that day. Update 01/23/08: I am 3 pounds under goal. Sometimes the scale doesn't move for days, and other times I will lose 8 or 10 pounds in a week.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes. People pay attention to ME, not my fat. They seem like they actually want to be around me now.