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

This will sound really sad, but I first learned about Bariatric Surgery on the Jerry Springer Show, back in the mid '90s. There was a super morbidly obese gentleman on the show and Dr. Mal Fobi came on to offer his services free of charge. Little did I know then that his procedure (Fobi Pouch) is not as great as it sounded, although for the mid '90s, it could have been great.

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

The approval process was relatively easy for me. I live in Canada and the surgery is normally covered by the government. Because there are few WLS surgeons in Canada and none in my province who perform the DS, I went to Bowling Green Ohio. I applied to the government for funding based upon the fact that I would have had to wait 3 to 4 years to have it done at home. I was approved on my first submission.

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

I had my initial consult with Drs. Hess and Oakley just today. They are two of the nicest individuals I've met. They have such a great concept of the difficulties of being obese and make every attempt to make you comfortable. Not only do they have great manners, but from what I hear they are 2 of the most competant and skilled physicians in the field of bariatrics. The thing that struck me most, while sitting in Dr. Hess' office was a picture that hung from his wall - It was a picture of Jesus talking with a physician. I know I am in good hands if, above all else, Dr. Hess has a relationship with God.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I made my mind up the moment I first heard about the surgery. The hurdles were getting my family and friends onboard. Now that they're with me, I'm full steam ahead.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I weighed teh facts. The Duodenal switch is an elegant procedure that combines the best parts of all the other operations and yet keeps the pylorus and the antrum intact so that the stomach functions naturally. It combines restriction and malabsorption (both to a mild degree) thereby attacking the problem of obesity on the two major fronts. Lastly, the results speak for themselves - the expected weight-loss is even higher that with the RNY and the incidence of late weight gain is near 0%. What more could you want from a 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?

I'm really not fearful of complications. In the back of my mind, I know things can go wrong, but I will not let that eat me up. As I've said, I know God has a plan for me and He will bring me through this ordeal as He sees fit. I would tell others to leave their worries and fears at the foot of the Cross and give them up to God.

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 resistant to accept the fact that I might need surgery to correct my obesity. They thought it was far too drastic a step to be taking at my age and in my health - I am as healthy as an ox aside from my excess weight. I reminded them that our family Dr. used the same logic on my mother - that she was too young and too healthy to have breast cancer, even though she had found a lump - and she died as a result. I would not be brought down by inaction. Ever since that day they have been behind me 110% - so much so that if my insurance denies me, they will be paying for my surgery. Post=operatively, my family has gone above and beyond the call of duty. The experience has not only brought me closer to my parents and my sister, but has given me a great appreciation of the importance of family - something I didn't realize before.

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

My co-workers and supervisor have been overwhelmingly supportive. They understand that this is a MAJOR health risk, and that even if I have to be off for 6 weeks, I am worth more to the company alive than dead or severely debilitated. UPDATE: Due to vomplications, I have been off work for 4 months and may be off for another 2. It's been a rough road, but I'll get through it. UPDATE: Because of my complications I ended up being off work for 6 months. Upon my return everyone was very supportive. My foul gas was a little off-putting to them and I have transient body odor after eating certain foods that is also off putting but it's controlable if I stay away from garlic.

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

My hospital stay was excellent, as far as hospital stays go. Wood County is a small hospital and the staff is extremely attentive to every detail. It is also a very quiet hospital - I really liked that. Being an out-of-towner, they kept me in hospital for 9 days instead of the normal 5 or 6. I really didn't mind because the hospital bed was far more comfortable than my bed at home. I brought a lot of stuff with me and surprizingly found that I didn't need any of it. Everything I needed for my hospital stay was provided.

