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

I have known about bariatric surgery for some time. I had just never really considered it an option for myself. I am a registered nurse and had done home care for some time. I had only seen the cases that had gone wrong and was somewhat apprehensive. I then did more research and started on my quest.

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

Getting surgery approved was harder than having a baby! It took two years and much work. My advice is to document, document, document. Many insurance companies want lots of documentation about all of your weight loss trials and failures. They also want psych evaluations, and documentation of being morbidly obese for at least 5 years. (for many of us this is not a problem).

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

Well, I had many first meetings as I interviewed about 5 surgeons. Remember they work for you, and like any good employeer knows research is key. Look up all court cases in their name for surrounding counties and the county they practice in, ask for refrences, as other doctors for their opnions, and best of all find a nurse that will give you their honest answer and ask them. Also, look up their license online to find out if they have ever been disciplined for any reason. As, for your first meeting write down all of your questions on a piece of paper, bring it with you, and ask away, if they are too busy to answer all of your questions fire them, go find another doctor. If they are to busy for you on the first date chances are they are the bad date that won't return your phone calls!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Reaching 315 lbs, and no end in sight.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I knew I would eat myself out of the band. As many people know with the band if you drink during your meal or shortly afterwards it washes the food through to the lower part of your stomach, thus giving you more space to eat. For myself knowing this I would drink a diet coke and eat another piece of pizza. So, this is why I decided to have to have the gastric bypass. I knew if I had that extra piece of pizza it would have me in the bathroom, and I have yet to meet anyone who like to vomit.

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 did not have many fears about this at all. I guess the reason for this is, if you look at the actual statistics you have a greater chance of dying from something going wrong with the anesthesia than with the surgery itself. I know not much comfort, but it is true. Also, many doctors take calculated risks, they know that if they put you under the knife too soon that this could mess up their batting average, and they are not willing to do that. So, that is one of the reasons they usually try to have most patient's loose weight right before the surgery to help their field of vision which makes the incidence of complications less.

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 very supportive, becuase he just wanted me to be healthy. My mother was very verbal about not wanting me to have the surgery. My answer to her was, I understand your point of view and respect you as my mother, but I am an adult and this is my decision, and I hope that you will then be a silent supporter. It did not go over smoothly, but by standing my ground she did not continue to hound me about it either. My husband still continues to be the greatest support, and my mother still wishes I would not have had the surgeries due to the complications I have had.

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

My employer has been less than supportive, as I was out of work for 10 weeks after surgery, due to nausea and vomiting. I was a home health nurse and it is very hard to travel and be nauseated all day.

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 ok. The nursing staff was very supportive and helpful. I was in the hospital for 2 days. The most important thing to bring is slippers with traction as you need to get up and walk no matter how bad it hurts.

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

I did not have any immediate complications from the surgery, mine happened after I was home. I still have problems with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. A couple of months after surgery my hips started aching really bad, and my legs started cramping to the point I could barely walk. No one at any seminar or doctor ever told me that you could end up with debilitating leg cramps.

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 was fine when I got my surgery date, I did not really have a lot of anxiety, because I had made up my mind and that was all there was to it.

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

My first few weeks were miserable, they leave the drains in your abdomen when you come home. For me they were quite painful and I could not get out of bed without help. I had lots of nausea and vomiting. I ended up back in the hospital with silent pneumonia. It was not good.

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

About an hour. It did affect the aftercare a little because it is hard to get to the first couple of appointments after surgery.

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 could not eat any dairy, even when they say you can have pudding. Many people end up with lactose intolerance, well I did and still do. Even lactaid tablets do not help me. I still can not tolerate dry meats of any kind. I still have a hard time with reheated meats as they get very dry after reheating.

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

I was very tired after surgery, and have continued to have fatigue issues since surgery. I had more energy when I was 315 lbs! I have continued to tell the doctors this but it has fallen on deaf ears.

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

Multi-vitamins, biotin for the hair and nails, vitamin B shots, folic acid, vitamin d supplements.

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?

As previously stated I continue to have nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hair thinning, leg cramps, hip pain, and fatigue. The worst has been the leg pain and the fatigue, it has compromised my job, to the point that I had to quit becuase I was unable to do it physically. I am still having a hard time coping with this as it just happened. I am going back into the hospital to work as a floor nurse and hopefully this will offer more periods of walking and sitting. It will also keep me from having to get up off the floor and in precotious positions that happen when you do nursing in the home.

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

Everything that has happened since I left the hospital.

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

The area that I am in there are no support groups for bariatric surgery. I would have to travel at least an hour to go to one.

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

I had my surgery lapriscopically, and the scars are very small.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have been at a plateau off and on for about the last 3 months. I will loose about 4-5 lbs then it will take about another months before I loose anymore. Unfortunately I am not able to do much exercise as anytime I walk more than about 10 feet my leg cramps start.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Not really. I guess because even before my surgery I was out going and demanded a certain level of respect. I still demand the same level of respect, and am still out going.