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

I found out about it when Carnie Wilson had it done. Initially I found the thought of it to be scary but I really wanted to have it done.

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

The surgeon's office handled the whole thing and it when quite smoothly. Since weight control is not covered by my insurance I am not sure what criteria I met that made them approve my surgery.

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

My first visit with my surgeon was pretty basic, he just explained the procedure a bit and told me that he believed that I could benefit from it. I suppose people can ask all the questions that they feel they need answered but I really did not have alot of questions because I felt I had done alot of research. Also...I really did not want to know any more then I needed to...I knew the surgery had many risks that was all I really felt I needed to know.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I found a surgeon that was in my area... that is all the decision I needed to make...

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Dr Rovito does the LAP RNY and from what I had learned that was the best type of surgery for my needs.

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 had no fears back then... but now I am very upset with myself that I risked my children losing me or becoming a burden to them. I would not put myself in that situation again.

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 okay with it, I am very strong willed and everyone knows that once I decide something that no matter what they say I probably wouldn't listen ... even when I am wrong. So everyone really supported me pre-op and post-op.

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

I am a stay at home mom.

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

My stay it the hospital was ok... everyone seemed quite overworked. I went in on a Monday morning and home by Tuesday evening. I took a CD player and that really helped pass the time... you really don't need all that much, unless your stay is longer then I guess some other personal items would be helpful.

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

None at all.

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 so anxious, the days seemed to pass way too slowly. I coped by eating... as usual.

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

My first week I had a little pain, like I had done a couple million sit-ups. I did some laundry but most I just sat around the first week. My children came home a week after my surgery and I held my toddler that same day(he weighed about 25 lbs). Things were back to normal by the 7 days post op.

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

Just a few 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 was told to eat only clear liquids the first 5 days then I was told to try anything I wanted except red meat and 3 weeks post op I was told I could also try a tiny amount of red meat. Red meat has never been tolerated by my stomaxh since surgery. The first few months were hard, I was constantly nauseated and vomiting either from eating to quickly or just by my choice of food. Now I occasionally feel nauseated and almost never throw up.

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

Everything was business as usual, I felt great. Running around with my very active 18 month old and walking about 3 miles a day...up a mountain... pushing a stroller.

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

Just a couple Flintstones Complete a day.

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 was awful... throwing up became almost a relief from the nausea, it became scary when I started looking forward to throwing up just so that the nausea would pass. My hair loss was horrible, fortunately I have very course hair and it wasn't too obvious, that stopped around 6 months or so. The worse side effect I had and still have is that every 7 or 8 days I have a bowel movement that makes me so sick that I wish to die. I become sweaty, I salivate and get light headed...my insides heave like I am being hit by a locomotive...this lasts sometimes 15 to 20 minutes. Fortunately it is less often now, originally it was every 4-5 days.

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

The fact that I did not realize that I would have so much emotional conflict afterwards...

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

A support group has recently been started at the Lehigh Valley Hospital with monthly meetings. I don't know how helpful they are but I do like seeing all the people who are on this journey just like me.

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

I have 6 little tiny scars the largest about an inch...I have six instead of the normal five because I had my gall bladder removed at the same time.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I had a 12 week plateau... only myself to blame because I am struggling with food issues that are worse than they ever were... unfortunately I fear I am going to lose this battle with my weight too. My 12 week plateau has turned into a year long one.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Men are more helpful... the boys on my son's school bus always wave to me now too!!