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

Through my Primary Care Physician.

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

My overall process took from 11/27/05 to 4/24/06 (at which time I was told that I had been approved)! Pretty average. I would advise anyone that they must keep on top of things. Know what your Insurance Company demands for approval and make sure to cover every step!

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

Wonderful. Very informative.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My health was getting worse with each passing year. My fears about the surgery were put to ease by a friend who had had the RNY procedure and had no problems at all.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I chose the RNY because I didn't want to have to have constant follow-ups like with the Lap-Band. Also, weight-loss is generally much faster with the RNY than with the Lap-Band.

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 fear "dying on the table" - I felt that I could no longer live as I was. BUT, I did have great fears that my new "tool" and I would NOT get along! I greatly feared dumping. As it turned out I had a total of three experiences of vomiting when I started solid foods. All were from eating one bite too many -NOT from eating sugar or fats. Be very careful to listen to your body. When you feel full STOP eating - no matter if you have reached your maximum allowed portion!

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?

All were wonderful and very supportive!

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

I am retired so this was not a concern.

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

I entered Unity at 5:00 A.M. on Wednesday 5/3/07. Left at 12:30 P.M. on Friday 5/6/07. I was very glad that I had thought to bring my own pillow to the hospital!

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

Absolutely NONE! (I even asked my surgeon if he was certain that he had actually performed the surgery! LOL.)

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

Happy, scared, thrilled, nervous, anxious to get it over and get on with the "rest of my life!" For the time in between getting my date and the actual date I just kept generally busy!

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

Our program calls for 3-week liquid diet post surgery. So, my first three weeks were generally recovering from the surgery, recouperating, walking as much as possible, and drinking my "meals." I was able to stop my pain meds two days after going home. My surgery was done laproscopically so had very little discomfort!

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

I live within two miles of my hospital and the Bariatric Clinic is right there also. So my travel was very limited. Wonderfully easy access.

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.

Our Center's requirements were very specific. Three weeks of liquids. Followed by one week of pureed foods. (You would be surprised how GREAT pureed canned chili is! LOL.) During this time I was allowed to add strained-cream soup and V-8. These were wonderful! Then our program allows us to gradually re-introduce solid foods to our diets. During this time period I ate a lot of egg or tuna salad on triscuits (3) and that would be my meal! Was not hungry most of the time! During the months following my surgery I was careful to follow my program's volume recommendations. I.E., limit my meals to: Months 1-3 no more than 1/4 Cup of food per meal. Months 3-6 no more than 1/2 Cup of food per meal. Months 6-9 no more than 3/4 Cup of food per meal. Months 9-12 no more than 1 Cup of food per meal. I am now 1 day past my 1-Year post surgery. In my case I have found NOTHING that my new stomach would not let me eat! (This can be a bad thing! I have never dumped from fat or sugar! So I must be very careful to strictly limit these items!)

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

I felt like the Energizer Bunny! Had energy to burn! Was walking 5-10 miles a day right from the start! AND, I am glad to say that this has continued for me.

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

I take 2 children's chewables, B-12 sub-lingual, and 1200 mg of calcium citrate as directed by my program. I have also added Biotin (to help limit hair-loss) and Flaxseed Oil.

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?

The main side effect I had was the hair loss. I added Biotin to my supplements and that helped with the problem. My hair is now returning to "normal" so am happy about that. Basically I just cut my hair very short (it was mid-back length) and learned to live with it.

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

For me the worst part was the Pre-qualification for Insurance. That 6-month period from my original Information Meeting to my Surgery Date was busy, filled with un-certainty, anxious, and sometimes very frustrating. There are a LOT of "hoops to jump through!" Since patience is NOT a virtue I possess in any great quantity this time was sometimes seemingly "endless!"

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

We have the support group called Images. It is absolutely wonderful and I have found many individuals who have become friends! We are all "walking a mile" in each other's shoes and know where each has been! I would say that this is the MOST important thing I do for myself twice a month. I attend these meetings and they really help me stay focused!

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

I have 6 very tiny little marks where my Surgeon did the RNY laproscopically. They are barely visible. The scar from my gall-bladder surgery (done many years ago) is much worse.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I lost the majority of my weight up to August of 2006. From that point on the weight-loss has been very slow. BUT, I did not let this concern me! I was just so happy to be down over 100# by then that I just took it in stride. I found that even when the scale was not moving - I was losing inches like crazy! I bounced within 3 pounds (up, down, up, down) right through the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years holidays. Considering the food choices I was making at that time - I was absolutely thrilled! LOL. BUT, I am very happy to report that the scale has begun a downward movement and I have lost another 15.5# since February of this year! YIPPEE!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES! It is as though I have developed a brain since my surgery. LOL. All of a sudden my thoughts and opinions count! Also, I notice that when I am in Public I am no longer an object of curiosity! And, people (men especially) have become curtious all of a sudden. It is not uncommon for a guy to hold a door or elevator for me now! Absolutely amazing.