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

I moved to a new town, and the wife of one of my husband's co-workers had just had the surgery. She told me about her experience, and it sounded like the answer to a prayer.

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

My advice is be prepared. Find out in advance what documentation, waiting periods, ect. your insurance requires. Doing this sped up my approval process. My insurance company worked with me very well.

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

He told me about the benefits of the surgery, but he also told me about the risks and what would be required from me to make the surgery a success. Don't gp tp this appointment with rose-colored glasses. Yes, the surgery is a great thing, but is has risks, and will still require effort on your part to permanently change your habits.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was afraid obesity was gong to kill me, either through physical complications or emotional ones. I couldn't stand living like I was any longer.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I talked with my surgeon and together we chose what would be best for me personally.

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 afraid to die from the surgery, but I was afraid to die from not having it also. I made a list of the complications of obesity, and beside it, a list of possible complications of the surgery. The list from the obesity side was actually longer, and held no chance of improvement. The surgery had less risks, and held the chance of success.

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 / friends were great. Like me, they were concerned about the risks, but more concerned about my health if I didn't have the surgery. I would do it all the same.

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

N/A

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

I was there for 4 days, I think. My caregivers were great. They were very polite and took good care of me and my husband. The most important thing I brought was a picture of my family. When I looked at it, it reminded me why I wanted to be healthy.

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

I have 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 had to wait 6 months because of a waiting period for my insurance. It was exciting, like waiting for a much anticipated vacation. I looked forward to it, but I wished it would hurry up. I didn't really have any anxiety.

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

What amazed me more than not being physically hungry was that I wasn't mentally dwelling on or depending on food. I was physically tired (from recovering from surgery and lack of vitamins at this point), but otherwise felt fine. Be careful, though, not to over-do just because you feel "good".

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

I traveled about 125 miles from where I live. There were options closer, but my doctor was worth the drive. It didn't affect my aftercare.

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.

No matter how much I chewed noodles, they made me sick for a long time. Rice was much better. My first solid foods were scrambled eggs and a bite or 2 of grits. This was a staple for several weeks. Couldn't eat anything dry like biscuits or cornbread, which was good because those were bad choices anyway. Canned meat like tuna or chicken was easy to tollerate if I chewed well. I couldn't tollerate fruit at first, but could after a few months. Grainy meat like ground beef didn't sit well. Anything greasy made me terribly ill. A year after the surgery I could tollerate almost anything. Six years later I still can't tollerate anything greasy, and still prefer rice over noodles. I also still can't tollerate "heavy" foods like creamy casserole fillings and such.

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

In the days after surgery it was a short walk around my house every hour or so, to help prevent blood clots in my legs and to build my stamina. Then I progressed to walks down the driveway, then to walks down the road where I live. My energy level increased when I was able to start taking my vitamins.

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

Everything I take is chewable. I take a children's multi-vitamin, B-12, C, and Calcium. I plan to do this for the rest of my life.

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 to get used to what would cause dumping syndrome so I could avoid it. I had to eat slowly and chew well so that I wouldn't vomit. I think the worst thing for me was hair loss. It started a few weeks after surgery and lasted almost a year. I just used volumizing shampoo until it got thicher on it's own.

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

The worst part for me was mental. The surgery helped with the physical part, but I had to train myself to stop thinking and acting like an overweight person. I had to deliberately become health-conscious. That is a MUST for the surgery to succeed.

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

This is where I slipped. I didn't seek out a support group right away, and ultimately returned to a few bad habits and regained 55 pounds. Family support is great, but support from the surgical weight loss community is CRUCIAL!!! I am now a member of an online forum called "Renewed Reflections" that is by and for people who are planning or have had weight loss surgery. They give everything from a pat on the back to a kick in the pants - whatever I need at the time. Without some type of support group (physical, on-line, whatever) you will not maintain as high a level of success.

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

I had laproscopic surgery, so I have 3 (because you can't see the one in my belly button) tiny, very minor scars. This is what my doctor prepared me for.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I plateaued around 180, but my exercising was not as intense as it could have been. It was shortly after here that I began to slowly regain some of the weight.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, definately. For some reason heavy people are sometimes treated like they are lazy people who have a have a contagious disease. It is nice to be able to "blend in" to general society now.