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

I had seen a television program about the surgery. I thought it was very impressive, but I never thought that I would eventually have the surgery myself. Then the more information that I got, the more I thought it was for me. I knew that if I was ever going to lose the weight and keep it off that this may be my only hope.

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

When I first became interested in the surgery, I had an HMO insurance that would not approve the procedure. My surgeon sent several different appeal letters, but they still would not approve the surgery. Then my company had a merger and as part of it, they had to allow all employees review their medical insurance and more options became available to us. I knew a lady in my office that had the surgery covered by insurance, so I asked her what she had and I switched my insurance to the same PPO. I went back to the surgeon and within a few months I had my approval.

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

My surgeon and I discussed what types of programs I had tried in the past. He of course checked my BMI, which was off the charts. He took time to make sure I understood the risks involved. He then explained the different types of procedures that were available and we discussed which option would be the best for me. He showed me pictures of the procedure so that I was well informed of what would be happening had I gotten an approval.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I knew that it was very dangerous, but my theory was that if I stayed 328 lbs I would die young anyway, so it was a chance that I was willing to take.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

The surgeon advised me what he thought would be the best procedure for me. He advised that the gastric bypass would be better for my body type. The results would be better and the chances of maintaing the weight loss over a period of time were better.

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 really didn't have any fears. I was really at peace with my decision. I went in to it very well informed and I was ready to open a new chapter of my life. I was excited, not scared.

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 extremely supportive of my decision. They knew that I really needed this if I had any chance of living a healthy life. My family continued to be supportive after my surgery as well.

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

My employer was very supportive about my decision as well. I told them about the procedure that I was having and I explained the reason that I wanted to do it. I was off work for about 8 weeks. I had an open procedure.

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

I had 2 different surgeries. Both were open procedures and I had quite a bit of discomfort. The first surgery I was in the hospital for 5 days. Four years later, I had a revision and I was in the hospital for 7 days.

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

I did have some gastric problems a few years after my original surgery. The opening that connects my stomach to my intestine had expanded and along the way I had a bowel obstruction that caused some damage. The surgeon made the opening smaller, fixed my bowel, removed my gall bladder and he also revised my stomach to be the size of a large egg again. There was 4 years between my original surgery and my revision.

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

For the first surgery, I was very excited and a little scared. I just prayed that everything would be ok. For my revision, I only had one week from when I was assigned my date until the surgery actually ocurred. I was very excited to be able to have a second chance to make this work.

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

I had an open surgery. I was very sore and I got tired very easily. I just had to take my time when doing anything. I had to maintain patience that I would regain my strength and start to live normally again.

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

I had my surgery at Harrisburg Hospital which is only about 5 miles from my home.

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.

Upon returning home from my hospital stay, I was on clear liquids for 2 weeks, then full liquids for a week, then soft foods. I just had my revision about 6 weeks ago. I am now allowed to eat 1/4 cup at a time. I can eat solid foods now, but I still try to keep it fairly soft. Since the revision has made the opening very very small, I can get sick very easily if I don't chew well enough, or if I swallow too much at one time. As far as off limit foods, I have had a hard time with pasta. For some reason, the small bites that I eat get clumped together and I have been getting sick from it. I have been trying to avoid pasta. I have been trying to concentrate on high protein foods.

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

I was and am still very tired. I have not been as active as I should be, but I do try to get some walking in everyday.

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

I take a multi-vitamin with iron, calcium, and B-12.

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?

With my original surgery, I had some slight hair loss, but it grew back. With my revision, I do have nausea and some vomiting at times. I'm still trying to get past the vomiting. I know that it is because the opening to the intestinal region was made smaller than I was used to it being. I just have to retrain myself.

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

Just getting past the healing process. It's a long road, but it's worth it. I've done it twice now and I still have no regrets about my decisions.

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

There really aren't any support groups in my area. I do a lot of reading online. I read the message boards for suggestions.

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

My scar goes from just below my breast bone to just above my navel. My original scar was a little thick and raised. When I had my revision, the surgeon fixed that scar and my new scar is still the same length as it was, but it is very precise and thin. He did a wonderful job with it.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I lost 27 lbs in the first 3 weeks. I reached my first plateau in week 4 and 5. I went for my check up and I stayed the same. I have started to lose again.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

With my original surgery, I lost 165 lbs. I was treated extremely differently. As a result of some of the problems I had, I gained 100 lbs back. It is too soon after my revision to really notice anything.