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

I first heard about it from television and asked my doctor about it. He was enthusiastic because he's seen my struggle over the past 17 years that he has treated me.

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

Shirley in Dr. Wittgrove's office took care of everything. From the date I faxed my application until final approval was about a month, but the actual process was probably closer to a week. Shirley was off for a week, holiday's etc., but there was no problem. I have Blue Cross Prudent Buyer and they had previously approved me for an open procedure with another doc who I did not like, nor did I like the way his staff didn't respond. Shirley took care of everything and as soon as approval, Sue got on the phone with me and scheduled the surgery. As a note, BCPB approval used to only be good for 60 days, but Shirley says that's no problem now and if the time runs longer, she just gets an extention. When the bill came for 3 days in the hospital, it ws more that $66,000 and I had to call Blue Cross, they re-submitted it after agreeing that they had previously approved the surgery and paid all but about $2000!

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

Dr. Clark is a surgeon. I have had some 10 previous surgeries for knee repair, facial reconstruction after an accident, hysterectomy, etc., and he's as much a "people person" as any surgeon. I obviously prefer my internist who is more holistic in his approach to my medical care, but Dr. Clark was up-front and direct, no nonsence, and in his own way, warm and fuzzy...he gives out fuzzy teddy bears to his patients in the hospital!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I guess I was just sick and tired of being sick and tired and I wasn't getting any younger. Of the 12 people I went through pre-op with, I was the oldest at age 54, so it's a good thing that I had it done when I did. Besides, my 3 hour glucose tolerence showed borderline diabetic which would have probably taken off with with a vengence in a few years, so the timing was good.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I felt that Dr. Clark's procedure made the most sense as to the way that it is performed with a laproscope, the way that the "old" remaining stomach and intenstine are still used for digestive process, etc., even though the new stomach is only the size of a golf ball.

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 no fear of dying. I think that Dr. Clark covers so many bases before surgery with cardiology, respiratory, etc., that he has a pretty good rate of success, something like 1 in 1000 vs 1 in 200 which I believe is the nationwide average. There were a couple days in the hospital when I was afraid that I WOULDN'T DIE!, but that misery was over by 4 days post-op and I was back at the hospital visiting other patients who had just seem me the day before dragging an IV pole all around the grand concourse...i.e., walking around the hall by the nurses' station.

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?

The significant other has been wonderful. He feeds the animals, even the new baby raccoons, takes out the trash, cooks for me, does laundry, etc. I'm up and dressed each day and do participate, but he's great. I didn't tell many people before I went in because I didn't want to get any negative feed back or dumb responses like, why don't you just go on a diet. Since surgery, everyone's been great and very supportive and have told me of their various friends and family who have also had the surgery. It's amazing how common it is!

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 and do some work for myself, so work has not been a problem. I'm glad that I didn't have to go to work, but I think that by the Monday after I got home I could have worked at a desk job as did so many of my "co-patients" from my pre-op group

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

Including surgery day, I was in three days...which may have been the longest of my life! Thank God for the recliner chairs in each room and the private rooms. Sleep is almost non-existent, due to constant vitals, blood sugar checks, pulse-ox, etc. The air-pressure leg wraps are uncomfortable and, although I brought my make up, hair styling stuff, etc., it was all I could do to shuffle into the hall for my walk or to the potty. Alvarado even supplies you with a toothbrush and toothpaste and they have the biggest hospital gowns I've ever seen, no worries about flapping in the breeze. The nurses and CNA's are the best. I've never been so well cared for. My drain was especially active and they were in there to change the dressing as often as necessary...sometimes 2x an hour and they were all cheerful, helpful and really seemed to like working there with these patients.

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

No complicantions. I failed ice chips on the second day, began vomiting and had to go back on an IV which wasn't fun. The only thing that was a problem was the "smells" that I couldn't get rid of. They weren't real and they followed me from the hospital to the hotel, even the hotel towels, soap, etc., all of which smelled like rotting human flesh (don't even ask how I know what that smells like), and I found that it's fairly common to have strange smell sensations. That smell was the cause of all my vomiting in the hospital and once I psyched myself out that it wasn't real, it was much better.

