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

I had heard of stomach stapleing years ago but they did not bypass the intestines back then and most of the time, did not seperate the stomach. I had first heard of the Gastric Bypass when Carnie Wilson had it.

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

I had Fidelity Benefit Administrator insurance when I first submitted for approval. They denied me once because they said I didn't have a years worth of a supervised diet within the last two years. I had 10 years worth of documentation but nothing within the last two years because I had decided to not diet anymore. I then appealed, got denied, and appealed again to be denied a last time. I had contacted the Insurance Commissioner in my state after my very first denial and they agreed to start a case against the insurance company. During the time of my last denial, my employer switched insurance. They picked Kaiser Permenante. My surgeon did not participate with Kaiser so I opted to pay more for my benefits and get the Out of Network plan as well. This meant that my insurance would only pay 80% if my fees. I was fine with that. I had my surgery Feb. 2003 and after Kaiser paid their portion, I owed the hospital $2500. The Insurance Commissioners office was still pursuing their case with Fidelity and after a long battle, Fidelity agreed to pay what I owed the hospital. The best advice I could give someone is "never give up".

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

I really had a great first visit. I had done tons of research on this surgery. I really learned the most from Obesityhelp.com. I had a list of questions I wanted answered on my first visit and my surgeon answered them all. My advice for your first meeting is come prepared. Do lots of research. The surgeon wants to see that you have really done your homework and know what your getting yourself into.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

After spending a good 3 or 4 months reading all of the stories and posts on Obesityhelp.com, I realized there was hope!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

The surgeon I picked only does the Gastric Bypass and that was OK with 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 had alot of fear of dying in the beginning. I thought to myself, "How selfish can I be to have a surgery to correct something that I should be able to correct myself and then leave my kids if I pass away from it". The more I thought about it, I have had several other surgeries and the thought never crossed my mind that I would die, why would I think that for this one. I prayed to God to see me through, I trusted my surgeon and just went on with it.

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 did alot of research before telling anyone. I wanted to make sure I had answers to the many questions I was going to get from everyone once they knew. Knowledge fights ignorance! I told my husband first, he was not very happy, his fear was that I was going to die. After much debating and discussion, he finally came to realize that I had made up my mind and knew that I was not going to do something unless I felt it was safe. He was always supportive, just didn't totally agree with it. He's great with it now that its done and I am losing weight. I didn't tell my immediate family until my surgeon's office submitted for approval. It was the same as my husbands reaction. They were very supportive, just scared. I was very lucky to have such a big support system.

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

My employer was great. Another girl in my office had it done 5 months before me so she kind paved the way for me. The only thing I think my boss got tired of was the time I had to spend on the phone fighting the insurance company. Day time is the only time you can do it so I didn't have much of a choice. I think my boss has seen benefit of this surgery because my attitude has really changed. I feel good about myself so therefore my outlook on everything is better.

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

My surgeon has a support group that meets twice a month. He strongly recommends attending these meeting before and after surgery. I started going 3-4 months before surgery and still attend them now. It is very important to attend a support group. Its great to share stories, ask questions and see everyones acomplishments.

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

I have 9 little scars because my surgery was done laproscoptic.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I lost quick in the first month but it has slowed down each month there after. My surgeon said that becuase I started out alot smaller than most of his patients, I will be a slower loser. I lose about 6-8 pounds a month now. I am OK with that as long as I keep losing.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I thought before that people treated me differently because I was heavy. Now I wonder if I am treated different because my attitude about myself has changed. I had become very negative and down. I am now happy again and I think people see that and it makes me more approachable.