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

My sister was the one who told me about the lap band because she was going to get it first. I told her, 'no, do it on your own. WE CAN DO THIS.' I started reading more about the surgery. Then when I went back to work full time and discovered my insurance covered the surgery i REALLY started taking a closer look. I ended up having the surgery one month before she did.

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

I luckily didn't have any problem with getting approved. Though there were a lot of hoops my Dr. told me I had to jump through. My advice would be to do all the work even before submitting... ie, meeting with a nutritionist, having a psychology evaluation, losing 20 pounds, having a sleep apnea test and see if you have a healthy stomach.

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

Dr. Mejias has an orientation once a month that goes over the surgery, talks about obesity as a decease and then time for questions to be answered. Come prepared with all of your questions AFTER doing as much research on your own on the internet.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Admitting to myself that I couldn't lose this weight on my own and realizing that it wasn't just because I love food! That it truly is a metabolism issue and even a hormonal issue.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

It wasn't hard for me to know I wanted lap band because of the low risks involved. I think of the lap band as 'my guard rails'. It just 'keeps me on track' with my own hard work and efforts.

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 didn't have any fears about having the surgery. I remember being a bit afraid about thinking I could NEVER eat the foods that I liked but that is a misconception. You CAN eat the foods you like, just not as much.

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 had a lot of support from all of my family and friends.

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

I was out of work for two weeks. I had a harder time with the recovery than I had anticipated. But it was all worth it. My employee was and has been very supportive of my decision for lap band and also the reconstructive surgery I am mid point in having.

What was it like attending your first information seminar on weight loss surgery? Were you glad you attended? if so, why?

I was a little scared, a lot of excited and I was VERY glad that I went. Attending the orientation answered a lot of the unknowns and questions I had about the surgery for the Dr.. It was rejuvenating making that first step.

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

I stayed in St. Mary's Hospital in Athens, Ga.. I stayed there over night. Make sure you have gax - x strips.

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

none

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 very excited when I had my surgery date. I was busy taking off the 20 pounds required weight loss in preparation for the surgery so I wasn't too worried about surgery.

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

LOTS OF GAS !!! Just make sure you have your gas strips. my incision where the port was put in hurt more than I anticipated. A hot compression helped with that. Just make sure you have the time off from work to rest and concentrate on getting better.

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

The hospital is 20 minutes from my home.

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.

My Dr. didn't put a fill in until 6 weeks after having the surgery. so, I could eat the normal foods I was used to. But I remember not eating as much. When you have a fill you have to go back to liquids, then build back up to solids each time. AND you have to re-learn what foods you can eat and/or not eat. Just take it easy when trying the foods you 'could' eat and definitely be careful with any new foods. I am on maintenance and can eat almost everything. Have to be careful with pasta and breads. Anything that is processed carbs but we aren't supposed to be eat those anyway!

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

My exercise plan consists of walking 2 miles , 4 x a week. i just slowly built myself back up to walking that much. Just listen to your body and slowly work yourself back up to your normal work out routine.

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

I take a vitamin B energy blast from Vitacost. I also take biotin (hair growth) and an adult multi chewable vitamin.

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 experienced being OVER filled. It was the night from hell. I vomited every 10 minutes,literally ALL night long because the emergency room Dr.'s wouldn't touch me. Only Dr. Mejias could as I was his patient. His assistant took out 2 cc's from my fill and didn't put any back in for two weeks. It was important to give my stomach time to rest. NEVER be too anxious, or you DR. too anxious that may lead to being over filled. It just isn't worth it. I was set back from losing weight for a few weeks because of the over fill. It clearly wasn't intentional and it was a hard lesson learned.

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

The gas!!!!

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

I didn't go through any aftercare support.

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

Very small. After 2 years having the surgery you can hardly see it.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Yes, you will hit plateau's , like with any weight loss program. That is when I knew I needed to be tightened up a bit.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes. Unfortunately people in our society look down upon obese people. I have to say almost EVERYONE treats me differently except for the people who are close to me.