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

A co-worker decided to have it done. The next thing I know, 2 other co-workers had it done. They all did so well and were starting to look so good that I thought that this might actually be the answer to my prayers. Being ever the pessimist, I strugled with the decision because I just knew since the others had been so successful that I would be the one who would experience the complications or even die from the surgery. I had never been in the hospital in my life much less had any surgery - emergency or electve.

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

I had no problems with insurance. They approved me the first time it was sent in - basically because I had co-morbidity issues, i.e. hight blood pressure, high cholestrol, family history of heart disease.

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

The first visit went great. He was encouraging and very point blank as far as what to expect and complications, etc.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I wanted to be around for a few more years to see my nieces and nephews grow up. If I had kept up at the rate I was going, I would have been dead by now. I weighed in at 300 lbs, cholestrol was out the roof and was having all kinds of joint problems. In addition, my being overweight was really bothering my Dad. Whenever we were together he had something to say about my weight. We'd be at a family gathering or out to eat and he'd have to comment on what I had on my plate and ask "Was I going to eat all of that?" he kept me so upset and embarrased me on numerous occasions that I got to the point where I couldn't eat or would just nibble on a very small portion when I was around him. I felt that he was embarrased and ashamed of me.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My doctor helped with my decision. Luckily I qualified for laparoscopic.

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 was so afraid that I was going to die on the table. Like I said, I'm a pessimist by nature and I figured that it would be my luck to go into cardiac arrest while on the table and die. I made up my will, talked with my family about it (they all thought I was crazy). The thing is, there had not been a death as a direct result of the surgery at my hospital and precentage of death was relatively low. I researched the surgery throughly before I made the decision and asked a lot of questions of my co-workers who had the surgery before me.

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 couldn't have asked for a better support system before and immediately after my surgery. They could be a little more supportive now.

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

My employer was supportive and understanding. I missed only 3 weeks of work.

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

I had never been in the hospital before (except when I was born). I didn't know what to expect and wasn't looking forward to people poking and prodding me. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Everyone from the admissions check-in to nursing staff, x-ray tech, respiratory therapist was so good to me and treated me so well. It was such a positive experience and they made me forget all about my fears and reservations.

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

None at all. I was very fortunate.

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

Psychological hunger. When your sitting at home recovering from surgery, you can't go anywhere so you watch a lot of tv or read magazines and all you see are ads for food - Pizza, hanburgers, fish--you name it. It almost drove me crazy! I was so glad when I was able to get out of the house--even if it was just for a few minutes at a time.

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

The staple site hurt. It was difficult and painful getting up and down. I have a high tolerance for pain and did not have to take much pain meds. The most pain I experienced was when they took me to x-ray to check for leaks in my new pouch-getting in and out of the bed and the way you have to turn so they can xray you--this was miserable. This was the first and only time I actually cried from the pain.

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

Although I work at the hospital where I had my surgery, I lived 50 miles away.

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 lived on jello and Carnation Instant Breakfast for the first couple of months. I never could bring myself to blend my foods or eat baby food. I stuck with yogurt, jello, Carnation Instant Breakfast, mashed potatoes and scrambled eggs. The rest is trial and error--you soon learn what you can tolerate and what you can't. The throwing up is rough--you must go slow, chew a lot, and eat small bites. It took so long to eat a meal that most of my meals were stone cold by the time I got mid way through them.

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

Activity was low at first. When I went back to work, it took awhile to get over being so tired. Then all of a sudden, my energy level went up and I was able to start an exercise program and felt great and full of energy. It was a natural high like I've never experienced before.

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

I take a multi-vitamin and calcium supplment daily. I've been lucky not to have to take extra protein supplements. I did take vitamin B-12 for awhile after my level got a little low.

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 never had a lot of nausea but the vomiting was awful. The hair loss and skin changes are tough as well. My hair still hasn't recovered and I'm 2 years post-op. The dumping is by far the worst and it continues to this day--I never know when something is going to bother me. Sometimes a certain food will cause dumping-other times it won't. Certain foods-like milk and beef-I was able to tolerate then all of a sudden I couldn't have them anymore because they caused dumping.

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

My experience was good. It's the long term and after the "honeymoon" period that has been the hardest. Your appetite comes back--the cravings start up again. You have the same old problems you had before plus you've added a few new ones. If you were lonely before chances are you're going to still be lonely. If you were depressed before, chances are you're going to be depressed after. Add to that the pressure and stress and worry of gaining the weight back--of getting to the point that you were before the surgery and disappointing everyone--including yourself that you didn't have enough will power or discipline to keep the weight under control. The feeling of failure and loss of control - food seems to be once again controling your life. The changes in your body-the weight starts coming off but now you have all this extra skin just hanging. My insurance won't cover plastic surgery so you wonder what looked worse--the fat or all of this extra skin? For awhile I couldn't keep up with the changing sizes--I didn't have enough clothes and couldn't afford to buy new ones.

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

There is a support group available but I haven't found them to be that helpful. It's a mixture of those awaiting the surgery, those who have just had the surgery and things are just going great for them--the weight is coming off with seemingly no effort at all. They're just not hungry at all and not having to face the temptations and the frustrations. The last meeting I attended, I felt like such a failure--like I was the only one that was experiencing these frustrations. Everyone else seemed to be so in control and even those who were 1 1/2 years -2 years out like I was talked about how they just weren't hungry and had to make themselves eat. I was experiencing the opposite--I felt that sometimes I could hold as much as I could before the surgery, which I found frightening. I needed to hear that I would be okay and that what I was experiencing was normal but not to give up. I walked away even more convinced that I had failed.

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

You can barely see it. Dr. Richards did a great job.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I had plenty of plateuas and have started to gain some of the weight back.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I noticed right away that people are nicer to you if you're not fat. It's a sad commentary on the human race.