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

The first month was rough. Food, such as it was, was a problem. I started measuring meals by the 1/4 cup. Getting my stomach, or what was left of it, to cooperate with feedings was a real problem, but I just did it one day at a time.

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

If people see my on-line diary at this site, I tried to make entries as they were occuring so that nothing got lost to selective memory. I even took a lap-top computer to San Diego so I could record my experiences as they happened.

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

It was a 2 1/2 drive from my home in Los Angeles area to San Diego, but well worth it for the experience these doctors have. The hotel we stayed in , Hawthorn Suites, was a nice one bedroom with a fu ll kitchen, dishes, glasses, cookware, a breakfast bar and a computer port. We even rented an electric recliner for me to live in the week after discharge from the hospital because a bed still wasn't very comfortable for me. I loved being able to sit in the living room while the significant other napped in the bedroom, etc. The staff there, by the way was great, they have a hot, complimentary breakfast buffet every day, eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravey, juice, bagels, toast, etc., for the non-patient as well as munchies and beer and wine every evening. I was able to make my jello and found a great Jewish deli just by the doctor's office so I could have real chicken broth!

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.

Things have stabilized quite a bit in the last 8 1/2 months. I still cannot eat eggs or chicken, at least not more than a few bites. Shrimp is still my main-stay. Dairy products do not sit well; I have problems with dumping. Ditto for anything with more than 10 or so grams of sugar per serving. I crave lettuce and tomato and eat them right out of the fridge. Water is a constant problem and rarely do I get more than 50 oz per day, but that doesn't include coffee, other liquids like an occasional club soda or non-alcoholic beer.

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

I had to drag myself out the door to do even the least bit of exercise. I think that I was more mentally fatigued than physically, but there was some pain involved also. I now walk at least a mile and it is effortless. Even walking up a hill does not wind me, at least not for long and I can just go and go like an energizer bunny. That was not the case 6 months ago.

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

I take two centrum silver every day, plus two viactiv - 1000 mg of calcium daily. My potassium level is still low, but low-normal, so I'm on a prescription level of Micro-K 10 MEQ. The potassium prescription given to me by Dr. Clark's office was, and still is, impossible to swallow, but this one is more than manageable.

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 think that the dumping has been minimal. If I "do" sugar in excess amounts, I get deathly sick. I was told that would happen and, sure enough, it does. Kind of like jumping off a 12 story building; the result is inevitable. I can just choose not to jump...or do sugar. The worst part, hands down, has been the hair loss. It's just in the front and my hair has become very thin. I'm hoping that the lack of protein I suffered a few months ago has now corrected itself and that my hair will begin regrowth.

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

The original surgery wasn't a problem for me; pain was manageable, etc. It was all the post-op "equipment" that almost did me in. The neumatic leg pressure packs, the drains, the wound dressings, the respiratory treatments, etc., were very difficult for me. As a take-charge person, being out of control was the worst. The initial depression and feeling of "what did I do to myself" went away pretty quickly, but it was a rush of feelings of doom.

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

I talk to the nurse once a month; she, too, had the surgery and is very helpful. I met a man on this web site who lives here in our little town of 4000 who also had the surgery the same month I did. He's been involved with some people in a support group and said he'd let me know when the next meeting is scheduled. He's also been great about being a local sounding board for things like protein supplements, etc., things my doctor does not advocate. Coming from a different physician, he (Carl Amato) has given my points of view that I would not have gotten had I not "found" him on your site.

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

I have two very small scars on the left midriff. One scar that is about 1 inch long just to the left of the belly button , a little scar inside the belly button, one other incision in the lower right midriff and one drain hold under my right breast. They're nothing and will fade with time.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I seem to plateau for weeks at a time and then drop 6 or so pounds at once. I've decided not to worry about it; now that I'm at goal in less than 9 months, I'm only concerned with any GAIN. That would send me to lots more water and exercise and only protein, plus an emergency consult with Pam...my nurse

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I feel differently; ergo I'm treated differently. Wearing a size 10 to the Captain's dinner on a recent cruise was an experience I hadn't had in almost 20 years. All my 22-24 clothes are gone and I don't wear anything even remotely blousy or baggy. I think that I'm treated differently because I act differently, not because I'm no longer obese.