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

The very first mention of gastric bypass surgery I heard about was on a news program about three sisters who had done it. One lady lost 200 pounds after surgery. That impressed me, but I wasn't at all sure about rearranging my guts permanently. Heck, even at 9 months post-op, I'm still unsure about it. But back then, it seemed extravagant, a luxury I could never afford, and I wasn't even sure it was for real.

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

My experience with getting insurance was actually pretty good. The surgical program I went to, Smart Dimensions, really helped me along in moving the paperwork through HealthNet, and HealthNet in return actually did their part within a reasonable amount of time. I was denied for surgery initially, but that was because I hadn't yet taken my psychological exam. That was corrected in a couple of days, and a week or two later I had my approval. My advice for those waiting for approval is to be persistent, and make triple sure that everyone has the information they need. Sometimes you have to nag people to get things moving, especially with the insurance agencies who aren't too keen on bariatric surgery.

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

My first (and only) meeting with my surgeon was short and sweet. I'd done enough research to know most of what I needed, and all I asked him was how often he'd done the surgery, what his success rate was, that kind of stuff. My surgeon is a busy man, so our meeting lasted all of five minutes. But I didn't feel rushed at all. To get the most out of that first meeting, I'd say be prepared. Write your questions down if you have a lot of them, and make darn sure those questions are answered. If your surgeon is evasive with certain answers, that should be a warning signal.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

The event that definitively put me on my path was being unable to get onto the Ghostrider roller coaster at Knott's Berry Farm, and being embarrassed in front of hundreds of people. After that, I decided that no matter how much risk there was, I could NOT live the way I had been living. I knew I needed help to get back to being at a normal weight. Surgery seemed like the last option that I had not tried, and after all the success stories I'd read about, it made sense.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

That choice was made for me. My BMI was 61, so the doctor told me I had to have open gastric bypass.

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 very little fear going into this whole process. I knew about the risks, of course, and naturally I didn't want to die. But I also knew that the risk of dying on the table was pretty small. I was more worried that my surgeon would be drunk when he operated on me (luckily, my surgeon is a Hindu teetotaler). I tell people with these fears to weigh the uncertainty of dying on the table versus the almost absolute certainty of dying younger because of obesity. And I tell people to ask themselves: is it worth the risk in order to live a healthy 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?

Most of my family and friends were kind of shocked at first. I did lose one friend when I told him; he called the surgery a "criminal act." But the rest of my friends eventually became more supportive of me (once they learned how determined I was). Some acquaintances remained concerned, but I did my best to answer all questions honestly and accurately, and with the exception of that one ex-friend (who has a fat fetish anyway), everyone has been very cool. My family rallied behind me very quickly (both of my parents are overweight, so they know what it's like). Everyone is still very supportive of me, especially as they watch me lose the weight and feel happier and more content with myself.

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

My employers were some of the ones who were concerned about me, but all they needed was an education. Once they learned that I absolutely needed the surgery, they were totally behind me. I was out of work for two weeks. I made sure to make it during a time when we weren't as busy at work. :)

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 lasted four days. The day of surgery rather sucked, because they had me prepped and waiting for something like six hours. The rest of the time varied between dull and painful, but not uncomfortable (it was a very nice hospital, as far as hospitals go). As far as what to bring, some people will tell you to bring extra clothes, but that wasn't necessary in my case. DO bring something soft to go over your surgery area for the drive home, like cotton shorts or something. I can't imagine enduring that drive home with the button and zipper of a pair of jeans rubbing against my scar area. Also, you might want to bring a book or two and some music. It gets awfully lonely and boring in the hospital, although for the first couple of days I was in too much pain to notice.

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

The only "complication" I had was that my IV drip came out of my hand during the first evening after the surgery, and they were never able to successfully re-insert it. This meant that I had to start the liquid phase of my diet at midnight of the second day. That wasn't pleasant, especially when it's 11pm and three people are standing around constantly pricking you with the IV needle while all you want to do is sleep, but I just made myself be patient. I knew they were only trying to help.

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

Oh my, anxious doesn't even begin to describe how I felt. I was a wreck. I was both excited and nervous, and the closer I got to surgery, the more scared I got. I coped by thinking of how much weight I was going to lose after it was done. I imagined myself being able to get on that Ghostrider roller coaster at Knotts, being able to ride a bike for the first time in years, being able to get up a flight of stairs. I concentrated on the good stuff, and shoved the bad stuff to the back of my mind.

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

Easy does it! Expect pain. Expect not to get much sleep because of pain and because you just can't sleep on your stomach OR your side. (I'm a big side sleeper, so having to be on my back all the time was HORRIBLE.) My two weeks at home were spent mainly in bed, though I forced myself to walk a little bit each day (had to, to get to the bathroom). I couldn't stand up straight for a week; I felt like my Grandpa, walking all bent over. Don't expect this period to be like a vacation at ALL. It's work, recovering.

