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

A dear friend of mine had WLS a year before I did. When I first saw her after surgery, she was elated...looking and feeling great. At that time, I remember thinking I would NEVER go to such invasive extremes to lose weight. This very day, March 7th, 2004, I am two weeks post-op, lol. I simply couldn't argue with her increased stamina, good health, and well being.

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

One word......TENACITY. Never, never give up. Be the squeaky wheel. YOU are the only one who will care enough about your body to persue what you want, good health. Insurance coverage was denied after a 7 month wait and I remember thinking I would just "throw in the towel"........but only for a day or two! I then decided that no one else could do this for me, so I picked myself up, hit the trail again, and made it all the way to a successful surgery and what is looking to be a very successful recovery!

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

My surgeon was a bit late for the appt due to a complication in a surgery that morning, but it was not a big deal to me. After a 3 month wait to see him, a few more minutes was nothing. He was very knowledgable and answered questions to my satisfaction. I would recommend going with a list of questions because surgeons are busy people and could never address every issue and concern about the surgery without your prompting them in the areas you are most interested in.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

The quest for a normal life. It wasn't so much because of a physical demand on my body, but rather that feeling of being "normal", able to shop in regular stores, able to do everyday, normal things with ease.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

That decision was mostly based on the successful outcome of my friend who had had surgery previously AND on the fact that after attending a seminar where my surgeon explained the different types of WLS, RnY seemed to be the best option for what I wanted to accomplish.

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 unreasonable fears in the 13 month journey until the last few weeks, and the thought of possibly not waking up from surgery lasted only a few days. I talked to myself during those days and finally came to realize that I had chosen extremely competent people to do my surgery, that there was not ONE THING I could do to ensure that everything would turn out ok, other than to trust in those I had chosen to care for me AND to trust God, who cares for us ALL. My mindset was that if HE couldn't guide and direct the surgery and recovery, then I had much bigger problems than weight loss.

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 not one friend object (at least openly) about my decision to have surgery. I believe they all knew how desperate I was to gain control over my life and they gave me nothing but support. The only snag was closer to home. My husband was a little less than enthusiastic because he was unsure of the outcome and would have rather settled for status quo instead of stepping out since there was no assurance for him that all would be well. The last few days before surgery, my son was apprehensive also which brought on those few days of wondering I had. Again, I "talked" to myself...lol.... recognizing that I had researched, studied and poured over countless books and websites for 13 months, learning all I could about the surgery. I came to realize that my son didn't have the benefit of the knowledge I had gleaned about the procedure, and told myself his apprehension was valid, but mine was not. From that day forward, I never looked back and today, two weeks post op, I am absolutely thrilled about my decision to have surgery.

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

I am self employed so made sure I cleared my schedule of any future appointments for a few weeks. It is now two weeks post surgery and while I wouldnt want to lift anything heavy, I feel confident that I can carry out any other necessary duties in my work.

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

The hospital stay was ok but not what I expected. The nursing staff was less than desirable in making sure that basic needs were taken care of. There was often a 20+ minute wait after a call for assistance, requiring one of my visitors to go and find a nurse to come in. I was there for 2 nights, came home early the 3rd day. As far as what to bring, I brought a cd player, crossword puzzle book, but had so many visitors, there was time for none of that, which was fine.

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

Absolutely not one complication.....it has been a breeze!

In the weeks after you got your surgery date, how did you feel? How did you cope with any anxiety you might have felt?

The weeks after getting a surgery date were awesome! If I could have gone the day of my approval, I would have! The last few days I did have some anxious moments but they quickly subsided after realistically looking at the situation, realizing that my fears were unfounded, and moving on just as planned. Keep your focus!

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

They were absolutely uneventful. If my stomach hadnt been a bit sore, I would have never dreamed I had undergone major surgery. I enjoyed visitors and was able to start walking outside the day I got home from the hospital.

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

ABout 20 miles each way.

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 am probably too "young" to answer this question in detail, considering I am only 2 weeks post-op. In that time, however, there have been no aversions to what I can eat or drink. It has been a better-than-textbook case!

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

The first 10 or 12 days I was not tired in the slightest, and found renewed energy I didnt realize I owned...lol. The past few days I have been a bit more tired during the day. My theory is that, in the beginning, I was sailing on another source of strength. Now, my body is beginningto get down to the nitty-gritty and use my excess which accounts for the little more tired feeling.

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

I take 4 Flintstone vitamins a day and 2 Tums for calcium.

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?

Have not experience any of that yet.

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

Only one thing. My surgery was delayed for 4 hours. Instead of going in at the scheduled 1:30pm, I was not taken in until 5:30. luckily, I had great family there who came in and kept me company as often as was allowed.

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

I belong to three local online support groups, and two live support groups in my area. The members range from pre-ops to those who are 3+ years post op, so the pool of information I can tap into is invaluable. I'm VERY thankful for those sources.

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

I have 6 VERY small incisions that are healing up with no problem at all.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I lost almost 15 1/2 pounds in about 12 days. The past two days the scale has hovered around the same number. That doens't thrill me but I figure my body knows when to do what, so I will just be patient and wait... :)

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

not yet