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

I had a friend who had Gastric Bypass six years ago. I thought it was a "drastic and potentially dangerous" way to lose weight. Last spring I went to Denver, to a seminar put on by Dr. Michael Snyder and that changed my entire outlook about surgery. It was helpful to hear the actual surgeon talk about the facts, the possible rsiks and the great results people were having with WLS if it was done correctly with the right kind of follow up and support. Then he described LapBand surgery and I knew that was the path I wanted to pursue.

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

My insurance doesn't cover ANY bariatric surgery. I had to finance my surgery.

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

I had my surgery at Rose Medical in Denver,CO. I received excellent care. My surgery was performed at 11:00am, I was back in my room within one hour. I live six hours from Denver so I opted to spend one night in the hospital rather than drive back home that day. I had very little pain and was up walking around within a couple hours. I left the hospital the next morning with my post op instructions and a prescription for pain meds, which I never even had to fill.

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

no

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 lucky in this area. The day I had my consultation appointment with Dr. Snyder(this was after completing all the preop requirements like a cardio/pulmonay workup, a psych eval, blood work etc.) there was a cancellation in the surgery schedule the next week so I took that appointment and had surgery five days later. As I was having all my pre-op stuff done I was just anxious and excited to have the surgery done.

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

The biggest challenge for me was learning the difference between being hungry in my head and truely being hungry. With the LapBand surgery you really have to learn a new way to eat. It was like giving up a drug for me, I realized how addicted to food I had become. Physically the healing process was quite easy, the mental part has had it's moments! Support is the key. Find it, it's out there.

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

I had to travel six hours each way to have my surgery. The part that's hard about that is with LapBand you have to see your surgeon for "FILLS" of the band. The most water they can put in the band is 3cc's. My first fill had little to no effect on the restriction on my stomach. Getting a fill is painless and takes about 3 minutes from start to finish. That is a long trip to make for such a short procedure. I do wish there was someone locally who was trained to do this. The travel gets expensive when you figure a day off work, one night in a hotel, and the cost of gas. On the other hand......I do it anyway!

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.

With LapBand surgery it is about restriction. I can only eat four ounces, in volume, of food. That means anything I eat has to fit in a 1/2 cup measuring cup. My diet consists of 75% protein and 25% carbs. So I eat a lot of meat and hardly any bread. I don't have any intolerence to foods, just to large amounts of food. I drink between 60-80 ounces of water each day. I eat every two to three hours and I excersise four days a week.

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

Right after surgery I went to the gym about two days a week. I rode an incumbent bike for 40 minutes. I did not do any weight training for six weeks per my Doctors requirements. As far as activity at home I was feeling well enough to do all daily things, like general housework, I went rght back to work but I sit at a desk all day so actually I had to get up and move around the office every hour or so.

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

I take a liquid multivitamin (big pills can get stuck in my stomach opening) and a B-12 twice daily.

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 did not have any of these things. Not even once.

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

I hate to sound unrealistic but honestly I have not had a "worst part". The surgery for LapBand is very easy to have and very easy to recover from.

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

Because I live so far away from where my surgery was done I struggle with support right now. I do stay in touch with Dr. Snyder's LapBand surgery liason by email and phone. She has been a wonderful source of support. I found out recently that some people in my community have started a support group for folks who have had WLS as well as those thinking about having it. They meet the last Thurs. if each month so I will be going to that in a couple of weeks.

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

I had a laproscopic surgery so I have four small incision sites. They are healing nicely. I am about eight weeks out from surgery and my scars are fine red lines about and inch long. I'm sure they will be invisable within a year or so.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Right after surgery I lost 20 pounds fairly quickly, by six weeks out I had lost 44 pounds. Right now I am in need of another fill for my band so I am not losing. I can't get to Denver until the end of Oct. so I am basically dieting and excersising until I get down there and get more restriction. It is disheartening when you can feel yourself being able to eat larger quanities of food. My band needs to be tightened again so I can feel full on very small amounts of food.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Folks are just starting to notice my weightloss. I have gotten some compliments which always feel good.