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

I got a referral from my PCP and was sent to a Center of Exellence for Bariatrix surgery. My surgeon is awesome, as is his staff, or I wouldn't be going there.

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

The insurance carrier I originally had wouldn't cover anything regarding weightloss. I knew that I would be changing insurance soon, so the Bariatric Coordinator gave me information on what I could be working on ahead of time (dr supervised diet, sleep study, mammogram, etc). Make sure you are seeing a surgeon who has an educated staff that will fight your insurance for you or will work with you financially.

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

Very informative. I first saw my surgeon at a Information Meeting, where anyone could attend to learn more about the different types of surgery available, etc. He is very professional and his office is a Center of Excellence, which was important for me.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I've tried numerous diets, which failed and I had ended up gaining more weight. I needed to do this to, not only lose weight, but to help my other health problems.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

After discussing the different procedures with my surgeon, he suggested RNY would be the best "fit" for me, and I agreed.

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?

The fears of my increasing poor health and dying from weight related problems, were more than my fears of having the RNY surgery. My weight and the health problems related to my weight have decreased my quality of life and increased the possibility of heart attack, stroke, etc, anyway.

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?

I have told my immediate family only. I started out by stating why I was having the surgery and giving them all the information about it and my surgeon, to them. They were all very positive about my decision. I haven't told anyone else, because, honestly, I don't think it's any of their business. If they asked, however, I would be honest with them.

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

I'm disabled and not working at this time, so it's a non-issue.

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

It was very informative and I was extremely excited about having the surgery after the Information Meeting. Numerous people attended the meeting, which gave me a chance to hear different questions than I had thought of myself. People who had already had WLS attended and it was nice to hear their stories about their WLS history.

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

I was admitted for approximately 36 hours. I only brought my CPAP machine with me to the hospital.

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

No complications. The morning after surgery, I had to take a x-ray while swallowing a special dye to see if my pouch was leaking & it wasn't.

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 excited, nervous, hesitant, ready to do the surgery that minute and every other emotion in between. I went online, especially to Obesity Help, and read posts from others. That helped me to stay focused on my pre-surgery eating plan, and to get me organized for my upcoming surgery. I also attended my local support group, had meetings with my nutritionist, psychologist and my surgeon, to get all of my questions answered.

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

A very real challenge. I was nauseated and vomited a lot. I had purchased various protein powders so I would have them ready after surgery. I wish I had tried them out before surgery, because a lot of them were disgusting. Post surgery, my body has become very smell & taste sensitive.

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

15-20 miles for the surgery. My surgeon has a satellite office locally for my before and aftercare.

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 was on clear liquids for 3 days, then moved to pureed foods for 3 weeks, soft foods for 3 weeks and now regular foods. My body changes from day to day. I'm drinking 2-3 protein drinks a day. Cheese is very smooth and I tolerate it well. Pork, chicken and even some beef are okay IF they've been cooked/soaked in sauce to keep them moist. Seafood, at this point, is a no-no, which has surprised me, because I usually love seafood.

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

Not much, I'm sorry to say. I have chronic lowback pain and neuopathy in both legs. I'm hoping as the weight comes off, I will be able to do more activities. Water aerobics are great and I can do some walking.

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

Multi-vitamin, calcium, B12 and fiber. I don't have my labs checked for another month, so I might need to make changes at that time.

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'm only 2 months post RNY. I've had nausea, vomiting and 1 dumping episode. My surgeon has me on medications to help with the nausea & vomiting, as I still have problems with it a few times a week.

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

Not feeling well. I'm not a patient person & I just want to not feel sick and lethargic now. It will happen, it just takes my body a while to recover.