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

I had a friend who had the surgery, but, I continued to tell myself I could lose the weight thru diet and exercise.

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

I did not have any problems with my insurance company. I knew they wanted 6 months of documentation from my primary doctor about my struggles of trying to lose weight. This was something I made a point to stay on top of!!

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

My 1st mtg with Dr. Slotman was incredible! He showed me a video of the mission of his practice, surgery proceedures, timelines for recovery and stressed very importantly what I would expect if I followed his lead before, during and after surgery.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I knew I had to have the surgery or I would die from all the medical situations that I suffered from.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Dr. Slotman made it clear that he has seen the most success with the "open" type of by-pass surgery.

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 viewed it very simply, if I didn't have the surgery I would be dead within 2 years. I could not continue in that style of life.

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?

They were all very supportive of my decision before and clearly since my surgery because they have seen my success.

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

Fortunely, I was retired from speech therapy in the school system so that was not a concern, thank God!

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

Again, I welcomed anything that I thought would improve my quality of life. I felt I didn't have any other options!

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

My hospital stay was very good! I was given quality care by the hospital staff at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden, NJ. Since I Suffered from sleep apneia, I took my c-papp equipment.Dr.Slotman's pre-surgery team give me some literature, such as reading material and a cd designed to calm the patient before and after surgery. I was positive mental attitude adjustment info that reseach indicates will help your healing!

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

Thank God I did not have any compilcations from surgery!

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

Again, my pre-surgery team provided me with info that helped me adjust to any anxiety that I may have. I also asked for the prayers of all family and friends! This was important to me!!

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

I knew the 1st few weeks would be tough. But again, my pre-surgery preparation in terms of how I may feel after surgery, the fact that I would only be able to consume only liquids and pureed foods for the next 6 weeks, prepared me for what to expect.

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

My travel to surgery was equivalent to a 20 min car ride.

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 knew that for 6 weeks following surgery I would not be able to eat anything other than liquids and pureed foods.I was prepared for this going into surgery. I didn't know how it would affect me. I continued to keep my focus on the fact that any liquid I consumed was designed to give me the required amount of protein I needed for proper nutrition. This was stressed before surgery! I followed the week by week menu that was provided and made the adjustments week by week as needed.

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

My activity level was very limited to trips to and from the bathroom mostly, because I was still carrying 430 lbs in addition to caring for my insision.

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

I take a daily multiple vitamin.

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 remember feeling nausea before some of my meals. I must say that this was difficult to deal with because I needed to keep the meal down. This persisted for about the entire 6 week period.I mostly used "mind over matter" and continued to tell myself that this is a temporary situation. As weeks progressed, the feeling of nausea began to disappear. As I was able to progress to soft foods, after 6 weeks, I noticed that the nausea was not as evident.

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

Trying to maintain the proper amount of protein needed daily and overcoming the feeling of nausea because it seemed I had a constant bad taste in my mouth.

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

I have a fantastic support group! The group and the coordinator, Cheryl Marks, help to adjust to life after surgery. The shared experiences are very valuable. For instance, at one mtg a lady mentioned a book that was helpful to her named "Weight loss surgery for dumbies". I found this book to be very helpful to me as well. We meet once a month.

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

I already had a scar in the exact same location as my by-pass scar due to a car accident many years ago.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have not experienced any plateaus!!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

People are mostly happy that I can move around and have seemed to have regained my life back!!