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

I used the AltaVista search engine and entered obesity. Weight loss surgery was one of the things that popped up. The more I read the more I wanted to know. At first I thought it was a crazy thing to do. Then I found the obesityhelp.com site and started reading profiles. When I read Heidig's profile and went to her personal web site I found the duodenal switch surgery and I knew I had found the answer to prayers. Now if God will answer my prayer for insurance approval with 100% coverage I will be "switched" and on my way to a happy healthy life.

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

Cigna POS/HMO was horrible to deal with from the very beginning. They forced me to go through the entire appeals process after denying my claim due to an exclusion in our policy. The exclusion read"weight loss surgery for obesity". There was no exclusion for wls for morbid obesity. I used this as the basis for my arguement for the Administrative Hearing and won an out of network approval. Now my twin daughters have been approved after only one appeal. Of course in the appeal I informed the insurance medical director that it was against the law for them to deny their claims on the grounds that they had approved the surgery for other patients with the same exclusions and policies. It worked! I would advise that anyone research thoroughly before submitting that first claim. Make sure that you docuement everything from phone calls to weight history. Send in copies of everything that supports your claim and be familiar with your policy. Talk with the insurance manager in your Human Resources department and let them know if you have problems. They can often give you the name of someone inside the company that can help you. Last but most important, be the squeeky wheel that will not go away!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My health was steadily worsening. My PCP had assured me that at the rate of my decline that I might have five years left to live unless I could find a was to lose weight. I was only 44 years old at the time.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Research. Having over 200 pounds to lose and with a family history of young deaths due to morbid obesity, I needed a surgery that would afford the best and fastest weight loss. The duodenal switch not only gives the weight loss I need but it is not as restrictive nor as likely to have regain as many of the other surgeries.

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?

None. I knew that should I die having the surgery that I would be with God in heaven. I had my case of the jitters the night before surgery but it was taken care of with prayer and God's giving me the peace of knowing that the decision was the right one.

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 mother was the toughest family member to deal with and she still is somewhat so. Everyone else in my family has been very supportive. Mama's only problem was that she was afraid of losing me. After she fully understood the surgery she was very supportive. She is planning on going with us when our daughters have the surgery to help with their post op care. I would not have handled anything any differently than I did. My family and true friends are very supportive and helpful.

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

North Carolina Duodenal Switch support group. We are a new group and have only had two meetings to date. They are a great group and have been a wonderful support both pre and post operatively.

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

I have six "stab" wounds that are not bad at all. They aren't as ugly as my c-section scar from 1982. These with fade with time and not be noticeable at all. These scars are exactly what was expected for a laproscopic surgery.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I am only nine weeks post op but I have had plateau experiences. When I weighed at Dr. Smith's office one week after surgery, I had lost 18 pounds. One week later at my PCP's office, I had lost fort-four pounds according to her scales. That was a drastic change in less than a week! I stayed at this loss even on my home scales for several weeks and then gained six pounds. I lost the six and stayed there for two weeks. Now I have lost fifty-four pounds that will be gone forever.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

There hasn't been much change outside of the family as of yet. My family is just so supportive that they are thrilled with each piece of "old" clothing that I can wear again. I am wearing size 26 women's pants that I haven't had on in over two years. I was in fifty women's. My 4X shirts are falling off me and I can even wear some of my husband's shirts. As for people outside of friends and family and their treatment, I may have a difficult time dealing with the changes. I am sure that those that shunned me, stared and ridiculed me as a morbidly obese woman will act differently as the weight decreases. The best I can do for them is prayer and education.