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

My husband's aunt had it done. I thought she was out of her mind to have it done, since I really had only heard horror stories. It scared me to death.

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

I was in the hospital for four days. The hospital stay wasn't bad. The nurses were friendly and helpful as they had had experience with other gastric bypass patients. They made sure I was given my medications as soon as possible. The most important things to bring are lip balm, lotion, personal hygiene products so you feel better when you are clean, robe, slippers, a pillow and blanket so you have it on the trip home!

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

Yes. A month after the surgery, I became very ill and dehydrated. I started throwing up everything, even water. I went to the hospital during Easter weekend (I went in on a Friday) and my doctor was out of town, and didn't see me until Monday or Tuesday. They found out after going through some horrible tests that I had a kinked bowel obstruction. So they had to operate and it couldn't be done laprascopically (they had done a laproscopic roux n y). This hospital stay wasn't too good, a few nurses were really rude (this was at the same hospital), I didn't get my medicine like I was supposed to. One nurse didn't care that I had a disability, and as my husband was helping me up, she grabbed my leg and made me fall. Luckily, my husband caught me, but then my scar started bleeding and it was a mess. After the bowel obstruction, my scar didn't heal and had to be reopened and packed with gauze twice a day for 6 to 8 weeks. In November, I had a hernia repair. I had an 8 inch hernia and was in the hospital for 4 days for this. I missed a lot of work in 2003, but am feeling great now.

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 had a lot of pain. I didn't get nauseated and vomit much until after the surgery to repair the bowel obstruction. I then had to drink lots and lots of water every day (like 100 oz) to beat the dehydration and that helped kick the nausea and vomiting as well. Food didn't taste real good and I wasn't really that hungry. Didn't have much anxiety, just hurt a lot.

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

I don't go to any support groups as the one at my hospital is 2 1/2 hours from my home. I do go to obesityhelp.com a lot and that helps

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

my stomach looks like a battle zone. It wouldn't have been too bad with just the initial surgery, but with the hernia repair and open wound and kinked bowel obstruction, it isn't pretty to look at.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Go through plateaus every so often. I may even gain a couple of pains, but it eventually goes away and I end up losing 10-15 pounds after the plateau very easily.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

not really, but I feel better about myself, which improves my mood and people respond more positively to that.