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

I've done extensive research on bariatric surgery for many years, last year i went to Belgium and had 2 gastric balloons inserted to assist me in losing weight. I've always been 'for' surgery, after you've tried every other means of losing the weight...i've been on every diet you can think of and tried for many years to lose weight. Gastric Bypass was my last hope.

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

I live in England, we have National Health, i.e. we do not need to pay for surgery as long as your GP recommends you and also that you meet certain criterias..ie, high blood pressure, diabetes 2, sleep apnea etc. We also had to go through psychological assessment and councelling, also given time to lose weight.. if you pass all this, then funding will be approved and surgery will take place.

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

My first visit to my Surgeon Mr Andrew Jenkinson was good, he really put my mind at ease. I found him to be a straight talker and very compassionate, also a peoples person. I think people can get the most out of this meeting by jotting down as many questions before hand. The surgeon should take the time to explain everything to the patient. Ask if they've had any deaths, how long they've been performing these procedures, what their qualifications are,what the aftercare is like, what can i expect from the op, etc.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I watched the operation 100's of times on tv and internet, also i've done extensive research, it took me a couple of years before i finally decided to go ahead with it. I also wanted to wait until my daughter was 16 and understood all the implications and dangers. It was a hard decision.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

As stated above, i've done extensive research on a few of the procedures and decided that the gastric bypass was the more beneficial surgery for me.

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?

Its normal to have fears. My biggest fear was dying and leaving my daughter. I know my husband would have been ok eventually by my daughter and i are so very close, therefore i waited until she was old enough to understand and also i discussed all details with my entire family. Getting their support was great and made my decision so much easier. I had great fears, i made my Will, i put all our financial obligations in place, ie got insurances to cover in case of my death, i wrote letters to my daughter, husband and sisters..etc. Fear is normal, be prepared for anything. As i said before, this has to be the most important decision made, this is your life, which will have an impact on all your family and friends. Do as much research about the surgeon and hospital as possible, this is very important.

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 family and friends are my life..i would not have gone through the surgery without their love and support. My daughter and husband, brother, sisters, my parents and in-laws were all apart of the decision making. I have and will always have their full support. I would not have communicated anything different as they were all apart of every decision made.

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

I'm a Banker but I got made redundant the end of January 2009 so i wasn't working at the time, i also decided not to look for a job until i had had the surgery, simply because i would have had to take time off to go to multiple appointments, it would not have been fair on other employees.

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

My stay in the hospital was ok, i didn't sleep much, i stayed 3 days. It was very important to have comfortable pyjamas, a big baggy t-shirt and slippers, also something to occupy your time, i.e mp3 player/ipod, magazines, puzzles etc.

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

I had no complications from the surgery apart from being in a lot of pain after the surgery, but the nurses soon put me on morphine. I was up walking a few hours later.

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 got my surgery date 3 weeks before surgery and it was a short time to put everything in place i.e. all our financial obligations, Wills and insurances. I was very anxious, scared and very excited too. I had a mixture of emotions...everyday this would change. I believe this is very normal. Its normal to be anxious of the unknown.

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

At the moment i've only been out 16 days and its been great to sleep in my own bed and get back to some sort of routine. I've noticed that i get tired during the day, but i'm putting this down to not being able to eat much. My biggest frustration is not being able to go aqua aerobics 3 times a week, i've been told to leave it until week 6. Also some food that i used to love, i cant tolerate them now. I think that is one of the biggest changes.

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

I didnt have to travel far, the hospital is about half an hour away from home, so not much trouble at all.

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

I go for short walks around the shops and also low impact walks on my treadmill. Nothing too rigourous.

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

I take the once a day Multivitamin Dalivit (14 drops). I dont take any dietry supplements.

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've been post op 16 days, so i havent had any problems as yet, i did vomit once because i ate and drank at the same time. I think that is one thing that i still am trying to get used to, is not eating and drinking at the same time.

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

The worst part of the bariatric surgery had to be the anxiety and also the clear liquid diet, that was very frustrating.

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

The aftercare program is run by the NHS. There are nurses, dieticians and the surgeons available in case of any questions. They are always there for advice and are extremely helpful. Aftercare is very important, as much important as the surgery itself.

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

My procedure was done laproscopically therefore i have 5 little scars. I really expected it to be alot worse.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I am going through a plateau at the moment, since day 11 until day 16 (today) i've weighed the same, which is very frustrating. I need to increase my water as i have trouble finishing half of my required 64oz. I know this plateau will pass, but it is very soul distroying. Persevere, dont give up.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I've only seen my family and nurses/doctors so far...but as i stated before i had full support from friends and family. I havent seen any changes.