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

I learned about it through media coverage. I thought it sounded great but it seemed to be out of reach for me. I never thought I would be granted the opportunity to have WLS.

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

Keep the faith! I had a great surgeon who's support staff took care of everything. I was approved after the first letter, but it took forever! Or at least it seemed like forever. It was 5 days before surgery and we had to track down the approval over the phone. That alone took an entire day. Quiet frustrating!

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

Dr. Milliken was great. Very knowledgible, very honest. He has preformed the surgery over 500 times and is highly respected. He calmed me down considerably and was able to answer all my questions without hesitation. That would be my big tip, I literally kept a list of questions on paper that I wanted to ask him, this is really helpful. Once in the office, you may forget this little thing or that little thing you want to know about. Keeping a list makes sure you have all the information you need to make an educated choice.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I had tried everything else, and everything else did not work. I felt it was the last option I had available.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I was told by my surgeon that Open RNy had the best results.

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 afraid of dying, so I prepared a will, living will and power of attorney prior to the surgery. It at least gave me the peace of mind that everything would be taken care of to my specifications, should I not wake up.

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?

The only supportive person was my boyfriend. My family and friends thought I was nuts and wouldn't discuss the topic with me.

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

They were not thrilled with my having to take 3 weeks off for recovery, but were supportive overall.

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

I was in intensive care for one night and in the hospital for five days total. I have never been in a hospital before, but I would say the stay was as pleasant as posible. The nurses were amazing and kind. I would say to bring a book and some photos of people you love. The hospital only had 6 or 8 channels on the cable tv, only 3 of which I watched - over and over! The book was helpful to pass the time.

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

None.

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 actually fine. The only thing worth mentioning was the restictive movement. I have never had any problems before, my body always did what i wanted it to. Suddenly after surgery, my body would tell me "NO". Like "NO" you are not picking that up or "NO" you are not walking that far. It was weird to NOT be able to do something as normal as picking up a gallon of milk. I never had that experience before.

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

Lots of sleep! Take this time to nap and recooperate. I went into hibernation mode. I never wanted to leave my recliner, it was where I felt safe and comfortable.

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

40 or so miles. The ride home was nerveracking, but not bad. I was driven to the inital follow up appointments by my boyfriend.

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 only thing worth mentioning was the restictive movement. I have never had any problems before, my body always did what i wanted it to. Suddenly after surgery, my body would tell me "NO". Like "NO" you are not picking that up or "NO" you are not walking that far. It was weird to NOT be able to do something as normal as picking up a gallon of milk. I never had that experience before. Food wise, 98% of everything I tried was fine. I developed mild lactose intolerance, so now I limit dairy products. I found that I cannot tolerate sugar alcohols - very bad idea! Nor can I eat raw celery. Other than that, everything has been fine. In fact, I wish more bothered me, it would probally help me in the long run!

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

Low. I hate exercise. Prior to surgery I walked 6 miles a day. At 2 months, I am barely at 3 miles a day. But remember, i hate exercise.

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

I take a multi vitamin with iron, a B12 suppliment, a zinc suppliment and a biotin suppliment. Due to the mild lactose intolerance i now have, when eating dairy, I take a dairy digestive aid tablet.

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 one and only bad experience i had with dumping was on sugar alcohols. It was the worst stomach/intestinal pain I have ever felt. I could not believe I was not going to die. It was excrutiating! But in about 45 minutes, it was over and i now know to avoid sugar alcohols.

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

Slow weight loss. I am one of the unlucky ones that is losing so slow i am off the charts! VERY FRUSTRATING! I expected more from the surgery, but my body does not want to cooperate.

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

None.

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

It is about 14 inches long, straight down the middle of my belly. Once the redness from the staples goes away, it will actually look better than i anticipated. Just a thin light pink line. Not nearly as bad as I expected.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I am so slow losing overall, I doubt I would notice any.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

No.