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

A TV PROGRAMME IN NEW ZEALAND. THEN MY COUSIN HAD A WEIGHT SURGERY DONE, BUT INVOLVED HER SMALL INTESTINES. I STARTED DOING RESEARCH. I SPOKE TO MY GP AND HE REFFERED ME TO THE SPECIALIST

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

NO COVER WAS ALL THEY SAID. THEY DID DO IT AS A PUBLIC HEALTH PATIENT,IF YOUR BODYMASS INDEX WAS HIGHER THAN 50, BUT THE WAITING LIST WAS AROUND 5 YEARS. I COULD NOT WAIT THAT LONG.

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

VERY NERVOUS, BUT HE EXPLAINED EVERYTHING IN DETAIL. I FELT CONFIDENT IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. I WENT ON THE ITERNET AND READ UP, AND WROTE DOWN ALL THE QUESTIONS I WANTED TO KNOW. HE ANSWERED THEM ALL.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

HAVING THE PRO AND CON AND WEIGHED THEM UP. THE PRO SURGERY OUTWEIGHED THE CON BY FAR. I WAS TIRED OF JUST EXISTING, I NEEDED TO LIVE.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

RESEARCH SHOWED IT WAS THE MOST SUCCESSFULL OP AND THE SIDE AFFECTS NOT THAT BAD. HOWEVER, I HAVE HAD SOME DREADFULL EXPERIENCES WITH DUMPING, AND THEN I WONDER IF I SHOULD HAVE GONE FOR THE LAPBAND INSTEAD. UNTILL I FEEL BETTER, AND THEN ALL IS OK AGAIN.

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 KNEW IF I DID NOT HAVE THE SURGERY, THAT I HAVE A LIMITED LIFE AHEAD OF ME. I WAS STILL YOUNG ENOUGH TO COPE WITH MAJOR SURGERY, AND THE EXCITEMENT WAS TAKING OVER RATIONAL THINKING. IT WAS NOT THAT BAD, THINKING BACK NOW. A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT NOT PAINFULL.

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?

EVERYONE WAS WORRIED OF COURSE, BUT KNEW I HAD TO DO THIS. MY HUSBAND AND CHILDREN WAS VERY SCARED. MY MOTHER, WHO IS OBESE HERSELF, WAS TOTALLY SUPPORTIVE AND EVEN HELPED ME PAY FOR THE OPERATION. I PAID A TOTAL OF $24 000.00 NZ DOLLARS FOR THE OP.

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

I WAS LUCKILY NOT EMPLOYED AT THAT STAGE. IT TOOK SEVERAL MONTHS FOR ME TO GET COMFORTABLE ABOUT EVEN DRINKING IN PUBLIC PLACES, AND ALWAYS NEEDED TO BE NEAR THE RESTROOMS INCASE I NEEDED TO RUN. I VOMITED QUITE A BIT, DRINKING TO MUCH, NOT CHEWING THE FOOD WELL ENOUGH. ALWAYS CHECKING THE SUGAR CONTENTS BEFORE HAVING IT, EVEN FINDING MILK WITH THE LOWEST SUGAR. IT TOOK SOME TIME.

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

I WAS IN A PRIVATE ROOM. HAD CHEST PAINS, BUT IT WAS ONLY BECAUSE OF THE SURGERY, NOT MY HEART. IT FELT LIKE THERE WAS FOAM BUILT UP IN MY THROAT AND I COULD NOT SWALLOW IT DOWN. IT TOOK 3 DAYS OF DRINKIN ONLY SIPS OF RIBINA (IT SHOWS THEM IF THERE IS A LEAK). I STAYED FOR 5 DAYS. HAD MINIMAL DISCOMFORT WITH THE LAPROSCOPIC ENTRIES AND HAD THE DRAIN IN FOR 10DAYS. FELT VERY DEPRO ON THE 3RD DAY, CRIED ALOT WONDERING WHAT I HAD DONE. COULDNT SWALLOW THE PILLS. BUT GOING HOME WAS GOD AND SOON FELT BETTER.

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

NO COMPLICATIONS, THANKFULLY.

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

IT WAS A WEIRD FEELING. I HAD TO START EATING, EVERYTHING WAS PUREE, AND THEN I FELT THE NEED TO HAVE MEAT. LUCKILY, BEING SOUTH AFRICAN, WE HAVE BILTONG (BEEF JERKY). I SHEWED ON THAT AND SPAT OUT THE REMAINS. THAT IS PURE PROTEIN. I TOLD MY DR, AND HE WS AMAZED AT MY CRAVING. IT MADE ME STRONGER, A LOT FASTER, HAVING THE NUTRIENTS.I HAD MY MOMENTS, FELT I HAVE NOW MEDDED UP MY WHOLE LIFE, FEELING VERY ALONE, AS OUR FAMILY GATHERINGS ALWAYS TURNED AROUND FOOD, I FELT EXCLUDED. BUT AS SOON AS THE FAT BEGAN MELTING, IT MADE SPACE FOR AMAZEMENT.

