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

I had worked with a woman in the early 1980's who had the "stomach stapling" surgery and she did amazingly well. But back then, it was very scary! After that I had not heard much about it for a very long time. I started to look into options on the internet and found support groups that talked in great detail on the aspects of the surgery. I found this very exciting, that there was some help out there. I asked a lot of questions, read a lot and finally went to a seminar of Dr. Snyder's. At that point, I knew that I had found my answer.

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

Patience! Some insurance companies take a long time, but others are very quick. I had a specific exclusion to the surgery outlined in our insurance booklet. However, with all of the problems that I was having, they approved me in less than a month's time.

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

Dr. Snyder was fantastic. He truly cares about what he is doing and fully explains what to expect and wants you to ask questions. Make a list of all of your questions before you go. Take your time in preparing this list, do research and that way you will walk away from your first meeting with a lot of answers.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

The seminar that Dr. Snyder had which addressed in great detail the entire procedure, what to expect before, during and after, as well as his mandated follow-up sessions. At this seminar, there were people who had the surgery in different forms (lap band, RNY, etc.) and at different stages of recovery (2 months out, 6 months out, 2 years out, etc.). You could ask questions and listen to others asking questions that you may not have thought of but wish you had!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I decided with my magnitude of health problems, I needed to be aggressive with the procedure, so I opted for the RNY over the lap band. I made this decision final after my initial consultation with Dr. Snyder who filled in all of the blanks and answered all the questions.

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?

This is a real fear and there are complications with any surgery. However, I felt completely at ease and was ready to go forward. I was at the point where I knew if I did not do something, I would die within 10 years or so. Talk about your fears to your surgeon and to support groups. It really does help to talk them 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?

I made the decision to not tell any of my family, with the exception of my husband, kids and sister. I did not know how they would react, so rather than face the criticizm, I took the chicken way out and told them after it was all over. Hindsight is 20-20! I realize now that if something had happened, I would not have prepared my family well. After they found out, they were very supportive and continue to be today.

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

I did not tell my supervisor what type of surgery I was having, just that I was having some and would be out of work for 2 weeks. I told him about 2 weeks after I returned back to work. Being the only female employee there and the only really heavy one, I just did not think that they would understand. I am glad that I handled it this way for work. I was off of work for a total of 2 weeks, but probably could have gone back a little earlier if needed.

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 Center in Denver, CO. I was greatly impressed by the fact that you did not have to try to fit into a regular or small size chair. Their gowns went all the way around me. The staff was so good in the pre-op area, understanding, caring and genuine. They were very gentle in all areas. I had my surgery on a Monday and was released on Thursday. The only things that I would bring to the hospital are a toothbrush, toothpaste, hair brush, shampoo, personal wipes and a set of clothes to go home in. The hospital provided soap for the shower and I really did not need any of the other things that I brought. Depending on the hospital, you may want to consider bringing slippers for your walks. Rose provided socks with gripper feet so I did not need the slippers that I brought.

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

I had no complications from the surgery.

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 extremely nervous, yet excited. I knew that this was what I needed to do to save my own life, but it is still terrifying to go into this big of a surgery. I was extremely lucky with my surgeon's office. They moved my surgery up by a week in order to help me cope with insurance changes that were going to occur the day after my scheduled date. The time went by very quickly, as I only had 2 weeks from notification to surgery day. I spent my time getting all of my work caught up so that I could be gone for 2 weeks without stressing out. This took working 13 days straight at a minimum of 12 hours a day. I had no down time to begin thinking about anything else!

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

I returned home Thursday night after a Monday surgery. I slept pretty much for the next day and a half solid. Having had 7 surgeries previous, I knew to take my pain medications on schedule for the first few days, which is important. My Grandmother passed away on Sunday and I flew to Kansas City the following Friday. I had my drain removed on time at the end of the first week which was a blessing. My sister traveled with me and totally took care of me the entire time. She had wheelchairs and carts waiting at the airports and all I carried was my pillow. Baby yourself a little during this time! It pays off. Make sure you get up and walk when you are supposed to and do your coughing like they instruct you to do, so you recover from the anesthesia sooner. The walking is hard, but so worth it in the end. I went back to work at the end of my two weeks off and did pretty well. I did take 30 minute naps in my car at lunch time, and I think that this was the only way I could make it through the day.

