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

About six years ago, when the weight really started to come on, I had heard of the surgery. At that time I was not ready to deal with something like this, the surgery. Carnie Wilson had shared her surgery with the world and I was curious. I began calling local surgeons, and tried to learn as much as possible on the internet. I became very motivated to find out as much as I possibly could about this surgery.

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

I was surprised at how easy it was to be approved for this surgery. It only took four working days to hear from the insurance company. If i were going to give any advise it would be to have all of your diet history ready to give to the surgeons office if you are sure you want them to do the surgery. Also, I would recommend calling boththe surgeons office and the insurace company to make sure things have gotten where they should.

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

The first meeting with the surgeon's office was the required informational meeting. I would recommend coming with an open mind to learn and to decide if this is the office you want doing your surgery. My first meeting with the actual surgeon was pretty rutine. I would recommend having a list of questions ready to ask the surgeon since he or she will be the one whos hands your life will be in.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I have recently divorced. I have one child and I want to be around to see her grow. My weight was the highest it has ever been. It was kind of scary. I had tried everything only to lose the weight and then gain that plus more. Same old story.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I went to four informational meetings with four different surgeons. They all had different ways of doing the surgeries. I decided based on my medical backround and by the information I found on the internet.

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?

As I came closer to having the surgery I became more scared of dying. I was quite thankfull that I made it through the surgery. I would just say that the chances of something happening are very very slim and it is normal to worry as you near your surgery. Trust your surgeon. Check into your surgeons past to see if there have been any deaths.

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 mother was not supportive. My daughter is very supportive. My frieds have been very supportive. My coworkers have been somewhat supportive. No I would not have communicated anything differently.

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

My supervisor was/is very supportive. I did tell her about the surgery. I was out for one week after the surgery,went back part-tim week two, and back full time week three.

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

The hospital staff were wonderful. I was there for two days. The most important thing to bring...lip balm! I brought a soft, warm blanket. Also, I found a recliner, which I had asked to be brought to my room, to be a god-send. The bed was too difficult to move in and out of. I was better able to get around from the recliner.

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

I had no complications from the surgery. There was a little pain. I took the pain meds for about three days after I was out of the hospital. The only problem I did experience was from the morphine. I did experience some nausia the first day, that was not fun!

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

At first I was really sore. I had alot of energy however, and wanted to get out of the house. I did not feel like sleeping because it hurt to lie down. I just took it one day at a time. I began walking the first day home from the hospital. I started with one block, then two, and so on....until I reached 3-5 miles each day.

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

I was moving rather slowly for the first few weeks at home. People should not expect to resume normal activities until at least four weeks, or more, after the surgery. However, I would recommend walking right away. At least for me, this allowed me to have more energy and have the ability in not feeling so tired.

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

30 minutes.

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 two weeks were strictly liquids and pureed foods. The third week I could eat a scrambled egg with cheese and salsa. I could not eat sliced lunchmeat(turkey or ham). Week four I could eat chicken mcnuggets(two) and really soft vegetables. I have had alot of problems with vomiting...from eating too fast, eating foods I wasn't ready for, or drinking too soon after having eaten.

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

The first few weeks after surgery, I began small by walking 1 block, then two, and increased that amount until I was able to walk about 3-5 miles each day, as time allowed. In addition, once I felt well enough, i also begain using an elliptical machine in the evenings. I had alot of energy because of the exercise I was able to get.

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

I started taking b-12 tablets and a multivitamin. I am now taking a multi vitamin daily, vitamin c (for bruising), and a monthly injeciton of b-12.

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?

Because of the drastic change in the diet, and the amounts of food, the first few months were very difficult for me. I vomited almost daily from either eating too fast, not chewing the food enough, or drinking too soon after eating. It was awful. it took me two months or more to feel glad that I had had the surgery. I did lose some hair, and I do have some droopy scin.

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

The experience has not been that bad for me. Besides having to learn entirely new ways of eating, gauging how full I am, and using vitamins, the experience has been a positive one. I would do it again in an instant if I had to do it again.

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

I had been attending a support group, in Minnesota, at Abbott Northwestern Hospital. I found it helpful at first, but it has since lost it's appeal for me. However, I would recommend it for pre and new post-ops.

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

I have six one inch scars. This is what I expected.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have experienced many, many plateaus along the way. I was not only walking, using an elliptical trainer for exercising, but as the surgery cuts our food consumption to a quarter of what it was, I was only maintaining around 700-800 calories a day. The weight was coming off very quickly (within the first 13 months I had lost 150 pounds....and at month 17 am still there). I feel that these are normal considering the amount of weight we are losing in such a small amount of time. Our bodies need to be able to catch up.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I have definately noticed that others treat me differently than before. People do not laugh at me when they pass me, they look me in the eyes now. Sometimes men even look at me, as though perhaps admiring me. This is all new, and scary, to me.