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

My oldest sister had the surgery and I was really worried about her having the surgery. With her being a single mother, I was worried if something would go wrong and what would happen with her son.

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

Insurance companies do not like to pay for these types of surgeries. The best advice I can give people is to DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, and DOCUMENT with your doctors. The more information you can provide your insurance company the better off you will be. They want to see that you have gone up and down in weight loss. They want to know that you have serious things going on. Do NOT wait to get things documented or think things will go away. THEY DON'T!!!

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

My first visit with the surgeon was wonderful. He knew what you were going through and was willing to help you through it. I advise people to take someone with them to their initial visit. The best person would be someone who has gone through the surgery and understands what you are going through. Also, it helps to have someone writing things down as you are listening to the doctor and may forget what he/she says.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was tired of being overweight!! I wanted my life back and nothing else seem to give it back.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I decided to have the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass because I felt that having the Lap-Band was not the way to go. The reason I feel this way is because it doesn't teach you on how to eat healthy. With the Lap-Band surgery you can continue eating the high fat / sugar foods, but in less portion. How healthy is that????

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?

Having complications and dying from the surgery are on everyones mind. With obese patients, how long will you live for if you stay obese. It is a chance you take and you have to be willing to live with your choice. I preferred to live and being obese was only going to kill me in the long run.

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 was blessed with a very supportive system. My family and friends were behind me 100%. For those who do not have such a support system, I believe they should attend a support meeting regarding the surgery so that they can see and hear others who have or will have the surgery and what fears and successes others have/had.

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

My supervisors were behind me 100%. They knew that this was a very important decision for me to make. They are still behind me now as I am going through plastic surgeries. I was off for by gastric bypass for 6 weeks.

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

My hospital stay at the Barix Clinic in Michigan was wonderful! I was in the hospital for two days and the staff was very supportive. The most important things to bring is a good pillow and a cell phone (if the facility allows you to have one) for those who have to call long distance.

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

I had no complications!!

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 very excited to finally know that I was approved and was looking forward to it. It was the best birthday present I could have given myself.

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

The weeks following your surgery are the hardest weeks. Take your meds, get up and walk, and get plenty of rest.

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

I travelled 45 minutes to the Barix Clinic.

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 week I call "hell week". Take your meds! Then you go into 2 weeks of clear liquids. I was so tired of eating Jell-O, popsicles, etc. Then the good stuff begins - solid liquids. I advise people who are getting ready to have the surgery to go to the store and find a GOOD protein drink/powder. The recipes that they give you I found disgusting. Others may like them, but be prepared. I found that Atkins protein drinks were wonderful - but that was later down the road when I found them. Once you get into the puree food week - you will feel like you have died and went to heaven. Finally something in your mouth that tastes normal. After you get through this period life gets easier! The gastric bypass does not allow for people to eat high fat foods and sugars. I advise people not to even try. Some people can tolerate this and will eventually slow down their progress in losing weight and in the long run WILL start putting on weight. Think before you put something in your mouth IS IT WORTH IT. Because once you try something that your system will tolerate, you will continue to try more. Having the surgery was not just to lose weight but to help you change your life style. If you continue to eat like you did before, you will look like you did before.

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

Getting around the first week was slow but eventually you get a round without problems. The first week is "Hell Week".

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

I take a multi-vitamin and I also get B12 shots. Don't be surprised when you get your blood work back and it shows that your B12 is low. It happens in a lot of cases. You can take pills versus shot, but that is up to each person to decide.

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?

The only side effect that I had was losing hair. This is due to the lack of protein. TAKE YOUR PROTEIN AS DIRECTED or at least try! Vomiting will only occur if you don't chew your food. Eventually you will realize that the only food that will come up is what is above the pouch. If you still feel sick after getting what is above your pouch out, lay down. The pain will eventually go away and you will remember to CHEW, CHEW, AND CHEW!!!

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

The first 5 weeks were the worst! 2 weeks of clear, 1 week of solid liquids, 1 week of puree foods, and 1 week of soft foods.

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

I didn't attend an aftercare program, but having the support of your family, friends, and others who have gone through these types of surgeries and understand will help you go a long way!

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

I was cut open and was cut just below the chest line to the belly button. It healed very nicely. If you have the option to have it done laparoscopic - do it! The one thing that did occur with an open cut was that I had a hernia in that area and had to be cut open again for them to fix a 5x7 hernia. Not a pleasant feeling!

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

My plateau happened after I lost about 160 lbs. after 1-1/2 years, but eventually lost another 30 over the next 6 months in small increments. It will also depend on what you start to eat. Stay away from high fat and sugar items. Natural sugars are good for ya!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

No, because I am still the same person that I was when I was heavy.