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

As a surgical tech, i am aware of most develpoments in surgery. my first impression was "oh, that's for those really fat people. I'm not big enough to do that to myself. I just need to exercise." I actually have a whole list of lies that i have been telling myself. My personal favorite is "i carry my weight well."

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

Insurance has not been too bad. i am fortunate to have a reasonably decent insurance company, as they go. For those still in the insurance approval stage...i would get everything you can in print..from every doctor you see to every single discussion you have with the insurance company. Keep it all together in a binder too. Notate every single time you speak with the insurance, down to date, time, name of the person you spoke to, and a reference number, and contact phone number if possible. DO Not be afraid to callt he insurance company EVERY Day if that is what it comes to. Those customer service people are there to help YOU!. That's part of what you pay those exhorbitant premiums for.

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

my first meeting was a little informal (like in the hallway of the OR), since I work with my surgeon. My advice is to do a lot of research and prepare a list of questions. Any surgeon that is worth his/her degree will take the time to answer them.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I debated it with myself for 2 years...got really close to scheduling a date and chickened out. I finally got tired of not really fitting in a desk at school, and being tired all the time. Plus I was beginning to have difficulty controlling the blood sugar. I decided i just did not want to be dependant on swallowing a bucket of pills (anti-depresants, diabetes meds, etc)every day in order to maintain a lifestyle that just was'nt very satisfying anymore.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Roux-en-Y..it has the best outcomes for people in my weight range

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 am scared. This is major surgery!! However, I would be more concerned if I was'nt scared. So long as you are confident in your surgeon and most importantly, confident in yourself...you will do well. I would tell people to follow thier doctors instructions to the letter, no matter how hard it is. In the end, it will be worth it. (6 months later...yup It is soooooooo worth it)!!!!!!!!

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?

Most of my family is very supportive. My one remaining issue is my mother, who I think fails to understand my reasoning and refuses to learn. But that is her problem, not mine, unless i make it my problem. Taking up ownership of other peoples problems is part of what got me this way. 12-31: meant to update this before, just had'nt. I finally broke the news to my mom several weeks prior to my date and at first she was upset...since she has researched and spoken with some other WLS patients and even in the midst of some serious problems that I had immediatly post-op has become one of my biggest supporters. I know at the beginning she was just worried and that is what Moms are for. Even as sick as I was and asking why I did this...she said becasue it works and its going to make me a healthier me!!!" She is so right. I just love my folks so much and don't know how I would make it without them.

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

they are very supportive. Since I work in the Operating room where I am having the surgery, i get to hand pick everyone from my anesthesiologist to my nurse. I was out of work for about 6-7 weeks. This was primarily due to some complications that i had. When I returned to work, at my manager's suggestion, i eased back into work, starting with 4 hour shifts, then to 6 and gradually back to full time. Since I was on a grant funded by the the hospital I work for (and in nursing school at the same time), i only had to work 20 hours a week. However, what I was doing (surgical scrub tech) made it rough to jump right back in. My supervisors were great with tolerating my need to occaisionally scrub out and go puke...lol. Oddly enough, I had a harder time dealing with my nursing school director. She deemed my surgery as "elective" and therefore not necessary. While I suppose it was elective in that I was not going to die without it, at least not this year...It was not elective in that i needed this procedure to save my life. I pointed out to her that "she did not get an opinion, because my health care decisions were none of here business." Its sad to think that a health care professional could be that petty and unsympathetic, but unfortunatly, there are a lot of people out there, that should know better, but don't.

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

My stay was 9 days, but that was with complications. The staff was wonderful. My surgery was done in this hospital that i work in, but the majority of the people that were there were in departments that I really had no contact with, so my identity a fellow employee was irrelavant. Nonetheless, I am so thrilled with the care. A day did'nt go by, even in ICU (especially there) that i did'nt get wonderful help with bathing and personal care. Even in the "pod" setting that is ICU here, my privacy and digity were well maintained. If I become 1/2 the nurse these folks were, I will be very pleased.

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

2 days following surgery (Lap RNY) I herniated about 3ft of bowel up into places where it ought not have been. This necessitated a 2nd and darn near a 3rd surgery. Fortunatly, all was able to be repaired (laparoscopically at that!!, and I am now on the mend. A serious setback yes, but also an affirmation that I had my surgery in a 1st rate facility with 1st rate doctors and staff update 2/6/05: I have had two strictures which took a total of 4 attempts at dilation to get over. Was a rough road for a while there, but I am now feeling better (and I can eat too). Honestly, this is a fairly common occurance...leave it to me to find a way to make it difficult...lol

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 antsy and as the date got closer, I was quite a spaz. I had a lot to get straight with my job and school. That all was very stressful. In the week or so prior, the scheduling crud was settled and I was down to practicing my eating regimin and so on. Sounds corny, but a kind of peace just settled on me. I just "knew" I was ready.