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

TRAIL AND ERROR. CRYING, LOOKING FOR THINGS TO EAT, GOING TO THE FRIDGE OUT OF HABIT.I DO NOT THINK TAT EVER CHANGES.A LOT OF PATIENTS, IT TAKES TIME TO GET TO KNOW YOUR NEW STOMAC. IT TAKES YEARS, BECAUSE I MIGHT BE OK TO EAT SOMETHING TODAY AND TOMORROW MY BODY REACTS TO IT. SOMETIMES I CAN HAVE SUGARY TINGS, AND OTHER TIMES I GET SEVERE DUMPING, AND IT FEELS LIKE I AM DYING.

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

NOT FAR AT ALL.

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 DRANK SUSTAGEN, A HALF A CUP TOOK AOUT A HALF HOUR TO DRINK. AROUND THE 2ND WEEK I BEGAN EATING, A TEASPOON AT A TIME, PUREED CHCKEN BREAST AND PUMPKIN AND OTHER VEGGIES, WHICH I PREPARED BEFORE THE OP AND FREEZED IT. NO SUGAR ANY FORM IN EVEN FRUIT JUICE. BY ABOUT THE 3RD MONTH I COULD EAT A LOT MORE THINGS. I EVEN HAD ONE PRAWN ON MY BIRTHDAY. THE TRICK WAS TO CHEW AND CHEW, AND AGAIN. I COUD NOT DRINK AND EAT AT THE SAME MEAL. ONE BITE TOO MUCH WOULD SEND ME RUNNING. I CHEWED ON BILTONG, (BEEF JERKY) AND DI NOT SWALLOW THE MEAT BUT SPAT IT OUT. NOW I EAT ALMOST ANYTHING, BUT IS NEVER SURE WHAT MIGHT CAUSE DUMPING.

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

IN HOSPITAL, NOT TOO MUCH. COMING HOME 1ST WEEK STILL VERY LIMITED.AFTER THE WEIGHT BEGAN FALLING OFF, I GOT MORE AND MORE ENERGY TODAY I HAVE SO MUCH ENERY, MY FAMILY FIND THEY HAVE TO RUN TO KEEP UP.

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

IN THE BEGINNING I TOOK MULTI VITAMINS AND IRON SUPPLEMENTS. ALSO HAD A 3 MONTHLY INJECTION OF VIT B12. I HAVE SOME VERY BAD SUGAR CRAVINGS, AND HAVE STARTED TO TAKE DUROMINE. IT TAKES THE CRAVINGS AWAY A LITTLE AND ALSO GIVES A LOT OF ENERGY. I TAKE HORMONE REPLACEMENT TABLETS AS WELL.

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?

VOMITING IN THE BEGINNING. HAIR LOSS AT ABOUT 6 MONTHS, BUT STOPPED. DUMPING STILL A PROBLEM, BUT NOT VERY OFTEN, IT COMES IN BOUTS. ALL DEPENDS HOW MY BODY REACTS TO FOOD AT THE TME. ABOUT 3 EPISODES AT A TIME, AND THEN FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS NOTHING. IF I HAVE SUGAR AND HAVE NOT HAD ANYTHING ELSE TO EAT, IT CAUSES SEVERE DUMPING.

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

THE DUMPING, IT FEELS LIKE YOU WANT TO DIE. BUT AS SOON AS IT PASSES YOU FEEL OK. THE DUMPING ALSO DETERS YOU FROM HAVING SUGAR, WHICH IS GOOD AS YOU CAN START TO PICK UP WEIGHT AGAIN. I HAVE A FEAR OF GETTING FAT AGAIN, THAT IS WHY I TRY CONTROLLING IT WHITH APPETITE SUPPRESSANTS.

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

NONE, AS I MOVED TO AUSTRALIA 3 MONTHS AFTER THE OP. DO HOWEVER KEEP IN CONTACT WITH MY DR, SENDING PHOTOS EVERY NOW AND THEN.

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

YSE, IT IS ALMOST INVISIBLE. IF I HAVE A TUMMYTUCK, IT WILL BE GONE COMPLETELY.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I STABILIZED AT ARUNS 90KG FOR A MONTH AND THEN DROPPPED TO 75KG. I GO UP AND COME DOWN WITHIN THE 69KG TO 73KG. THIS HAS BEEN FOR 2 YEARS NOW. I RECENLY HAD A BLADDER AND BOWEL LIFT/REPAIR OPERATION. I LOST DOWN TO 67KG. BUT IS NOW BACK ON 72KG. I AVE TO HAVE A GALLBLADDER OPERATION AS I HAVE GALLSTONES. ALL SIDE EFFECTS OF THE OPERATION I AM TOLD.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES, IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE HOW YOU GET TREATED. ALTHOUGH I STILL HAVE THE MINDSET OF AN OBESE PERSON. I STILL THINK OF MYSELF AS FAT. AND USED TO FIND MYSELF IN THE BIG SECTION SHOPPING FOR CLOTHES.