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

It was my sister who told me about the weight loss surgery. She has had it done and what an amazing change. She introduced me to WLS and Ive dont alot of research on the sugery on this site. It is really a wonderful place to start.

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

In Canada we have health insurance coverage which covers the cost of the surgery only by being submitted by the doctor.

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

Since my sister had surgery with this Dr. just 4 months prior to me I already had a good idea of what to expect at the appt. He was very infomative and with her being through it already I didn't have alot of questions. He showed me a chart of exactly what he would do, told me what the risks were and what other options were available to me. The visit wasn't too long. I would suggest that anyone going for a meeting with the Dr prepare a list of questions because when you get there you will be a bit nervous and forget half the questions you wanted to ask.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Until I actually seen how well my sister did with it I must confess I was too nervous to push the issue. I think its great to have someone who is going through it that you can ask your questions to and watch them from the time of their surgery and forward. Its eased a lot of my concerns.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

The fact that the band is not covered by our insurance help me make a quick decision there, although had both the ryn and the band been covered I think I would still choose the ryn.

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 really dont have any fears about the surgery itself, to be honest I think I have more fear about dying from not having the surgery.

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 husband was devestated when I told him I wanted to have this done to the point of threating to leave me if I went ahead with it. He thought this would make me change my mind. He was so afraid that something would happen to me. He is okay with it now. My sister has been my best support since she understands it best after having a bypass herself. Without her I probably would have been to afraid to consider it.

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

I work with my husband so that isnt a problem for me.

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

My stay in the hospital was very good, the nurses were attentive and very supportive. I had my surgery monday and was out thursday morning. If you are a woman I would suggest bringing pads with you even if you have had your period since you may start it again. I would also recommend chapstick, your lips will be very dry and maybe a small fan, the rooms are very warm during the day.

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

No complications

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 think I felt a little apprehensive at first. Everything that happened to me made me worry. If my shoulder was sore I worried it was a clot or if I couldn't eat I worried that I would get sick. But I just re-assured myself that I have always been healthy and strong and there was no reason to believe I wouldn't continue to be.

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

When you first get home try not to overdo it. You may feel that you can do more than you can but you have to take it easy. I did some lifting I shouldnt have and now have a sore shoulder from it and had a very uncomfortable night that night. It is very difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position the first while. You also may not be able to get in all the liquids that you are supposed to, don't stress about that you will be able to in time.

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

I only travelled a little over an hour to get to the hospital. The main disadvantage is that I have to go back to Toronto for my post op visits.

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.

Since my surgery I haven't been albe to tolerate seafoood, pork, rice or white bread. As time goes on I try different things and have found most things agreeable with me. I think the hardest thing is training myself to eat slowly.

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

The first couple of weeks I didnt do alot. I wasn't in alot of pain though just maybe kind of tired. Within a couple of weeks I was able to pretty much do everything again with the exception of being careful how much weight I lifted for a few weeks.

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

The first 6 - 8 weeks I will be on a Multivitamin/Mineral Supplement (1 tbsp with each meal), Iron Supplement (1 tsp 3 times per day) and a Calcium Supplement (10ml - 4 times a day) After 6 weeks I will be on Vitamin B12. I have to have blood work done at the one month, three months, six months and one year.

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 think the worst side effect I had was if I ate something and this is still the case, that didn't or doesn't agree with me I would experience alot of stomach pain usually resulting in vomiting. Once I vomit the pain is gone immediately. The hair loss is still an issue also, I used to have lovely thick hair now I have thinner hair. How I coped with that was to cut it.

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

To be honest the worst part of the surgery was the tube I was hooked up to down my nose. Not that there was any pain associated with it but it's just not a real nice feeling having a tube down your nose and of course I pulled it out in my sleep the first night. The nurse tried to put it back in but there was no way it was going back in so she gave up.

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

There are no support programs where I live or even close by. I think this is a very important thing to have. It helps you get through the hard times and there will be times when you need support and you can really only get it by someone who has walked in your shoes. While family and friends may be supportive they dont really understand what you are going through.

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

My scar is about 8 - 10 inches long and a straight line from my chest to close to my belly button. I didn't think it would be quite that long. However the surgeon did a very nice clean cut. Now that my tummy is shrinking I notice the scar doesn't look quite as long as it used to.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

During weeks 3 and 4 I had a plateau where nothing was coming off, infact during that time the scales went up 7 pounds. The 5th week that and more came off. I also have found that since that time my weight loss has slowed to about 2 to 3 pounds a week.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Other than noticing a couple of men actually looking my way now I haven't noticed anyone treating me differently. I have had comments from people close to me though telling me that they can really see the weight loss and how good it looks.