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

I had heard small things about WLS but nothing major until Carnie Wilson had it several years ago. I looked into it but knew that cost was an important factor and I needed to work on some of my other health issues first. I was a little concerned about it because you just that people were having it and that they looked good but not how they felt or what went good or bad.

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

My insurance approval was a breeze. The office staff actually gets same day approval over the phone. The hardest part was staying on top of the office "insurance lady" to get it done.

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

The first time I met my surgeon was at a large seminar that is required by him if he is going to perform the surgery. It was a huge learning experience. He presented a large amount of material and brought in past and present patients that discussed their ups and downs. After the seminar the staff and patients stayed as long as they needed to to answer questions one on one or in small groups.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was becoming very frustrated with some of my other health issues and I needed to get things under control. The years of testing and medication were not being successful so I needed to try a new direction.

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 am not really fearful about complications or dying. I have had a couple of surgeries in the last couple of years so the thought of surgery is no longer foreign to me. I know in my mind that they are doing everything in their power to make this successfuld for me.

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?

Most of my friends are very supportive and they are actually happier for me than I am for myself. There are a couple of people in my family that are not very supportive because they feel that there are other options out there and I need to stick with those. I have tried to concentrate and spend my time with those that are supportive and spend less time with those that are trying to bring me down.

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

My supervisor has been wonderful. She has been working with me to work around appointments and time off for the surgery. This is important because I am in an occupation that does not allow for a lot of flexibiliy.

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

My surgery was on a Tuesday and I was released on Friday afternoon. I was not real happy with the communication of the staff at my hospital. In most cases they did not communicate necessary information and were not available as needed.

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

I had no complications other than I leaked a little bit so they could not use the blood thinner as soon as they do on most people.

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 a little nervous thinking that I was not prepared and that I should be doing more to get ready. I keep myself busy up to the night before so that attention was focused on something else and I did not dwell on what was going to happen.

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

The first couple of weeks home have been pretty uneventful for me. I have been able to get all of my protein and water in with ease. I thank this to my doctor and the "sample menu" that he provided. I have been following this and making just slight adjustments to fit my needs. The hardest part for me has been the exercise. I am tired of walking circles around my house because I do not have exercise equipment at the house and there is so much snow that it is difficult to get around outside. The other thing is I have been faithfully taking my vitamins in the morning but on several occassions I forget to take them in the evening so I have had to write it on my "sample menu" to remind me.

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

My drive to the hospital and surgeon's office is about 35 minutes away on a good traffic day. The first two appointments that I had there was a lot of snow so it took me much longer but it was not too bad because I had not returned to work yet.

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 did not have any issues with food until the soft stage. When I started I was so excited to have eggs or eggbeaters that I ate them every morning for breakfast. They seemed to make me ill almost everyday so I stopped eating them. I am now able to eat them but I only fix them every couple of days. I also had scallops which tasted great and were one of my favorite foods pre-op. The first couple that I ate I dipped in butter not even thinking about it. Within minutes I was ill. So, I stopped for a little bit and then was able to eat them with no complications (without the butter). I have found that a food that taste good today may not taste good tomorrow so I have had to find a large variety in the foods I eat. My Dr. has not made anything "off limits" but did give foods such as the whites (popcorn, pasta, bread, etc) as cheat foods to have every once in a while as a treat.

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

The day of surgery I did not want to do anything but sleep. That evening when I got out of bed it was very difficult. The second day I was still a little sleepy but I was still on some pain medications but I made sure that I got up every 2-3 hours to do some walking. That helped to energize me until the next walk. The weeks following surgery I have been energize as long as I am eating/drinking as required. If I let too much time pass I find myself getting sleepy. I have found that when it is time to go to bed I am falling asleep more quickly and sleeping more soundly.

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

Every morning I take a sublingual B-12 and a chewable multi-vitamin. I also take the chewable mutli-vitamin in the evening. In 2 weeks I will begin taking Biotin because I am concerned about my potential hair loss.

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 that I have found is that if I drink out of a straw and drink too fast I get those deep hiccups in my chest that were painful the first couple of days out of surgery.

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

I have had a great experience so far but the worse part was the waiting. I had to constantly stay in contact with my Dr. office to make sure that things were on track and that I had all of the necessary information, forms, class, etc. completed.

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

My Dr. has nutrition classes when you are 1 week, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year post op. These classes then continue on a year basis and you are welcome to attend any class more than once. They also have started some bariatric cooking classes. These have been very informative and including label reading, food prepreation and kitchen tips. We make approximately 7 items in the class and are able to take home samples and receipes from the items that we made. My Dr also pushes you to attend the area support groups depending on where you live.

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

I have six scars from my bypass. The largest one is about 1 inch long and they have healed with no problems. I asked my Dr where the scars would be and what they would look like prior to surgery so he drew the on me at the appointment so that I could look at them and get use to the idea. They are still a little red/pink and I am hoping that they start to fade to white before the summer.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

There was a 3 week period where I did not seem to lose much weight but I checked the inches and that is where I saw the numbers. Then the weight started to come off again. It was not as fast but I was still losing so that keep the smile on my face. I have also found that my weight loss is slower if I am not getting enough water.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

In the beginning everyone would look at me to see if they could notice any difference and were very cautious with the things that they said or did around me. Now I am just me again. I have a friend that has changed the way he does things around me to mirror my behavior. He will not drink during the meal or directly after, orders the veggies instead of the potato and ask them to keep the bread. This has made dining out a lot more enjoyable.