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

I had heard about it for years. I think I picked up my mother's opinion of it somewhere along the way and decided it was only for people whose weight had become life-threatening. I saw it as emergency surgery ~ for those who had to have the fire department help them out of their house and directly to the hospital. Even with Carney Wilson's story, I thought the person had to be much more obese than I am (only 150lbs to loose~only!). Eventually, I knew someone who had it done with even less to loose than me. I found the AMOS community and discovered how many people were having it and a year later decided it was for me.

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

It was emotionally challenging (described in my profile page), but looking back it was much easier than it felt. Compared to others I had it very easy. I definitely prayed alot, asked for support from my PCP, and stayed on top of every step. I documented every phone call and was able to speak intelligently with facts to whomever was on the other end of the phone. My advice, become your own advocate, be nice to everyone, act innocent as you ask questions, and stay on it like a bull dog!

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

Dr. Zorn answered most of the questions that I had written out. I was also there to have him evaluate a brest lump (my PCP "coincidentally" referred me to Dr. Zorn before my PCP knew who my bariatric surgery was with). The staff had lost my information on the lump, but he proceded without it. I trust him completely. I've seen him think quick on his feet when things weren't going smoothly, and I liked what I saw.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Feeling that I had wasted enough time waiting to be thin. Being in agnoizing back pain while on travel for my job. Realizing that I always thought I had to be thin to be confident and then one day I had all the confidence ... and all the weight. Trying Atkins one last time, faithfully, and only loosing a very few pounds. My old stand-by had failed me and I had nothing left to try.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

AETNA decided for me.

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

I've decided not to tell my employer or co-workers about the surgery. It is just too personal. I've told those who need to know that I will be out for a couple of weeks having a procedure that will help my back pain. I've told some closer co-workers that I intend to start a liquid fast supplemented with an Atkins-like meal after I have the procedure. I plan to be completely out for 2 weeks, then work from home 1/2 time for 2 weeks. I'll go back to 1/2 time in the office for the 4th week, then back full time.

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 6 days. On the second day I over-did with walking and exercise. This conincided with the realization that morphene was not the drug for me. After I switched to demerol, it took 3 days to get the pain under control again. The nurses were helpful, the charge nurse who responded to the button-call was slow and often unresponsive. Once the nurse got there, she/he was very helpful.

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

I got dehydrated and had to go back into the hospital. I was in for 3 days to make sure I could keep liquids down.

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 was torn between wanting to lose as much as possible and wanting to eat everything "one last time". Seeing someone who had gone through the surgery 8 mos earlier, I realized that at some point I could eat anything. That was the most calming experience and I stopped with the "last supper" syndrome.

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

I was depressed for the first 3 days home. It seemed like my whole life was focused on what I could and could not eat. Once I got walking and moving, my energy started to come back and I snapped out of the depression. I couldn't stand for long periods of time, but otherwise, I was my old self.

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

I traveled about 150 miles. I stayed in a hotel for 6 days before returning home. I could have gone right home, but I chose to stay close.

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.

It seems as though I can eat one thing one day and then not keep it down the next. Some stuff has been ok to try again, but scrambled eggs are completly off the list. Strange because I love them and ate them often before the surgery. At some point the protein shakes turned on me. It seems as though as my stomach is learning to digest stuff, my ability to keep things down changes.

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 and vomiting are still a problem at 7 months post op. Still no raw veggies (like salad) or anything with vinegar (mustard or low fat dressings). Overeating really depends on the food I am eating. I can't believe how much of one thing I can eat, then the next day 1/3 as much of another food will make me sick.

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

Figuring out what to eat when you get really hungry, knowing when to stop when you get really hungry, getting really hungry -- obviously I didn't expect to feel that! I had really set myself up for an experience of being full with very little to eat. I never get a feeling of full like I did before the surgery. Luckily, I had done alot of emotional work before the surgery and no longer would eat until I was full for emotional reasons. But I do miss the sensation every once in awhile.

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

I travel to much to commit to an in-person group. However, I have two on-line support groups that I have completely relied upon. This was critical in the first few months and has become less important after the 4th month.

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

I have 5 tiny scars. They are much better than I expected and aren't as bad as a scar that I have from having a mole removed. I think it helped tremendously that I was losing weight while these scars were healing.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Arghhhh! About every 3 months, like clock-work, I get stuck. I hang out at the same weight for 3-5 weeks, then all of a sudden it starts to fall off. Honestly, each time I have hit one, I get myself convinced that the weight loss is over, the surgery failed, I am the only one who had surgery only to lose (40, 60, 80) pounds.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

All the time. It is as though I am no longer invisible - which I didn't mind so much. There are customer service people who go out of their way to get me a better deal, a better room, a better seat. I've been upgraded to first class 2 times in the past 3 months. I am pulled into more meetings just to give my opinion. I am invited to lead/facilitate more groups than I was before.