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

I had originally found out about WLS through a friend that was slated to have the surgery. I had heard that it was very dangereous and expensive and that insurance didn't cover it. I definitely couldn't afford it. I figured that if I had my knee replaced I wouldn't be in anymore pain and I would be able to exercise because my eating habits weren't that bad or so I thought. Then I got a newsletter from a hospital and in the newsletter there was an article about WLS and a seminar was offered at the hospital so I signed up for the seminar. I was so impressed with the surgeon that held the seminar I decided to go forward.

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

I was very lucky, my insurance company approved my surgery right away. The initial seminar was held in July and my surgery was in September, 2006.

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

My first visit was very diagnostic and more or less about my health history. My doctor is very professional and thorough. He scheduled me for an endoscopy for GERD. He also required that I forward all medical records regarding my first colonoscopy, breast exams, i.e. recent mamogram, and prior surgeries (of which I have had a lot of). He also required that I have a chest xray. I would suggest that before your initial visit with the surgeon write down every question you may have so that when you see your surgeon you aren't overwhelmed and forget what you wanted to ask.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

After attending my surgeon's seminar.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My surgeon on performed one method and that is the Ro N Y Gastric Bypass. (Check spelling)

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?

Since I have had so many surgeries in my life I really didn't have any fears about the surgery and I had 100% faith in my surgeon. Prior to being a Berriatric Surgeon he was a trama surgeon and that added to my confidence in him.

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 only shared with my husband at first because I didn't want my family to get involved with my decision making. However, a few weeks before my surgery I told my family and friends and they were great and very supportive since they new I had already made the decision to have the surgery and knew I wasn't going to change my mind.

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

I am a full time student and not employed. In fact, I was enrolled in school and cancelled my classes until the next semister based on my initial psychologist's recomendation to postpone school until the next semister and have the surgery now since my body would go through a great deal of change. She was absolutely on target.

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

My stay was wonderful. I was in the brand new Berriatric Unit at the Univ of MD Medical Center in Baltimore. The unit had been spicifically designed by my surgeon who is the director of the Berriatric Unit at UMMC. I had a private room and the nurses were the absolute best I have ever had.

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

I developed an ulcer about two weeks after the surgery. I thought that I just had gas because the procedure was done laproscopicly. Finally after enduring a great deal of pain in my gut after even drinking water I went to the emergency room and called the doctor. The wait was too long in the emeregency room and my appointment with my surgeon was scheduled for the next day I decided to wait and just see the doctor. He was very upset with me for waiting and had to put me back in the hospital for a few days because of being so dehydrated and he wanted to treat the ulcer. He told me that if I had called him as soon as I had started feeling the pain in my gut he could have put me on Karafate a stomach medicine that removes acids from your stomach. I was on the Karafate for about a month and I am great now.

In the weeks after you got your surgery date, how did you feel? How did you cope with any anxiety you might have felt?

Really didn't have any anxieties about the surgery except that I was excited to have it and get on with the losing end of the process.

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

I was a little depressed because you are on a liquid/soft diet for the first few weeks and I thought I wanted to eat. Needless to say, that would have made me so sick. You must begin to exercise at least by walking. Walking is very important especially at the beginning because you have a lot of gas buildup.

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

Only about 40 miles

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.

I couldn't eat beef for the longest time. In fact, I just started eating beef about a month ago and I am 10 months out. I found that foods didn't taste the same and didn't appeal to me. I am still not hungery a lot of times and must remember that I have to eat and take my vitimans regularly. I don't tolorate foods with refined sugars or breads with yeast, they tend to make me sick or bloat my poutch. As stated, I am 10 months out and I still have foods that I can't eat but that's okay becuase those foods are not good for me. I do find that I can eat a little more than I used to 4 or 5 months out from my surgery but still not nearly what I used to be able to consume.

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

Well, I didn't feel well at first and my energy level wasn't that great but I started walking and gradually began to feel better.

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

I take a multi-vitamin, a calcium with vitamin D supplement and a B-12 twice everyday.

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?

Delt with the ulcer for a good few months after my surgery and then at about 6 or 7 months out I started to experience hair loss. My hair became brittle and thin but I got it cut and now I have noticed in just the last couple of weeks or so it seems to have gotten better. I really try not to put myself into the dumping situation so I am really in tuned with my body and when I start to feel full. I don't eat anything I shouldn't eat or anything that I know will make me sick. I ate a TV dinner that unbeknownsted to me had a refined sugar in the ingredents and it made me vomit. I never ate that again. I would say that it is pretty much trial and error. Some people can eat anything and some can't. I am glad that I can't eat just anything it helps with staying away from bad foods.

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

I think developing the ulcer was the worst part and that wasn't that bad. I was very lucky.

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

I have the greatest support group/program of any that I have seen. I have access to a Nutritionest at any time for free. She runs our support meetings at the UMMC every month, and the other patients in the support group are the greatest people and we are one big, or small family.

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

I have six very small scars and are barely noticable.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

On occation I experience a plateau in my weight loss journey. But as long as you continue to exercise you will get through it and start to lose again. I sometimes go about 2 weeks at the same weight or even gain a pound, but then the next week I will get on the scale and will have a five or even ten pound loss. I don't weigh every day or even every week. Sometimes I don't weigh myself but every month but that's just me. I prefur not to weigh often and that's different from everyone else in my support group. I don't own a scale and don't want to but I am taking a fitness class in school and I have access to a scale there and use it about once a week. Since I am 10 months out I have slowed down my weight loss but I'm only about 40 pounds from my goal and am determined to get there.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I don't get staired at now for being so big, I get hit on by young college men that are young enough to be my children and that feels soooooo good. I was called thin the other day in my fitness class and I couldn't believe it.