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

A P.A. at my family doctor's office told me about the procedure and how successful it was for the people she knew who had WLS. At first I was hesitant. This was about altering my body for life. I knew that I could never be the same again. I was scared. I thought "no way." But, the more I thought about it, the more curious I became. Soon after she mentioned it, I started researching it on the internet, trying to find any info that I could.

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

Thankfully insurance approved the first time. I had so many health problems and my BMI was very high, so I definitely qualified. All I can say is appeal all that you can. Ask others about letters that they've sent to insurance companies. Become an advocate for yourself and your body.

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

The initial consult with my surgeon was very scary. I had no idea what to expect. When he talked with me about my options, the outcomes, the risks, I started to relax. He treated me like a person! He told me that I wasn't obese because I was a weak person. I was obese because it's an illness.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was 19 years old. I had so many health issues. Diabetes, PCOS, horrible knee pain, high cholesterol, the works. My gynecologist explained to me that unless I lost weight it was very likely that I would never have children. I was told from my family physician that I would be on insulin soon. My uncle struggled with diabetes most of his life. He was one that tried extremely hard to control his illness. He ended up losing both legs, with congestive heart failure, and eventually kidney failure. He faded away from this illness. I was scared to death. I didn't want to have to deal with those things.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I discussed all of my options with my surgeon. He explained which one he thought that I would benefit more from. I, then, researched it on the internet, found out all that I could about all of the procedures and eventually decided on the RNY, which is what he suggested.

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 was horrified. I was so scared that something would happen and that I would die on the table. I remember looking at my mom, my dad, and my boyfriend thinking "this may be the last time I ever see them". I had an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach. I wanted to get off of the gurney and run, not walk, to the car. I didn't want to leave my loved ones. Eventually though, I reminded myself that at the rate I was going, I wouldn't have a very long or healthy life. I knew something had to be done. I'm so glad that I didn't back out.

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 parents and sister were totally against it at first. They were scared of the complications and afraid that I thought it was a "quick fix". I researched and researched. I printed information out, I talked to those who were post-op and explained everything I could to my family. They realized that I truly did know what was going to happen and how much I would have to change my life after surgery. Post-op, my family has been extremely supportive. They've really encouraged me throughout it all. I am a little over 18 months out now and I don't know if I could've done as well without my family and boyfriend.

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

N/A

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

I was originally only supposed to be in the hospital for 2 nights. I ended up having to stay a third night because the leak test showed a line that my surgeon was concerned could be a leak. The following day they repeated the test and found that it was only a shadow. My stay was fine, except for one nurse who was very rude and didn't want to help me get out of bed and was somewhat mad that I had asked for help. I took my own pillow. It was way more comfortable than the hospital ones. I also took a blanket with me to keep me warm. I found that I was rather cold after surgery and then would get really hot. My tooth brush was important as well because my mouth was rather dry. My boyfriend bought me a huge stuffed Care Bear that I used when I had to cough or do the breathing exercises. I'm not sure I could've handled the pain without it! For females, definitely take along pads or tampons. People were telling the truth when they said that it was very common to get your period, even if it's far from due, right after surgery.

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

The only complication that I had was from the IV, which wasn't directly related to the RNY at all. The IV started leaking and the nurse wouldn't come to my room when I paged her. I told her through the intercom that it was leaking, but she took 45 minutes to come back to the room to remove it. In a few hours, and for weeks after that, my arm was rock hard and extremely red. I used a hot water bottle to ease the pain. It wasn't exactly a highlight of the experience.

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 would cry and then I would be okay. I would think of the "what ifs" like "what if I die?", "what if this doesn't work", "what if I have a horrible complication"? But I talked to people on message boards on the internet. I vented to them and to my family and boyfriend. They supported me and put me at ease. If I felt very anxious I would take a bath. Eventually I wasn't as nervous as I was excited to start my new life on the losing side!

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

I was extremely tired and very weak. I couldn't lay down on the bed to sleep. I slept in a recliner. I needed help getting up and I had a hard time getting all of my fluids in. I was on clear liquids and had no desire for anything except sleep. I had some pain but the worst part was the weakness. I also had diarhea for a good while following surgery. The doctor told me that was normal. It was hard though because I required help getting up and it was quite frequent!

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

I traveled to Pittsburgh, which is about 2 1/2 hours away. I went there because I heard wonderful things about my surgeon and his practice. (which all turned out to be true) He did require that I stay in the area for a week following surgery, until I had my first check-up and had the drain removed. He explained that if something was to go wrong it's likely it would happen within the first week and he didn't want me to return home and have to go to an ER with a doctor who didn't know exactly how my body was "re-wired".

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 wasn't hungry for a couple of months. Once some of the hunger returned, all I wanted was a salad, but I couldn't have one until about 4 months following surgery. I had to be careful when starting solid foods and take it easy with what I tried to make sure I could tolerate it. I have had no trouble tolerating anything. I have not "tested the waters" as far as sugar is concerned. If I do have dumping syndrome, I don't want to go through that. If I don't "dump" from sugar, I don't want to know that because it would be too tempting to grab a Snicker's bar. I had one incident when I ordered sugar free ice cream. They must not have been thinking and put a maraschino cherry on top. Without thinking, out of instinct, I ate the cherry. Within 30 minutes or so, I was in horrible pain and had to have my boyfriend pull off the road because I knew I was going to vomit. It made me very, very cautious.

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

I wasn't up for much after surgery. As the weeks passed though, I started walking more and more. I gradually added more and more exercise until I returned to normal. Actually, I ended up better than "normal".

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

Every day I have to take calcium twice daily. Once in the morning and once at bedtime. I also have to take a multivitamin, vitamin B-12, iron, and vitamin C.

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?

At about 4 months post op, I began losing my hair. It fell out in think strands. I would wake up in the morning to find strands all over my pillow. It lasted for a few months. I dealt with it by using Nioxin shampoo and condition, taking biotin and zinc, and eventually having my hair cut very short. I never thought I would like my hair short because my face was always rather full and I thought it looked horrible, but after surgery I found that I love it that way! I'm not sure I'll ever grow it long again. Getting it cut short took the weight off of it and helped with the hair loss.

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

Truly the worst part is the skin that I now have. My stomach, arms, and thighs are the worst. Some said that because I was only 20 when I had surgery, my skin would have more elasticity and shrink with me. They were very wrong! It's rather wrinkly and looks horrible to me! Although, having my health back means more than having skin folds everywhere.

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

The support that helps me most is my family. The Yahoo message boards and Obesity Help message boards have been tremendously helpful as well, both as a pre-op and a post-op. It's truly important to have someone encourage you on the days when you start thinking "what have I done?" or "what if I fail?" They help bring you back to reality and put things into perspective.

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

I had a lap RNY. I have 6 tiny scars. It's much better than I expected. They're very small and have faded a lot.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I didn't have very long plateaus. I started slowing down and I really "freaked out". I wanted so bad to succeed at this and really beat myself up about it, but the scale kept moving down and I reminded myself that even losing three pounds in one month is better than gaining one pound in one month.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I do notice that I get treated differently now. People talk to me like they didn't before. The general public accepts me more now. It really makes me angry. I have to remind myself, though, that my personality has changed a good bit too. I'm somewhat more outgoing.