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

Have no advice. My insurance company at the time wanted to know nothing about obesity related issues. Period.

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

Wonderful. He explained the procedures available to me and what the results might be. Have lots of questions ready.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Hated myself and didn't want to kill myself because of my son.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Wanted the most effective solution and decided on RNY.

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 was afraid of dying on the table, but had confidence in Dr Garber after the initial consult. Figured I was going to die young anyway if I kept going on like I was. My advice: Take the risk.

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?

Family and friends supported my decision but were wary. They did trust my instincts that this was going to be the right thing to do.

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

NA

What was it like attending your first information seminar on weight loss surgery? Were you glad you attended? if so, why?

Very glad I attended. Actually I attended the seminar after I had already made the decision.

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

I hated my stay in the hospital although the hospital and staff were excellent. Having to get up and walk every 2 hours for almost 3 days was torture. I didn't bring anything. I slept when I wasn't being dragged out of bed to walk.

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

I had an ulcer 8 months later and twisted bowels/hernia 15 months later. Saw surgeons and got it taken care of.

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

After the surgery I thought I must have been out of my mind and regretted it very much. It hurt like hell.

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

Pain and misery.

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

5 miles

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 ate pureed food for the first 2 months after surgery. Anything I could tolerate was game as far as I was concerned. I did well with yogurt, cottage cheese, scrambled eggs, a can of soup put in the blender. Started trying solids after 3 months. Couldn't tolerate chicken for 8 months. Tolerated hamburger at about 3 months. Pasta and bread makes me ill to this day (15 months later) I don't really like meat anymore... except for prime ribs and porterhouse steak. I avoid simple carbs and sugar. Each month after surgery for the first 9 months, I would just try to add other foods and see how I reacted. I really couldn't go by strict guidelines because everyone is different. The weirdest thing is that healthy protein foods fill you up really fast and you can barely eat a whole portion, but garbage goes down quite well. So avoid garbage. I can eat vegetables like there's no tomorrow and crunchy carbs like crackers. Gotta watch those. Limit myself to a couple and that's it. I add protein powder, fruit and some crunchy healthy cereal to yogurt daily so I know I am getting enough protein. I also like cheese but it doesn't like me very much.

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

I tried to walk around the house but it hurt so much I couldn't get off a chair without help. Had to sleep sitting up on a chair in the living room for 3 weeks. This is probably why I was so miserable. By one month I had started walking up and down the block By two months I was walking about one mile twice a day. By three months I was walking about 6 miles/day By 15 months... still walking 6 miles/day or more and ride bike on nice days as well.

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

Calcium, multivitamin.

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 if I ate too much or something that disagree with me... since day one. Vomiting if I ate too much for the first 6 months. Not that bad an experience though. Didn't burn and made me feel better immediately. Every now and again, I vomit if I eat too much. Still not cured of that. No sleep disturbance except for pain shortly after surgery. Haven't had dumping yet. yay!

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

PAIN for first month.

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

none really. Just talk to friends who have had the surgery and hang out on web forums.

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

None.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I hardly ever weighed myself so I can't report on that. I weigh in about once every three or four months. I go by my clothes. I shrunk continuously since day one and still shrinking 15 months late. Size 32 to size 12.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Not really although some people tell me I look fantastic and I assume that means that not being fat looks fantastic. I really do not look fantastic at all. Just kind of old and wrinkly.