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

My Mother In Law had Gastric Bypass and my mom and my mother nearly died from it. I though GBP was way too invasive and searched for other options until seeing the commercial for LapBand and researched for over a year and chose LapBand to be my saving grace.

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

The power of prayer is something wonderful. My doctor submitted my paper work and the was approved on the first letter.

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

I was very nervous at my first visit not knowing what he would think of me, my weight, how I looked. But he was wonderful and after a few minutes. I was very comfortable with him. I had wrote down LOTS of questions I had and he answered them with complete honesty and I knew he was the doctor I wanted. I had brought my mother with me for the first visit so she could learn about my surgery too and she asked as many questions as I did so she could be on my support team and know what I had to go through and help me along on my Lapband journey.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

After meeting with the doctor and feeling comfortable with him and his team.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

After research and meeting with 2 doctors and talking to my Primary Care and other people that have had my surgery I decided that Lapband was for 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?

My fear was dying and leaving my husband and kids behind. I would tell other people that everything we do in life could have complications. Just follow what the doctor tells you before and after surgery and follow the diet and everything will be fine.

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?

My family was very very supportive. I wouldn't have said or done anything different. They were just as supportive if not more after the surgery as before.

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

I got a new job 6 months prior to having surgery and told them when I was interviewed that I was having weight loss surgery and everyone was supportive during my preop journey and every walked with me at lunch. I was out of work for the Tuesday through Friday of the week of my surgery. Tuesday was my preop appt, Wednesday was surgery and took Thursday and Friday off and the weekend to relax and get rest and went back to work on Monday. I didn't lift anything and everyone was there to help anyway they could until I was back to "normal"

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

My hospital stay was very nice, Everyone from Registration - Discharge was very nice and helped alot getting in and out of bed, etc. I was there overnight. The things I brough were the regular necessities toothbrush, toothpaste, sanitary napkins, wetwipes to freshen up, loose clothing for going home, loose nightshirt, hair brush, coloring book and crayons as this relaxes me and keeps my blood pressure down. I also brought a bed pillow for the ride home for the "bumps" to help cushion or if I had to cough to cushion the stomach.

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

I didn't have any complications after surgery but my potassium was low and they gave me IV potassium (let me tell you....I would rather have given birth than have potassium through an IV) I did have a bit of a fever and just had antibotics through IV.

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 got my surgery date 10 days prior to my surgery as they had an earlier opening. I was excited and nervous at the same time. I was told to start my pre-op diet and started that the day I was told and I also started a list at work during lunch of things to pack and over the course of the 10 days I packed my overnight bag to ease my anxiety and read my paper work about what to eat after surgery and made sure my kitchen was prepared with what I needed.

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

The first 3 weeks post surgery I had wicked shoulder pain from the gas. I walked and walked and walked wear patterns in my carpets and kitchen floor to get rid of the pain and also took Liquid Tylenol and it helped alot.

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

I traveled an hour away to Boston. I had my surgery at Brigham and Womens Hospital.

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 stay away from rice, pasta, potatoes and anything fried. Eating and smelling fried foods nauseates me. I can't eat ground beef or any kind of beef without it coming back up. I can't eat shrimp now after 5 months.

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

I walked any time I could during lunch time and an hr walk after work. Now 5 months post op. I walk 4 miles 2-3 days a week and I do the Biggest Loser Work out on rainy days.

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

Flintstones Complete Chewables, Viactiv Calcium Chews and Biotin for hairloss. I also take the Sugar Free Fiber Chewables.

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 nausea was the worst for me. I would put a cool damp facecloth on my forehead and think "happy thoughts" and do the childbirth labor breathing and listen to relaxing classical music and after about a half it the nausea would subside. The surgeon gave me a suppository to use and I use them only when I need them if it gets too bad. It has only happened a few times since surgery.

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

I didn't have a bad part of the entire process. I think the anxiety and waiting for the day to come was the worst part.

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

For aftercare I have my bariatricrecipes group on Yahoo and I belong to other online Support groups online including this one :) My doctor has a support group but its an hr ride to Boston and having to pay to park. I also go to a local Support group when I can.

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

I have 5 small scars and they are what I expected.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have had a few plateau experiences but I just looked over what I ate and add more protein, exercise and changed my routines and it worked.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, more people talk to me and ask me about my weight loss and one person asked if I had a baby and another asked me if I had cancer because of the big weight loss.