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

I first found out about it many years ago and was totally against it, that's because I wasn't ready to give up my food. It wasn't until last year when i was diagnosed with sleep apnea that it finally hit me and I in turn, hit rock bottom, I looked into it in July of 05 and was on the operating table in December of that year.

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

I didnt get any insurance approval. Paid for it out of pocket

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

Very good and positive, I felt very reassured about what to expect post op.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

DESPERATION!!! And a need to improve my health

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I was originally scheduled to have the Lap Band, but I changed my mind 4 weeks before surgery. I had heard how slow the banding can be in weightloss and I needed something more permanent, without anything foreign in my body, the port that you have to have with banding for fills. So I decided to have RNY and do not regret it for one minute.

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 had many fears of not waking up from the surgery, or complications afterwards, but at the same time I realized the risk I was taking either way, so surgery was my only option.

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 husband was the most supportive, my two teenage children were very scared for me, but supportive at the same time. I had explained to them that I was doing it to be healthy and add some years to my life so that I could be around longer for them. I had very mixed emotions from my parents, but the gave me their support and blessings. My very close friends were also very supportive of me, everyone knew how desperately I wanted and needed this surgery.

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

My employer at the time was very supportive and she told me to take all the time off that I needed (I was a teacher at the time). I had the surgery over winter break, so I ended up taking an extra 3 weeks off from work after that. It was very hard to get back into the swing of things when I returned to work, I worked with 3 year olds so that in itself was exhausting. But I got thru it but quit at the end of the school year!!

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

my stay was only a day and a half. They screwed up on the day i went in though. I was due to have my surgery at 9.30am, so got to the hospital at 6am. There was a guy who was supposed to go after me, but he was friendly with the anastesiologist and therefore got bumped up befored me. I didnt have it done until 6pm that evening.

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

I had an infection in the incision site and thrush in the mouth. Emotionally I had a very hard time dealing with it all, I was in a lot of pain with the infection, my husband had to change the dressing on it every day and pack it. The thrush made me very naucious, it was a hard first few weeks.

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 went through some depression and questioned as to why I had the surgery done, I think with having the side effects triggered everything off.

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

My first few weeks home were slow moving, I had to sleep on a recliner for the first month as sleeping in a bed was totally out of the question. I couldnt lift anything heavy (actually for a few months). I felt very lethargic all the time.

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

Half an hour!!

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.

The first couple weeks I was on only pureed foods, I have to admit they were disgusting, as were the protein shakes I had to drink. As the weeks passed by, I was able to solidify my foods, but it was very hard to digest some of them. But as the months went by, my tastes became a little wider and fish became a favorite of mine, (before surgery I hated it). Now, a year out, I am still limited as to what I can tolerate and stick to a lot of cheese, steak and fish, plus veggies/salads, fruit.

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

I started to walk around the house when i got home from the hospital. Then about a week after that I would walk outside holding onto my daughter (who was 13 at the time). Then gradually, I was able to walk alone. When I returned to work, I would get up at 5.30am and walk for a half hour before getting ready for work and I have been walking ever since, every day.

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

I take multi vitamins 3 times a day, calcium twice a day, iron once a day, fish oil omega 3 pills twice a day, and Co-Q 10 3 times a day. I also have a B-12 shot once a month. I take my vitamins religiously every day, that's a must for me.

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?

I was naucious for a good few weeks after surgery, but not to the point of throwing up, just that awful sickly feeling. I didn't really lose any hair, it thinned a little at first but now its thickened up again. There are times still to this day though when I do throw up, and that's mainly because I have eaten too quickly and the food is stuck in my throat so I have to throw it up.

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

Just the side effects mentioned above, and the awful 12 hour wait to have surgery the day I went in.

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

I attend a group support meeting once a month at Holy Cross where I had the surgery. It is always very helpful in the way that we discuss everything from different foods, and feelings. We also get weighed if we want to and we get a print out with how are muscle mass level is, hydration and fat mass, its very helpful. That's where I get my B-12 shots.

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

Its hardly there anymore.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I did have a 2 weeks plateau where I wasn't losing anything, and now I generally go up or down 3-4 lbs on the scale.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes sometimes, especially when I go into a little boutique. I used to go into them to look at accessories in my larger days, but now I can shop in there, but there are times when I wonder if the sales assistant is thinking why is she in here. But then they just ask if i need any help, whereas before they wouldnt ask me that question as they knew there wasn't anything in there that would fit me. A lot of people I know keep telling me that I am too skinny and that I should stop losing now, but believe me, it's the most wonderful thing to hear!!