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

I met someone in 1982 who had the surgery and succeeded in losing over 300 pounds in a year. She was a vivacious, energetic woman who was also a professional chef. When I began to understand the magnitude of my weight gain and the likelihood of taking it off without help, I did my research and found the local program in Duluth.

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

Insurance company approval was relatively simple. The hospital handled the paperwork, and Aetna said "Yes". I was fortunate. HOWEVER, the approval process the hospital uses is excruciatingly slow, and very selective. In short, everything is insruance-driven with little compassion for the patient. I have learned that this is the case in most hospitals due to the insurance industry requirements. In fact, some hospitals in this area do not help patients in their fight for funding. SMDC was willing to go whatever extra miles were required to get me into the program.

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

My first meeting with Dr. Lenz included my husband, and was entirely enjoyable. Dr. Lenz was very careful to make sure that we both understood the surgery, the recovery, and the use of it as a tool for weight loss - not the source of weight loss. In turn, he answered every question we both had, and treated us like humans. We went to the appointment prepared with our questions written down, and did not hesitate to ask every one of them. Remember: the surgeon works for YOU.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I had decided before I attended the first meeting with the bariatric surgery group at the hospital. From there, it was a matter of choosing the hospital/surgeon.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

After considerable research, I selected the Roux en Y gastric bypass. The surgeon made the decision to do open surgery.

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 had the usual fears about post-surgery complications - infections, reaction to anesthesia - but I went through with it anyway. It amounts to taking a deep breath, closing your eyes, and falling into God's capable arms.

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 of my family and friends were very supportive of my decision. Now, after surgery, the phone calls, cards, and well-wishes keep coming. The biggest supporter I have is my husband, without whom I would not have gone through this.

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

I have been ill for three years, off and on. It's become a tradition that I will be out for an extended period every year. My Boss viewed the surgery as the beginning of the solutions to my health problems. I am very open with my boss and kept him informed every step of the way - through 18 months of "one more appointment" and "one more test". I was out a total of 6 weeks, but I was able to do some work from home and spoke with him every day. He was interested in my progress and asks about how I feel every time we speak.

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

My hospital stay was average. I hate to be confined, and I hate to be waited on, so it's tough on everybody. I was only in for three days, so the stay was shorter than average. Bring your own soap and comfy slippers. You really need a touch of home to go with you.

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

No complications.

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

After I got the surgery date, I had to cope with phone calls demanding one more pre-op test (including a stress test and angiogram!) which threatened the date. I didn't actually know whether I would have the surgery on the original date until 8 days before I was scheduled to go. That only left a week to worry about it, so the time went quickly!

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

I had to concentrate on slowing down - stop gulping down drinks, walk slowly, be less impatient about time passing, etc. I work a high-pressure job with many deadlines, so it's the toughest thing I face when I'm incapacitated. I'm still working on it!

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

50 miles. I also travel 50 miles every day to work. It didn't affect my aftercare at all.

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.

Like most other patients, I was on a liquid diet for the first four weeks after surgery. Then, I graduated to my beloved cheese sticks. At six months out, I eat a high protein, low carb diet. I finally had my first taste of fruit salad last week, and tolerated it fairly well. I still do not tolerate breads, anything with a soft/sticky consistency, and tough meats. I don't eat any sugar-laden or highly refined foods, because, after all, that's what got me to surgery, correct? My blood sugar is normal, my cholesterol is low, and I am 80 lbs lighter. I must be doing something right!

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

At less than two weeks after surgery, and my energy level was already on the rise! I was able to move about without much discomfort, and I was doing more than I was able to in the last weeks before surgery. Six months out and I'm working a full time job, writing for the local newspaper, doing some consulting, and working at the local grocery store part time. Along with all of that, I am doing some of my own housework again, helping a friend leash train her puppies, and volunteering on the church building committee. It seems as if, the more energy I have, the more I make.

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

Chewable organic adult multi-vitamins, iron tablets, chewable organic vitamin E, and calcium. I am also prescription-free - no more atenolol, Prilosec, or imuran!!!

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 very careful to eat exactly what I was told to eat - no cheating. So, I still have not experienced "dumping". However, my experiences with bread (whole grain only) involved nausea and cramping. I have stopped trying now to eat any grain products other than Triscuit! I have had problems with some hair loss, but chopping off 12" of hair helped that. The hair loss has slowed, and it's not nearly as noticeable to everyone else as it is to me. My biggest side effect has been joint aches and pains from the redistribution of weight. I handle it with children's Motrin, and I just keep moving along.

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

Waiting for it all to happen.

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

I do not attend a support group. My support comes from research, talking to friends who have had the surgery, and seeing my husband's smile whenever I walk into a room without help. If I have questions about my diet, I call Patti at SMDC. If I am concerned about something, I call a friend who has "been there". The entire process has been so positive so far, that I find myself offering support rather than seeking it. It's a great place to be.

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

It's like everyone else's - long, bumpy, purple and ugly. I'm only six months out and I know it will continue to change with time. It doesn't bother me - or anyone else who matters. I consider it a Badge of Courage.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have had none. It's been a steady loss of about 1/2 pound per day since November 18, 2004.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Absolutely. Truthfully, it insults me at times to think that treatment was not possible when I was larger. The differences in me from then to now are only physical. Now, people listen when I speak, and men are opening doors for me again. I don't catch looks of pity or disgust any more. I have to find a way to get over the resentment that people treated me so differently before, and get on with finding ways to set the example of treating everyone the same - with dignity, respect and kindness.