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

My very first exposure to bariatric sugery was a news cast in the early 1980's - where it talked about weight loss surgery and stomach stapling. I remember wondering, even back then, if I would ever need that. I was not obese at that time but thought I was fat...even though I wasn't. Years passed...and when I started gaining after being successful at losing about 100 pounds, I did a search for "bariatric sugery". My first hit after searching for "bariatric surgery" was the duodenalswitch.com site. I thought it was too good to be true. I read the site and profiles for weeks. It led me to the AMOS site and Obesityhelp where I read about other surgeries and other profiles.

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

I talked with my doctor who asked me what my lowest weight was when I did triathlons. I said 220. His question made me think about weight loss surgery. He had never recommended anyone for it before so we were both pretty green. I went to a seminar in our town and meekly asked about the duodenal switch. The doctors LIED. They said it was an OLD procedure and hardly done anymore. (It is not done in this area - because insurance would not pay for it. Now, Insurance will pay for it but there are no doctors!) The seminar scared me. I kept thinking of how much my life would have to change after surgery. I kept going back to the DS site, even while jumping through the insurance hoops for the RNY surgery. For insurance, document, document, document. How many of us don't have a supervised diet? Everytime you go to a doctor, they weigh you and ask about your diet. Those appointments are a part of that. I had documentation out the waz-zoo, including work out logs from the gym and news paper clippings of the triathlons. They STILL wanted a year "supervised" program. I just felt cheated out of a year of my life! But, in retrospect, I am glad they had me jump through those hoops. My mind had to get ready and then I decided NOT to have the RNY that insurance would pay for and have the DS instead. A relief washed over me and I had such a peaceful feeling after that decision was made!

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

I attened a WLS seminar here in town and it really did scare me. I had done some research before and was just completely undone when they said the DS was dangerous and no longer done! I would want to know what surgeries they performed, and their success rate. I wanted to make sure that the arterial limb was stitched and not just hanging free to avoid kinks in the future. What size is the stomach made? What length common channel do you recommend? How many surgeries do you perform?

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I couldn't bear thinking of going on another diet and going through the entire ordeal again. I was looking at age 50 and just did not want to fail again! Einstein said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I wanted to lose weight, be healthy and still be able to celebrate life without worring about throwing up, stomas or pouch rules. I knew I would not live long if I didn't have surgery and I would not live long if I didn't lose weight. I was willing to die rather than live another year morbidly obese. That is very serious. WLS is serious and people need to know that bad things happen.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

At first, I thought of the band because it was "non-invasive". After more research, that went out the window when I read about the fills, slipage and getting sick. I read about the biliopancreatic diversion with a duodenal switch and knew I wanted THAT! (BPD/DS) From what I read, there was no dumping syndrome, no pouch because the stomach is kept intact, but made smaller. The portion of the stomach that is removed is what produces the hunger hormone "grehlin". I learned that my chance of regain (which I wanted to avoid at all costs) were much less with the DS than the RNY. THEN, I went to a local support group where most of the people were RNYers. There were 2 DSers and they did not talk a lot but I watched them. They looked so healthy, could drink with their meals and could eat what they wanted. The ate moderate amounts but certainly more than a few teaspoons. I met with them later and learned that the DS isn't popular in this town. I had already found that out!

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?

Sure, I was scared of dying. So, I increased my life insurance through work and made my will. I wrote my love note to my son. (He was a senior in HS and I wanted to fit comfortably in a seat during his graduation!) Face the fears and know it is a possibility. I had fears of complications after surgery because of all the misinformation I'd read about the DS.

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 family while I was jumping through the insurance hoops. I just did not want to. My sister knew and my husband knew. When I DID tell them, they were all so worried about me. My sister just knew I was going to die because of some news cast that had been on about gastric bypass patients. I told her that I was not having a gastric bypass but a DS. They thought I was loony tunes for going out of the country. But now, everyone is tickled wtih my results and they have me talking to other people.

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 lot of people at work. I felt that it was a private decision but I did have to tell my supervisor. I was out of work for 2 weeks and 3 days. (That included travel time to Brazil.) If I had it to do over, I would have taken another week off because I was so tired. Thank goodness I have a desk job! The sad part is that at work, I am seen as self assured, competent and people listen to my opinion. It is a weird, wonderful journey.

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

I could not have received better care. I was scared at first being in a foreign country but the hospital was clean - very clean. I never had to worry about people touching me with their bare hands. That just wasn't done. Changing my dressing was done using very sterile procedures. I did not bring a lot to the hospital but I did enjoy my toothbrush the most!

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

I had no complications what so ever. My first night out of the hospital, I couldn't sleep well but the next night I had a sleep aid! Use drugs available to you!

