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

I noticed that a friend had lost weight and when I mentioned it, she told me that she had had the surgery.

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

My surgeon's staff took care of all of the insurance stuff. I didn't have to do anything. I had looked in my policy book to see what was covered. I was heavy enough for it to be considered a medical necessity, and, therefore, covered.

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

My surgeon mailed me a packet of information and forms before I met with him. So I had questions ready and knew what to expect. The visit lasted about an hour. I spoke first with the nurse for about 30 minutes, and then met with the surgeon. To get the most out of it, write down every question you have, ask the questions and take notes.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

After I talked with my friend who had the surgery, she let me read her materials. That motivated me to make the appointment. Then, I read lots of stories and posts on this website--including the memorial page. Once I met the surgeon and his staff, I was totally ready to have the surgery.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My surgeon does only the lap roux-en-y. I would have chosen that anyway because of the success rate and the relative safety of the procedure.

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?

My only fear was blood clots. I spoke to the surgeon's staff about it, and knew what I needed to do to minimize that risk. I prayed about the surgery itself, the anesthesia, etc. I went into the operating room with faith and confidence.

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?

Everyone was supportive. Because they knew well in advance, they did some research on their own. One son was very concerned about the anesthesia, but was supportive of my decision. My daughter and mother were at the hospital with me. They have been great.

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

My supervisor thought it was a great idea, and the way for me to be healthy. I was only out of work for two weeks.

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

The hospital stay was better than I expected. I was there two days. The only pain I had was in the surgery recovery room. The area I was in had other bariatric surgery patients and the staff was extremely caring and knowledgeable. The most important things to bring are slippers you can walk in--you have to get up and walk a lot.

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

I had 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?

The first surgery date was just joyous anticipation. Unfortunately, a tumor was found on my stomach, so the half of the procedure that had been completed was undone. I had to wait until that was healed before I could have the surgery "again." I was a little apprehensive the second time because I wanted the surgery so very much, and was afraid that something else might happen so that I couldn't have it. I coped by praying a lot.

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

I was back to work after two weeks. During the first two weeks, I was quite tired most of the time. There was no pain. I was glad to get off clear liquids after the first week--I felt that I was starving. Then, the soft diet wasn't a hardship. The amount of food continues to be plenty. I felt great. My punctures healed well and quickly. No pain at all.

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

My surgery was performed less than 10 miles from home.

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.

Clear liquids until a week after surgery. I was pretty hungry during that time. Soft diet until 8 weeks after surgery. That wasn't a problem for me at all, except for tuna and scrambled eggs. Wasn't allowed to have pasta or rice because it could swell. I am now on the lifetime bariatric diet, which consists of 3 meals a day (no calories between meals). Each meal is a half-cup of food, with half of that being protein, one quarter being fruit, and one quarter being vegetable or grain. No concentrated sugar or fat, no caffein, no alcohol, no carbonated drinks. I am not able to tolerate scrambled eggs or tuna--they seem to be much too dense. I've had no problems with any fruits or vegetables, nor with any meats. DayQuil gave me dumping syndrome. A challenge for me is making the meals last 30 minutes. I am getting much better at it.

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

I resumed normal activity when I got home, with a restriction on lifting (up to 5 lbs only) for the first 2 months. I was able to do more and more as I lost the weight, and find that I have a lot of energy in the morning. I can get some household chores done before work--what a strange thing for me! Walking is 30 minutes daily, and exercising is 5 days a week.

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

I take 2 chewable multi vitamins with iron daily and 3 Tums for the calcium. The first week I also drank a protein supplement.

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?

So far, I dumped with DayQuil about 3 months after surgery, and also when I forgot to wait a half hour after supper to have a cup of decaf. No vomiting, although I was nauseous after trying to eat a scrambled egg, and after trying to eat tuna.

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

The clear liquids that began 3 days prior to surgery and lasted until a week after surgery. Everything else, before and since, has been a walk in the park.

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

My surgeon has a website and answers e-mail really promptly. He encourages patients to call with any questions. He and the hospital run a support group monthly. I have been to the meetings and found the information helpful, but I am not a "group" person and will probably not continue with the group after another month or so. I committed to two meetings post-op.

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

I have 9 puncture sites. The scars are still quite rosy, but I can tell that they have faded. There will be no baring of the belly! The first surgery (which was undone) was 6 puncture sites. The second surgery had 9 sites because the surgeon wanted to be sure there were no more tumors lurking in hidden places.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

None yet.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I get tons of compliments and friends always want to know about my progress. I feel that people don't look at me like I am freakish any longer.