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

My primary doctor told me about it a few years back and I looked it up on the internet. I initially felt that it was something that I would never actually do. I felt that it was too strange of an idea and felt that it probably wouldn't work.

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

Luckily, after choosing the doctor I wanted to do my surgery. His office staff took care of the insurance approval for me.

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

It was good. He was very informative and answered all questions. My best advice is to think of things to ask in advance and write them down. I tend to think of questions to ask after the consult is over. I also brought along my mother, who would be taking care of me after surgery, so that she could get answers to any questions that she had too.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I attended one of the support group meetings and it really sparked my interest. Hearing about the other people's weight loss successes was very encouraging.

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

My stay in the hospital was good. I experienced no problems, except for the nurses coming in and waking me. I stayed 4 nights. I could have gone home on the 3rd day but since I had such a long drive to get back home I stayed an extra night. A light robe. I almost fainted in the heavy robe I brought. A lighter robe would have made it easier to get out and walk.

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

I had no complications with the surgery.

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

Everything went so fast, after I had all of my pre-op tests done, my wait for my surgery was short. I was more excited about getting it done than anxious or nervous about it.

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

I was home 1 full week and then back to work. I experienced no pain and probably could have went right back to work, but decided it was best to stay home and relax.

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

I had to drive 6-8 hours to get to San Francisco where I had my surgery. I was lucky, the provider I chose comes to a near by town every month for appointments with patients in my area.

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 could tolerate just about anything as long as it wasn't too greasy. During the first few weeks, I couldn't tolerate scrambled eggs. Chinese food was pretty much a no no. Now I can tolerate just about anything I want, including eggs. I can even tolerate sweets. I never experienced any dumping.

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

After surgery my energy level has been low. I tend to get dizzy and feel like I am going to faint when I try to do anything, including walking short distances. I think that I probably had more energy before surgery.

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

I take B-12, calcium, multi-vitamin each day. I also try to eat 70 grams of protein each day. I couldn't tolerate any of the protein drinks I have tried.

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?

The only side effect I have experienced is hair loss. Not a real problem, just mainly tired of finding my hair everywhere.

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

The worst part about the process has been not being able to eat what I used to. No "REAL" complaints.

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

There are 3 of us in my family that has had WLS around the same time (Nov 2003, Dec 2003 & Feb 2004). We tend to support each other. Once in a while we will attend a support group meeting put on by our docs. But we mainly encourage each other.

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

I had my procedure done laparoscopically and have 5 small scars which are barely noticeable. The scars turned out exactly as they were expected.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I am 11 months post op and I think I may be experiencing my first plateau. I feel that I have lost the 143 lbs quicker than I expected to. Recently I have been stuck around the same weight with losses and gains.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I wouldn't say that people are treating me any different than they did before, I tend to have people who are just curious on how much I have lost.