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

Back in 1994 I heard about the surgery thru my counselor who worked on the bariatric team.

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

It was a scary time waiting for the initial insurance approval. I waited about 4 months to get a final ok.

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

It was a long time ago. I dont remember too much other than trying to absorb the wealth of information I was getting.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I wanted to have the surgery from the first time I heard about it.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

It was the procedure my Doctor was doing- there was no option.

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 was not afraid to die, I was nervous the day of surgery but I was more excited to be able to take the weight off.

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 and friends were supportive. Infact my father, two brothers and sister had the surgery eventually as well.

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

I am a stay at home mom

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

I was in the hospital a week. Back in 95-96 when I had mine down it was very evasive. I was cut breasts to belly button and had trouble standing, bending, etc... I remember being treated well by the UofC staff.

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

I did not have complications until several years later.

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 ate a LOT... I enjoyed eating without guilt for the first time in my life. I had hope and was excited for my future.

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

On the way home from the hospital all I could think about was being able to go to my own home and EAT.. but when I got there I couldn't eat like I used too. I was very sick and spent a lot of time on the couch. I didn't have any help around the house and I remember laying there looking at the cups stacked in the sink and not being able to stand to do the dishes. I was out of it for a couple months.

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

I saw my doctor twice or 3 times total after my surgery. It was several hours to drive downtown to the hospital so I followed up with local doctors.

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.

After surgery I ate baby food. I had trial and error the entire time. I can in no way ever eat Dairy Queen Icecream- it kills me! I get terrible stomach pains and forced to lay in a ball of sweat clutching my aching belly for hours afterwards.

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

I was unable to do much of anything for several months. When I returned to my gym I started slow by working on the treadmill. I loved to go walking.

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

I can NOT express enough the importance of vitamins!! My Dr told me I had to take B12 the rest of my life and also a multi-vitamin everyday (prefferably chewable) I did not keep up on my vitamins and I have suffered irreversable damage to my nerves. I can not walk anymore like I did before. My legs hurt so badly. I am also anemic and deficient in Vitamin D. I have chronic fatigue and suffer from fibromyalgia, neuropathy and osteoarthritis. ALl of these diagnoses stem from vitamin deficiencies that spanned several years.

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 threw up almost daily for the first year. I havent had trouble with throwing up for the past 5 years- but I did for quite awhile. If I did not chew something up well enough it came out again.

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

Gaining everything back and being in terrible health 13 years out.

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

None

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

My scar was huge. I have keyloid so it was bad. I had a large scar from having gallbladder out in 88. I was hoping they would cut thru that scar but instead I was left with railroad tracks from my breats to my bellybutton. I was unable to afford a plastic surgeon, I found a Dr who would remove the scar and tuck my tummy for a couple thousand and took payments. I was not put to sleep and he only used small shots to numb the area as he cut. I could actually feel my skin tearing away from my body. Now that I had a baby since and gained weight that was another waste.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I never reached a weight that was considered 'normal'. I plateued at 190lbs and that is where I stayed for 3 years. I then dropped to 175. The only way I could get down to 165 was to stop eating all together and never stop moving morning til night (working 2 jobs waitressing and cooking) I lived on cigarettes and orange juice (traded my food addiction for nicotine shortly after) I don't know why I have to struggle so hard to keep weight off.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes. and I would rather not talk about it.