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

I got lucky. Smart Dimensions is only about 30 minutes from my home and 20 minutes from where I work, as is the hospital. Follow-up appointments are easy.

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.

Wow. During the first three weeks, or liquid phase of surgery, I found I could eat things that I actually can't eat now (weird, right?). During that first week it was just the tiny sips of water or special juice that the hospital gave me. I think they also let me have sugar-free Jell-O. When I got home they had a small list of things I could eat in one-ounce doses. Mashed potatoes gave me a little bit of trouble because of the carbs, but I could eat any soup I wanted. During my second three weeks, or semi-solids phase, I noticed that I was progressing a little faster than what the docs said I would. During my sixth week I cheated and ate half of a soft taco, making sure to chew it to mush first. I had no trouble with that. Once in the solid foods stage, I noticed that there were definitely certain things I could not tolerate. Hamburger was out (probably because I could smell the grease). No more SoBe. Anything with the least amount of carbs or especially sugar was out. (And that is still true.) At nine months post-op, I still couldn't handle much in the way of breads or potatoes, and I couldn't really do sugary things at all. But I could handle most kinds of protein, of course, including steak and chicken and fish and eggs and cheese (I loves cheese). I didn't do well with milk, though. During the months between 9 and 20 I've noticed that, little by little, my tolerances for certain things have gone back up. I can certainly do skim milk (though 1% or 2% makes my stomach gurgle). Rather disheartening is the increased tolerance for sugar. I can handle about half a cup of regular ice cream (though it's the natural Breyers rather than the more sugary brands), though doing that more than a couple times per week will eventually make me dump. I can also handle other carbs in small amounts, like a couple forksful of noodles here and there, a few french fries, etc. I still can't eat hamburger though, or anything with a lot of grease in it. Ham is out for sure. I've also noticed that my tolerances for carbs and sugars go up about a week before my period starts.

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

Activity was very limited in the weeks after surgery. I didn't do much more than sitting and slow walking for a couple of months. I wasn't allowed to drive for four weeks after surgery, and the same went for sex. However, after about six months, I found that I could handle a regular load of low-impact aerobics (five times a week) with no problem, along with jogging, bouncing, or anything else I wanted to do. I still don't do much abdominal exercise, but only because of a perhaps irrational fear of hernias. I probably wouldn't have a problem doing it twice a week or so, though.

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

I take calcium via Tums every day, along with a multivitamin. I used to take iron daily, but now the docs have told me to cut down to once a week. I also take B-12 twice a week. On my own I take chewable fiber pills every day to help stay regular. I was also on biotin for hair loss for awhile, but I don't need that anymore.

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 only vomited once since having the surgery, and that's because I ate too fast. I do have nausea occasionally when I eat too fast or too much. The worst side effect is dumping. I HATE dumping, because it's the most awful feeling. I get diarrhea, start shaking and sweating, and feel like I'm going to die for about half an hour. I still dump occassionally when my carb/sugar count sneaks up on me, but all I can do is let it pass.

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

The pain right after surgery. Didn't quit for two days. That and not being able to walk because it hurt so bad. But after those two days, it was better. Bearable. The second worst part is the dumping, but that is avoidable if you're careful. I know a lot of people would say that not being able to eat is the worst, or seeing food commericals right after your surgery, and that is bad, but you DO get over it.

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

I don't have a support group, at least not a physical one. I didn't really need it. I did join a community on LiveJournal for WLS patients, and I've asked a question on it occasionally. It's good to know that there are others who are further along, others who are just starting, others who are basically in the same boat as me. But I don't depend on such groups.

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

Ah, Scarfatti. Now he is fine, a thin brown line about four or five inches long ending in a wider patch at the bottom. Yeah, it's about what I expected, and I'm actually rather proud to have him. It means I took steps to do something about my weight problem. Scarfatti will always be with me, and I'm not a vain person, so it's fine.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Ick. I had a huge plateau at around -90 pounds that lasted for two months. It was a horrible experience. I thought the surgery had stopped working, that I would never lose weight again, despite my efforts. I figured that I had fallen for another useless fad. All I could do was double my efforts, get in my daily protein and water, make sure I kept exercising. Eventually I started losing again.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes and no. EVERYONE constantly asks me how much weight I've lost, which can be annoying (especially when one is in a plateau). And strangers tend to notice me more as I get skinnier. On the other other hand, my good friends and family treat me as they always have. I do notice that my boyfriend is a little more jealous of me now. :)