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

Once I decided that I was not going to have the RNY and was going to have the DS, everything went very smoothly. I felt great. Once the trip was planned, I got the news that I was diabetic and had high blood pressure. Something I'd not been faced with before. I knew that it was a matter of time. So my surgery was just in time. A week before, I was very anxious because of work, having a party for 50 people the day before leaving the country and just various things. I just looked at it as part of the process. I kept thinking, just put one foot in front of the other and get on that plane!

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

Expect to be tired. Your system is now like a brand new baby's. You will learn to eat responsibly....a second chance! Healing takes a long time just because of the ordeal so be gentle with yourself. Ask people for what you want. I remember asking someone to cook a crock pot of stew. They could not have been more happy to do it! MOVE when you can. You went through this surgery to have a better life. You have to make it better. Get in good habits from the very beginning. Remember, Just get the weight off!

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

I travelled to Brazil from southern US. I had to stay there for 2 weeks. Honestly, it was almost like a vacation! I got tired, but I did the touristy things. I had great after care! I also wore a binder and was very compliant doing what ever I was told!

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.

Right after surgery, I was on liquids for a week. That included soups, jellos, yogurts and protein drinks. I didn't really care about food at all. After that I was on stewed foods. Soft foods that I could chew to a pulp. Beef stew, chicken, crock pot meals. Nothing was off limits but I wasn't going to tempt fate so early. I lost my taste for coffee and processed foods. For a time, I even lost my taste for plain water, which is now my favorite drink. If something sounded good, I'd try it - getting my protein in first. That was my mantra. Get the protein in...get the weight off..... I couldn't eat much so what I did eat, I wanted it to be good for me, not empty calories. Weeks went by and habits die hard. I cooked for a crowd about a month and half after surgery. In serving my plate, I piled on some corn casserole, and pork roast - unti it hit me! I can't eat this much. I immediately got a smaller plate and just put about 2 spoonfuls of casserole on the plate and some of everything that I wanted. I left food on the plate that day, but also learned that habits are hard to break! I started using a small plate for dinner every night...and still do. My taste eventually came back for hot dogs and processed meats but not for coffee! Now that my weight is off (yep I made it PAST goal!) I eat anything. That is not to say that I eat like I did before surgery. My "need to feed" is different. I don't feel like gorging and my FULL SWITCH works now! That is the biggest change. KNOWING when I'm full. That switch never worked before until I was stuffed. Now, I know when I've had enough.

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

I was so thankful to be alive, I must say that I was more active after surgery. I walked more. By two months, I was riding a bike. Hated it! My butt hurt so I started walking. By 6 months, I was at a gym with a personal trainer. Five months I entered the 90 day challenge at the gym and won for my age group. My goal was to become more active and get the weight off. I was determined. I kayaked without sinking the boat! Amazing.

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

I take vitamins religiously. It is the promise I made myself to be healthy. Having mal absortion issues, it is very important to take vitamins, have your labs done regularly and take responsibility for your health! I take a multi 2 times a day, 2 chewable ADEK, calcium citrate. That's about it.

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 was on Prilosec everday for 6 months because my surgeon told me to! The one day I didn't do it, I got sick. I never really had nausea problems cause I tried to listen to my body. I'd stop eating when I was comfortable. If I started sneezing, I'd had too much! My hair was so thick before sugery and it started coming out like crazy. My hair dresser said that my hair was now "normal". I can understand how that could freak some people out! I never dumped.

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

The worse part was dealing with the insurance company and dealing with doctors that are not familar with the DS. If anyone is over 100 pounds over weight, they should be told about the DS because of the regain issue! The long term results are just so superior to other surgeries.

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

I am on the DS message board here at OH almost every day. I've not been to a local WLS meeting since my surgery but plan to go back just to help others struggling with the surgery decision and educate them about the types. One of the saddest things I ever heard was from a local RNYer that needed to lose over 200 pounds say "I never knew there was more than one surgery".

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

My scar is just to the right of the center line of my ribcage and is about 4 inches long. It is now very faint and hardly noticeable.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

After living through a year and a half plateau, working out like a mad woman eating almost nothing, a plateau of a few weeks never bothered me. My results were constant and they moved DOWN monthly. Maybe not weekly but monthly. My slowest month was when I reintroduced SUGAR into my eating habits. Christmas and THanksgiving....but I still lost weight during those months.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes people treat me differently. Some that snubbed me before surgery, I still don't have time for. I am the same person but somehow, I am preceived differently. But honestly, maybe I've changed some. I am more confident now and don't try to be invisible. I state my opinions even when they are not popular. Sales people treat me better and people will actually look me in the eye and smile. I still smile and say hello to others like I did before, only more people smile back. Weird!