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

I first found out about the surgery thru Carnie Wilson on TV. Then a girl I worked with had it done.

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

I really had it easy. I went to the required groups, the psychologist, and the nutritionist. I also had great support from my PCP and surgeon. I was approved on the first request

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

He was very kind and sensitive to my feelings. He explained the entire pre-op process and post-op lifestyle change.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was no longer able to keep mending clothes that split. Plus I wanted to have kids and not be the "Fat mom"

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My surgeon and his staff explained the procedures and their pros and cons; and which would be best 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?

There are HUGE risks with any surgery. I had surgery before, I had my gallbladder removed and knew my response to anesthesia and painkillers.

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 did not tell my family and I still have not. They feel that WLS is cheating. My friends were very supportive of me and proud of me for having the guts to do it.

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

I did not tell a whole lot of people at work. I worked for a very large company and it didn't make sense to make an issue out of it. I was out of work for 12 work days, which was really 3 weeks.

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

I was in the hospital for 4 days. It wasn't bad once I got the catheter out. I just wanted to get out of bed! Bring a couple of gossip magazines, underwear, and for the ladies, pads.

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

No complications-I'm very lucky

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 was so impatient. It was a countdown

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

Major boredom! Other than walking, I had nothing to do. Watching TV was torture. I never realized how many food commercials there are!

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

I traveled 50 miles to my surgeon and 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 stuck to a pretty tight menu for the first 2 months after surgery and slowly reintroduced things back into it over the year. Sometimes it went well, sometimes it didn't.

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

It slowly increased after surgery.

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

I take a multi-vitamin twice a day, B-12 once a day, and calcium citrate 3 times 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 really didn't have a problem with it. I dumped a few times, but I steered clear of those problem foods afterwards. I did lose some hair, but it's grown back. Nothing really bothered me.

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

The mental process of accepting your new self

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

I attend my surgeon's group once a month. It is far away, so I plan on starting my own group locally.

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

My scar is 4 inches long. Half of it is beautiful, the other half is slightly keloided. I am getting a steroid shot next month for it. But really, my surgeon wants to do it more than me. It doesn't bother me and I'm kind of proud of it.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I had plateaus of course. But I told myself that they were par for the course. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither was my ass!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, people do treat you differently. This is a bit jarring, but as time has gone on, it's not a big deal anymore