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

I went to my parents. I would HIGHLY recommend having someone with you most of the time. I had some issues with muscle spasms that I needed some help with in getting in and out of bed and sometimes just my mom rubbing my back where it was spasming was a big help. You will be tired and achy. Just rest, but also try to do some light activity, even if you just walk out to the mailbox. I found sitting outside in the sun (I live in Florida so this is possible nearly year round) was very relaxing. Also have lots of reading material handy...TV gets very boring, very fast.

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

I had my surgery in the same hospital where I work. This was about 5 min from my house. I did go home to my parents immediatly following surgery. This was a 3 hour drive from the hospital. A little rough but do-able. After about 2 weeks, I developed a stricture and had to return to the hospital. So that required a 3 hour drive basck to the hospital. Yucky but not intolerable.

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.

My accounting of food tolerance is by no means normal. Given the complications that I had, I was setback in my progress quite a bit. I am now (2/6/05) 7wks out and am only now able to eat soft/pureed foods. I was either NPO or on clear liquids for nearly 6 wks. 6/26/05 I currently eat no meat products, more by choice now. this started as an intolerance to meat and now its a choice. I have a daily protien "grog" and eat a lot of fish and soy products (TOFU rocks!!)

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

my activity level was nonexistant in the days following surgery. I was confined to bed due to the need for an additional emergency surgery. I was finally out of bed and sitting in a chair at the 1 week mark. When I got home, i was able to take short walks and make brief shopping trips. I did get tired eaisly but found that I needed to do something each day that resembled activity. Otherwise I would feel really crummy the whole day.

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

I take 1 childrems chewable vitamin and 1 TUMS each day along with protonix twice a day. I will eventually be adding B12 shots to that when my doctor decides its time. For my protein requirements, I do a combination of the Isopure fruit drinks, carnation Instant breakfast, no sugar added made with Carb Countdown milk, some protein shake mix from GNC that I whiz in the blender with CarbCountdown milk, ice and some fruit. my protein requirement is 45-55 gms per day. Once I factor in the food I am able to eat, I can usually exceed that and make it to 65-70gms per day. I definetly feel the differenc when I don't get the protein in. 6/25/05 I have a daily protein shake along with my soy meat substitutes and usually wind up hovering around 80 gms of protein a day. I actually have to force myself to take in some carbs. Vitamin wise..i have a monthly B-12 injection and a childrens chewable vitamin and a calcium tablet along with Protonix twice a day...but that's it.

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 think the nausea was the first at the beginning. After the stricture problems were resolved, I had gone nearly 6 wks on only liquids. the worst problem then became the intestinal cramps and gas pains that i had, likely because my body was having to get used to processing food again. that has resolved mostly...thankfully

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

Once I made the decision to have this, there really was'nt a "worst" part. I knew that i was doing this to better myself the end was worth the means by a longshot. If I had to pick a "worst" part..definitly the naso-gastric tube....EWWWWWWWW!!!!!! those things are nasty!!!!!!!

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

I have a little extra aftercare support in that I work with my surgeons. I also attend a local surgery support group and I have several friends who are at various lengths of time out from surgery. I have one particular friend that is very good at pulling me back to reality when i come up with things I want to eat or do. She has been there and has been a great source or support.

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

I was done laparoscopic. I have 6 little 1-inch or so scars dispersed all over my belly. i think, with Laparoscopic, there is normally 5 scars. I have an extra due to an additional surgery i had, in the immediate post-op period At 6months out, those scars are sooo much closer together, cuz there's like less of me to spread them over...lol. They've healed very nicely. I am looking for several of them to go away altogether after my plastics, tentively scheduled for early next year.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

When I had difficulties with strictures and was in the hospital, on IV fluuids, I found my weight loss plateaued. i know that was due, in part ot the lack of activity and more importantly the lack of protein. I cannot emphasize enough...PROTEIN, PROTEIN, PROTEIN!!!!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I notice people tend to greet me now. They may have done so before, but i was so uncomfortable with myself, that i maybe did not notice. Now I can walk with my head up and look people in the eye and return greetings.