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

I found out about bariatric surgery because of a friend of mine. I was visiting her and she had a friend who had had it with and had a very good success rate with it.

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

I found that I couldn't tell them too much. The more information they had the better. I had co-morbidities and weight related problems I didn't even realize...

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

I enjoyed it throughly and felt like I was drinking in the information that was shared with me. I know that if I had a list it would have been easier to cover the information that I was looking for.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

It was my final attempt at losing weight. I've tried everything and never was successful.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

A friend had the same procedure with good results.

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 afraid of everything. Right up until the time I was on the pre-op bed before surgery I just knew something would go wrong and I'd not be able to have the surgery.

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 family was/is very very supportive and I have friends who want what is best for me - some of them are as excited as I am...

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

She was the best. She helped me to get the information that I needed to get started with the particular clinic I went with. She wants me to be healthier and happier and is very eager to do what she can. Because my sick leave is based upon what I have available at my employment and not necessarily what I need to take off it's hard to say exactly what was needed. I do know that I wouldn't be able to go back before 3 weeks as I'm still having problems concentrating - I've been told that's because of the meds I had during my hospital stay.

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

I stayed in the hospital 2 days. One day in Intensive Care and one day in a regular room. I had been told before hand to bring something loose and flowing (in my case it was a zipper dress lounger) to the hospital to wear when leaving...

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

I was so lucky. Didn't have anything unusual going on...

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 experienced depression and pretty severe nausea. I was so depressed because of the deprivation (or was I precieved as deprivation). It went away - I survived and it was soooo worth it.

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

I was in a horrible mood. I took too much time off work. Not because I needed to. I think I could have gone back in a few weeks. But, I had the sick leave and just took it. My husband should have left home for the first few months as I was so horrible.

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

Well, I live in Alaska and had surgery in Tacoma Washington.

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 was told to eat broths for the first 4 weeks and then pureed foods for the next 4. After that I was to "slowly" increase the types of foods and pretty much the only thing I was told to always leave out was SUGAR - anything ending in "ose", MILK, FRUIT... Today I'm pretty much eating anything I want except the SUGAR and the MILK. I limit the amounts of FRUIT because of the natural sugars in it. OH, and you shouldn't have carbonated beverages ever...

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

Pretty much normal for me as I didn't do too much physically before surgery. Today, 8 months out, I'm doing water aerobics and bicyling. I love it.

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

Today I am taking 8-9 Flintstones with extra Iron. Two tums and a vitamin K tablet. I also take between 90 to 120 mgs of protein daily.

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?

nausea which lasted about 2 months. I coped by eating a small amount. I wasn't supposed to though.

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

nausea in the early months=

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

Friends who have had the surgery, support group here in town, and this website. I surf the internet for other information on the subject also and I feel good. I'm glad I've got the support. Without it I don't know how it would be.

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

It's from just below my breast bone to right inside of my navel. I guess I didn't have an expectation in this area but it's honestly fine. I didn't even have much pain while it was healing up.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Well, people are always commenting on how good I look. (Only because I guess I looked so bad the other way...) I can't wait to get attention from somebody that is attracted to me. I just want to see what it feels like. Not that I want to react to it in any way.