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

It was about 5 or more years ago, I think I saw a commercial about it, and I called and they sent me a video tape and I had wanted it ever since then. I thought it would be my best chance. I thought it was derastic and expencive and I didn't care I wanted it since nothing else worked.

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

It was easy for me. I am on medicare, and they paid about 80% of it. Because I am poor the hospital even wrote off some of the fees that were my part to pay, I had not expected that, so i was happy. I ended up paying about $600.00 for it, when I added up all the pre testing things and all. But my Mom's insurance has made her on a doctor watched diet for 6 months before they will pay for her, so she has not been doing so good, I think she's been on that diet for about 2 months now and has lost only 2 pounds. I feel bad because she's had to watch me shrink, but in about 4 more months it will be her turn.

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

I had done so much reserch before meeting him, that I didn't have a lot of questions. But My sugeon was very kind, and I liked him right away. I think it's important you feel comfortable with whoever you pick. But if you do have questions, write them down, so you do not forget to ask.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

When my Mom and I went to see my cousin graduate, we had to go to a big stadium type building, and the chairs were sooooo close together and so tight, and so uncomfortable and I was soooo embaraced and so was my Mom. We fit but I felt like I was taking up the person next to me's space and it was sooo uncomfortably tight, I just thought if I get any bigger I wouldn't have fit at all. Our family was all there and it would have been so embaracing if I wouldn't have fit, and really I barely fit as it was. After that day, my Mom and I never really stopped talking about getting the surgery and so we started going to WLS seminars and reserching it, until I finally got it done.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

It was the only proceedure medicare would help pay for. But I also felt it was best for me anyway.

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?

Oh I was sooooo scared. I told everyone I was scared, I told my doctor even and he prayed with me about it. That really helped. I think anyone not scared a little has not reserched it enough. I read about a lot of complications and deaths. I wanted to know all I could know. But all in all I didn't want live the same way anymore, I knew I couldn't do it alone, so I prayed about it a lot and just did 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?

Well, it has only been 3 months since my surgery so my answer might be different another time, but so far I have only told a few friends, most do not even know, I had alienated myself from most friends because I was embaraced of my weight already. The few who do know have been supportive, they give me praises when I see them and they tell me I look good and stuff. Now out of my family only my Mom, daughter and son know about it. I have a lot of family who will be very very surprised when they see me next time. I only see them about 2 times a year because they live so far away. I have not told them, and I'm not sure yet if I will. haha Only because I don't know how they will respond to it, when most of them are health nuts and stuff. My Mom and I are like the only fat people in the family... But my family who who do know what I did are supportive, except my Mom who should still be dieting eats candy, cookies and all kinds of sweets around me, and I hate that. It's only hard when it's in my face.

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

I'm not employed. But I felt that if I had been working, I would have needed about 2 months off before going back, but I know a lot of people who go back to work faster than that.

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

I was in sooooooooo much pain, it was horrible and the nurses did not seem to mind if I was suffering. It took them hours somtimes to get my medications, and I needed more than I got. I was there for 5 days because I had the gastric bipass, it was done lapriscoptic, but then while my surgeon was stapling the insides it broke, so he ended up having to also cut me wide open and sew my stomache by hand. I didn't feel I neded to bring much. Tooth brush and tooth paste, the rest they pretty much had covered.

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

Only that the stapler broke while inside me, so instead of the 5 small incisions that I expected with it being done lapriscoptic, I also got a huge long one down the middle, because he had to sew my stomach by hand then.

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 felt badly. It hurt, I will not lie. It hurt to breath. I felt weak. I felt depressed. But then like magic the weight started melting off and the pain started going away and now I'm glad I did it. But at first I was thinking what the hell did I do that for...

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

Expect pain. more pain than you might think. Expect the mind games to begin, you will start to want to eat even before you can. Then when you can you will want to eat more than you can. You will want to eat what you can't eat. You might not be able to drink cold things, cold things hurt at first, but now I like things cold again.

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

I live 2 blocks away from the hospital so I got lucky there. Plus my doctors office is at the same hospital, so I can walk to all my appointments, wich is nice since I do not have a car.

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.

At first you could only drink food, it had to be like soups or broths and it was hard. No sugar basicaly, so that's also hard. then you can eat soft foods, but you really want to chew somthing, but no you can only have soft foods. then you can finally have a lot of regular foods, but not nuts or raw veggies and I was craving a salad for a long time. so far I can't tollerate pork chops, or chicken breast, I can have chicken thigh the meats more tender, but I have not really tried a whole lot of meats. Because my daughter hates meat, so if I cook it it will be only me eating it and I can't eat much at any one time, so it goes bad before I finish it.

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

I didn't want to do anything because it hurt, but I walked one block and then gradually added a block everytime I was comfortable enough to add more. It's been about 3 months since my surgery and now I go on LONG walks every day and also workout at curves 3 times a week.

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

I drink 3 protien shakes a day, and hate them. I take calcium 3 times a day. I take a b12 1 time a day. (but b12 is also in mu multi vits) I take a muli vitamin 2 times a day. I take vitamin c once a day (its alos in my multi vits) I take iron once a 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?

I had nausea real bad the 1st 3 weeks. I vomited I think 3 times ever though. I had a hard time being comfortable so sleeping was hard, I couldn't lay on my sides for the 1st 2 months, because it hurt. I just recently have started loosing hair, but I have a lot of thick hair, so i hope it doesn't get too bad, but I could be bald I have seen a few people who har close. The nausea I got meds from my surgeo to help but I really only took those for about 4 days and then I stopped having the nausea. The hair loss, is somthing most people who have WLS have to deal with, it grows back though.

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

The pain. But it's not hurting now, so it's ok now. haha Also the way my mind still thinks its old ways, I want mentally to eat more and know I can't, so its a mind struggle.

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

I go to St. Joesephs Hospital in Tacoma every other Monday night for a WLS support group. I see my doctor and nutricianist like I should too. This web site helps also.

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

It's not what I expected. I expected 5 tiny cuts, wich I got, but I also got the one huge one down the middle and I was not wanting that. I hate it. The big one itches badly a lot too.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Well it's only been 3 months, so I have not really had one yet, but the weight loss has slowed down, and after it going so fast before, its a little sad when it slows down.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, though I'm still big, I have about 80 more pounds to reach my goal. But even 60 pounds lighter guys have flirted more with me. But, for the most part I don't do a whole lot of things where I would be around people who know about my surgery though.