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

I didn't have any immediate complications. The first 7 weeks of recovery were excellent. I didn't even require pain medication. The 8th week was a real turnaround. I developed acid reflux and my esophagus closed on me. I couldn't keep anything down, at all, except for water. It was terrible. Unfortunately, my Dr. didn't diagnose it and said it was just a small setback that would clear up within the week. Yeah, right. for 3.5 weeks, I couldn't keep food down, at all. Ten the Dr. finally got smart and realized what was going on. Unfortunately, due to malnutrition following this, I was left with no immunity and caught a cold and a bad ear infection. Following this, I developed a blood clot in the artery that runs up my spinal column... Not a fun ordeal. This is where I am at now, and as a result of the clot, I have no sense of balance and my eyesight is affected as well. Regardless of any of this, the surgery is still the best decision I've ever made.

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 great in the first weeks following my approval. I couldn't have been more excited. No anxiety at all.

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

I felt great in the first few weeks I was home. No problems at all until my 8th week, as described above.

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

Bowling Green, OH is an hour and a half from my apartment. And it is across the border (I am Canadian). I think if I had been a local, and could have seen my surgeon readily, I would have had my acid reflux diagnosed right away, but that's only a speculation.

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.

There have been very vew things I haven't been able to tolerate... In the first couple post-op months, lemon and citrus products were off limits due to really bad evacuation problems... Think of citromag. Other than that, I can't think of anything that gave me trouble.

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

Activity level for the first seven weeks was surprizingly good, compared to what I had imagined. At 7 weeks, I started having some really awful complications and it depleted my strength completely.

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

I am currently taking Micro K (potassium), Cal Apatite (Calcium), Allergy A & D (water miscible vitamins), and Folic Acid. I am also on a daiy multi-vitamin and bi-weekly b12 injections.

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've had a few major side effects. Nothing that I can't deal with but a couple that are frustrating at times. I lost a lot of hair following surgery, which was expected. It grew back but the texture of my hair now is much finer than it was pre-operatively. My hair dressers describe it as baby-fine hair. It definitely limits my options for hairstyles but it's no biggie. I've experienced the foul-smelling gas and stools that accompany the Duodenal Switch. It was embarassing at first - especially at work - but it's controllable. I now take Flagyl every day which definitely mitigates the foul nature of my gas and stool. The most vexing side effect has been a transient body odour that occurs whenever I eat certain foods. I can't smell it, myself, but it is extremely off-putting to the people around me. Apparently, some of the foods we eat get into our bloodstream and our bodies expel them through the lungs (breath) and skin. For some reason - most likely the malabsorption - the Duodenal Switch has intensified the effect. I haven't been able to positively identify all the foods that do it to me but garlic is one of them. As long as I avoid the "landmine" foods, I smell like a rose. It's just a matter of identifying all the landmines because, as I said, I can't smell it and I never know that it's happening until people start moving away and covering their noses (as if that does anything to decrease the stench LOL).

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

The malnutrition complications I suffered were awful, but they taught me a great deal about how precious good health really is. I no longer take that for granted. I think the worst part was waiting for approval from insurance - too much anticipation.

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

Since I lived 1.5 hours from my surgeons and was not well for more than 6 months, post-op, I relied on the support of people in the Obesityhelp.com chatroom. Those people are the greatest!! I realized after my surgery that I had not dealt with a lot of my emotional issues that enabled my compulsive eating. I began to see a therapist who was helping me to work through them and unravel the knot that my life was in. Shortly after that, I attended a weekend called The Landmark Forum. This weekend transformed my life. I undid the damage from 22 years of misconceptions about the world around me and I started living life in high-definition. I now have the tools to deal with any issue life can throw at me.

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

My scar is huge... I won't kid you - It's unsightly. But I'd rather have an unsightly scar that should go away with my plastic surgery than end up in a pine box 50 years too early.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I only plateaued once, for about 3 weeks. I was so glad it happenned... I had lost the weight SO quickly, it was nice to have a rest for my body.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I get a lot of compliments from people... That I expected. Women have been a great deal more interested in me, since I've been thinner... I was shocked that physical appearance could have that much impact on people's attitudes towards me.