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

Friend had it done years ago. She seemed to respond well to the initial surgery, which caused me to research it further.

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

Very quick. Tricare took less than 3 days (over a holiday weekend) to approve the surgery

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

Dr. Nye was fantastic. He answered every question I had before I could even ask. He explained the benefits and the risks associated with the various types of WLS, and even suggested the one that would benefit me the most, though he put no pressure on me to choose one over another. Best advice is to come prepared. Do the research ahead of time.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Wanting to get my life back to normal, and the doctor's confidence that this tool would give me the help I needed.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I wanted the maximum benefit from the surgery I chose and I wanted to make sure that no matter what, I would have a healthy BMI once everything was said and done.

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?

Normal fears like everyone else. I didn't want to die, and told the doctor he wasn't allowed to let me die. He understood. Research really helped me understand what I was getting into and having a supportive family helped immensely.

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?

Husband and children were completely supportive. The rest of the family was cautious as this was a drastic step. After discussing everything with my family and friends, they were accepting of the decision.

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

No employer, but my professor was incredibly supportive. Gave me the time I needed to heal and hasn't penalized me yet for being late on some assignments.

What was it like attending your first information seminar on weight loss surgery? Were you glad you attended? if so, why?

informative, and very glad I attended. It let me know I wasn't the only smaller weight person considering this surgery.

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

Hospital stay was great. Staff was caring, I brought only what I needed and anything I might have forgotten was provided for me. I was in the hospital for 2.5 days. The only down side was the loss of power for several hours. It got hot quick!

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

I have had an ulcer at the new intestine connection, and I lifted something that caused me to pop two of my stitches loose which has caused a hernia. The doctor has been wonderful in addressing the problems promptly.

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 researched a lot to cope with any doubts I had. I talked with family and friends and ate foods I hadn't touched in years since I knew I would probably never get to eat them again. Cupcakes were my favorite.

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

lots of pain. Though the pain meds were wonderful at handling the majority of the pain. The fatigue though is something that catches you off guard and making sure you drink all of your fluids will drive you nuts for a while, but keep in mind it's WORTH it.

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

Less than 10 miles.

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.

So far I haven't found much I can't eat. My stomach didn't like mustard at first, but I have gradually added that as a seasoning to marinades and my stomach seems to tolerate it well. The good news for me is that I know how to cook and cook well, so any of the liquids I drank at first at least tasted really good, my pureed foods didn't have to be baby foods and my regular diet consists of more protein than anything else. However, I cannot stomach protein shakes. I have to go and find an unflavored powdered protein to add to one of my softer foods or my water (I only drink water or unsweet iced tea) to make sure I get enough protein.

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

I was up walking around with my mother-in-law all the time. I've slowed down a little since I popped those stitches but I'm getting back to walking more again.

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

I'm taking 4 Flintstones chewable vitamins, and receiving B-12 shots in the doctor's office. I will start on calcium in the near future.

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?

Nothing so far, well maybe some constipation.

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

Trying to recover from the pain. So far that has been the hardest.

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

I will be attending support group meetings.

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

It looks like a 3" vertical scar. A little wider than I expected but not horrible over all.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Weight loss has slowed slightly over the last couple of weeks. Trying to get back to walking to see if I can increase my weight loss again.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

not really. Too soon to tell.