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

My aunt had the surgery in 1994, she lost a lot of weight and was able to get out and exercise easier. She began pushing be to have the surgery but I still thought I could lose the weight on my own without going through such a drastic surgery. I didn't like all the problems she was having with dumping and vitamin deficiencies. I didn't feel like trading one set of problems for another.

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

The clinic I went through to have my surgery did all the contacting to get insurance approval luckily I didn't have to deal with them.

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

I had written a letter to send with my application for surgery long before I had a surgeon. In the letter I outlined what I had done to prepare for surgery including research on the internet, changing eating habits, and exercising more. I also told him/her about my medical history that made losing weight important to me. I stressed that it wasn't vanity that was making me decide to have this surgery but the desire for a better quality of life physically. The surgeon liked the letter and discussed it with me in the initial meeting. He also took the time to make sure I understood all the things that could go wrong before, during, and after surgery so that I was making an informed decision. To get the most out of the initial meeting go prepared with questions for your surgeon. Talk to people who have had the type of surgery you want to have and ask them what questions they wish they had asked their surgeon before surgery. You could also go to obesityhelp.com to get great information.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

The major factors in deciding on surgery was my health and medical history. My mother died in 1995 of a stroke, at the time of her death she had diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholestrol, heart problems, and circulatory problems. All of these things are rampant on her side of the family. I had already developed high blood pressure and arthritis, I knew it was only a matter of time before diabetes kicked in if I didn't lose some of my weight.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

The only choice I had was whether they were going to do the surgery lap. or open. They only do one type of surgery (proximal Roux-Y) at the hospital where I had it done. The surgeon said that I had too much fat around where they would do the lap. surgery so I had to have the open.

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?

The only thoughts I had about complications or death was that I was already experiencing complications from being over weight and that I was dying slowly at this weight so what do I have to lose except weight.

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?

Everyone was and has been very supportive of my decision to have this surgery, because of the reason I was having the surgery (my health). A friend stayed with me for three and a half months pretty much around the clock to help me with complications I had following surgery. I can never repay her, or her husband who let her stay with me and ran errands for me, for all the help she gave me during my recovery. My surgeon even asked that I bring the someone with me to my appointments to make sure that I had the support of people in my life, so my friend came with me. My family was also very supportive but they live on the other side of the state so it was possible for them to go with me.

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

I am currently unemployed so this wasn't a factor, but because of complications I had I wasn't able to attend college fall quarter because I had my surgery in August and I had an open wound until December.

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

I had excellent care in the hospital. I was only expecting to stay for 3 days so I didn't bring anything except my hair brush, personal hygene products, and my slippers to the hospital, however I ended up staying 8 days so I had friends bring me puzzle books and a deck of cards.

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

The first complication I had was two days after surgery when the old portion of my stomach blew up like a balloon. I had to have a tube insert into the old stomach to drain the fluid and gases that were building up in it. The tube wasn't a problem just something I had to deal with and drain every now and then. It was removed after about 5 weeks. However I did get two wound infections in the incision and had to have them opened up and allowed to heal from the inside out. The first one was 2 weeks post-op and the second was 4 weeks post-op. Healing was slow and caused me to be pretty much home bound for 4 months so I have had some problems with depression and frustration.

In the weeks after you got your surgery date, how did you feel? How did you cope with any anxiety you might have felt?

When I first got my surgery date I was really excited but the closer it came the more nervous I got. My only fear was deciding if I was really ready to lose the weight that I had come to see as my armor against life. So what I did was focus on all the ways losing weight was going to allow me to live instead of just exist in this life of mine.

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

I couldn't believe how weak I was. I was expecting to be able to do more for myself than I was. On the third day home I spiked a fever went to the ER and found out I had an infection in my incision. The surgeon opened the infection when he removed the staples. Two weeks later I got another infection that caused the surgeon to open the incision completely to allow it to heal from the inside out. This however is not something that happens a lot, I am just one of the lucky few.

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

I had my surgery done locally at the University of Washington Medical Center. It is only about 10 minutes from my home by car, 35 minutes by bus.

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 have been very cautious when trying new foods. I have only had problems with sugar alcohols found in some sugar-free foods. I can eat just about anything I want, but in very small amounts. The only thing that worries me at this point is getting enough protein and nutrients from the foods I do eat.

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

Following surgery I was able to get out and walk just about every day even if only four blocks, however once the second infection came and I had a large open wound it was comfortable for me to move around much. I am currently 6 months post-op and I am just now getting into a regular routine of exercising (walking 3 miles or riding a stationary bike for 45 minutes).

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

I am currently taking a multi-vitamin, calcium supplement, and vitamin B12 supplement.

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?

The only side effect I have experienced so far is hair loss. It began falling out about 4-6 weeks post-op. I am currently 6 months out and it has finally started to slow down. To cope with the hair loss I had my hair cut differently so that it would still look full.

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

The worst part for me was the infections and wound care afterwards. I didn't really get the opportunity to focus on the changes I was making in my life I was too worried about healing and preventing another infection.

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

The University of Washington offers a wonder group of support people for me. I meet with a dietitian and social worker each time I visit the doctor. I can also contact any of them anytime I have a question. Starting in March 2005 they will be offering a support group meeting once a month, which I will take part in.

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

The areas, very top and very bottom, where they didn't have to reopen due to infections is barely visible 6 months post-op. However, the rest of the scar is about an inch wide and very purple yet. I wasn't expecting the infections so that part of the scar isn't what I expected but the other parts are.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have just come off a plateau, but I think it was caused more by my inability to exercise than anything else. I started exercising at 5 months post-op and the weight started coming off again. My plans for future plateaus are to adjust my exercise level as needed to jump start the weight loss.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I have noticed that I don't get harassed on the bus since surgery. I have lost 92 lbs. so far so I don't take up so much space anymore. People have also started sitting next to me on the bus, which they didn't do before unless there was no where else to sit.