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

The hospital I went to was not the closest one to home. It was about 25 miles from home. It did not affect my aftercare any. The only problem was that I was not able to see my family after the surgery until I got home, as my husband had to work and take care of the kids in the evening. This affected my kids more than me, but we did just fine.

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.

The foods are the toughest part of this. Being patient is the best advice anyone can give. The first day is only ice chips. The next few days are clear liquids only, broth, Jello, water, tea, etc. Next is a couple of weeks of still liquids only, but added into it is protien drinks, yogurt, pudding, milk, etc. Then is pureed foods (including meat), adding in cottage cheese, refried beans, etc. Finally, you get to add back solid food - with very small portions, and well chewed. (I even found myself chewing things like Jello and cottage cheese, just to make sure it would be ok!) The things that I could not eat have stayed pretty much the same all along. I can not tolerate sugar, it makes me throw up. Fried foods do the same thing. It is true that you can pick off the outer fried portion, but the fact that it is still fried and it comes through inside as well. After eating the same thing for almost every meal, all 6 a day, you may find that you do not want it again for quite some time. I can eat most anything (other than sugar and fried foods) at this point, and I am just past 4 months out. If I eat too fast, I feel bad or even sick.

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

I stayed pretty close to home the first few days, but started getting out right away, just to do little things like taking my kids to school and going to the store for supplies. My trip at 1 1/2 weeks out was hard, but as long as I rested, took it easy and ate and drank often, I was fine. By the time I went back to work at 2 weeks out, I was doing really pretty well. After that, I have done really well so far.

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

I take adult chewable multi vitamins, calcium chews (sugar free), B-12 and Biotin all twice a day. I have not added vitamin C, but was told I could.

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 vomiting was the first fear, but is not horrible. You do not have stomach acid in the pouch. It did not start until about 2 months out, finding out what agreed with me and how to slow down in my eating. I did have a little loss of sleep at about 1-2 months out, but that settled down after a few weeks. (It almost felt like I had too much energy!) The dumping only happens to me with sugar, and I very carefully screen all my food to avoid it! Dumping is the worst! Lately, my big thing is the hair loss. I have very fine hair to begin with, and for the past month and a half, I have been loosing a big handful every day. I did buy some Nioxin and Rogaine, but it is too early to tell if it is helping. (It probably only helps my mental well being.) Just remember to take it a day at a time on all these things.

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

The worst part for me was the worry about insurance, approval, and what I was going to tell people. I know that sounds pretty stupid, but I did not want any negative feedback once I had made up my mind to go through with it. I did not tell even my Mom and Dad that I was having surgery. Now that I am through, I know that this was VERY DUMB! What if I had been the 1/2 - 1% of those who do not make it through surgery? How would my parents handle it then? Tell your loved ones what you are doing and don't take any negative feedback!

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

Dr. Snyder's office is great with follow-up care and support groups. I am in the midst of trying to arrange a new group in my area. This is taking a little longer than I had hoped, but I have faith that it will come to fruition. I think that the support groups are very helpful, but an on-line forum for those who can not meet the schedules of groups is equally as important.

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

I have 6 small 1 inch scars from the surgery. They are still a pinkish purple at almost 5 months out, but will fade eventually. This is much less than other surgeries I have had. Not bad at all!

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I had a plateau at about 4 months where I felt as if I were gaining rather than loosing. In reality, I was just staying the same. I did not weigh myself, but it was the way the clothes fit. I finally bought a new pair of pants and within a week, they were falling off. Once the plateau ends, you get right back on track.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, most definately. I did not know at first if it was that I had a little more confidence, or if I really did seem to be a different person now. I feel that people do not avoid eye contact with me any more. I work in Downtown Denver, where when you pass people on the street, you may never get a smile, hello or acknowledgement of your even being there. Now, I get people saying hello and smiling. I also do not feel that people watch me so closely in restaurants or the grocery store any more. That used to be really hard. It was like someone had to check out what you were going to eat or buy.