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

I heard about it for the first time about 25 yrs ago, a friend of the family had it done. At that time I was about 50lbs over weight and I felt surgery was too drastic of a move for me, I wanted to lose the weight on my own. I did feel however that it was an excellent alternative for people who truly needed the help wit obesity.

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

I live in Canada, so I had no problem being approved for WLS. The surgery is covered by our health insurance here, as is the skin removal surgery after the fact.

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

I cried the whole time. I was scared and very emotional about it all. He was very understanding and straight with me. I needed and appreciated his upfront attitude ... it helped me realize that obesity was more then just being uncomfortable and insecure ... it is a disease.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

After the initial appointment with my surgeon, I realized this was the only choice I had to be healthy and happy again. I was terrified to go through with it, but even more terrified not to see my son grow up.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I discussed the 2 alternatives with the surgeon (gastric bypass vs vertical banded) and we both felt that the gastric bypass was the best choice for me.

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 terrified. I cried for days prior to the surgery. Having a small child at home I was so scared of leaving him motherless .... Im happy to report that didnt happen. All I can advise is this, being afraid is completely natural, there is nothing I can say to change that fro anyone going into this. However, talking to people that have already been through it certainly does help. Sites like this one were a great comfort to 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?

My family were very supportive before, during and after the surgery. They all know what a struggle I have had for many years with my weight, they were happy to see me finally excited about something that I honestly felt would help be.

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

I was very open and honest with my employer. I told her everything I had planned to do and she was incredible. She wrote me encouraging notes prior to my leaving and she was always very kind and considerate of me. I will be out of work from Aug 25 - Oct 23. I will be out of work for approximately 8 weeks which was the recommended recovery time by my surgeon. I have a great health plan at work, so my abscense is completely covered.

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 for 6 days. The nursing staff at the hospital were absolutely wonderful. They took excellent care of me day and night. The most important thing I would say to bring would be lip balm .... my lips were getting so chapped from lack of fluids that the lip balm turned out to be a God send. Cotton night shirts are a good thing too if you dont plan to stay in the hospital gowns. Ask the nurse for a fan as well, you will need it!

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

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?

It was approximately 1 1/2 moths from the day I got my date to the actual surgery. It was the longest 45 days of my life!! lol I did consider changing my mind a couple times, but then realized that this was what I had to to for myself and my family. My husband and parents were very supportive, they helped me a lot when ever I was feeling unsure of my decision.

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

I have ony been home a few days, and it has been difficult. Moving around is getting easier for me, but sleeping is still a problem. I uslually sleep on my stomach or side, and since the surgery, this is obviously quite difficult to do. It is getting easier though, Im sure it will be much better for me once the staples and the last tube are removed in 2 days.

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

My surgeon is located in my city. The hospital was actually my local hospital ... 10 minutes away.

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.

All of Dr. Sandersons patients are put on a strictly full fluid diet after surgery. This will last for 2 weeks until I can go see the dietician again. If all is going well, I will move to soft solids. Being on all fluids has been tough, especially when I still have to cook regular food for my family. It has been hard, but in a ll honesty, Im still not feeling upto eating solid food anyway.

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

I have been getting there slowly. Walking and climbing the stairs has been what I have been focusing on so far. Getting up and down is getting easier everyday ... I feel things are moving along well for me.

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

I am taking the following: - Chewable calcium with Vit D 1x per day - Liquid iron 3x per day - 8 tblsp of skim milk powder per day, mixed into my food - liquid multi-vitamin 1x per day

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?

Other then the sleeplessness due to the staples, I really havent had any other side effects since Ive been home.

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

In my case, it was all the tubes I had to deal with while in hospital, it made life very uncomfortable and I didnt want my son to see me like that, so I had to wait until they were out before I could see him. It was torture. I also have trouble sleeping on my back so that was also a bit annoying for me.

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

I have just gotten home ... I havent join any yet other then speaking with a woman who was in the hospital with me who had the same surgery. We are kind of supporting each other at this point. :)

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

My incision runs from my breastbone to my belly button. It is quite large, but I was told it would be 6-8 inches prior to surgery.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I usually hit a plateau once a month around the time I have my period. It lasts a week and then my weight drops 1-3 pounds immediately afterwards.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Men in particular treat me differently. I thought it would be flattering, but in all honesty it isnt. Im still the same person if they had bothered to get to know me when I was obese. My family and friends are great as they always have been. They are always very complimentary, and that is a good feeling coming from people who care about me.