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

Internet and i felt embarassed of the fact that i might actually qualify but then i thought some more.

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

Well at first it was no big deal. I thought my ins. covered it only to find out that banding is a specific exclusion. so for people with BCBS FEP don't even bother asking about banding.

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

Loved him. Very easy going and light hearted. Showed us all the things that were gonna happen and let us hold the band itself. It was nice cause Doc R talked to both me and my hubby so we both felt good about it.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Ugh - I can't live like this anymore!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I chose banding because 1 - i didn't have that much weight to lose 2- it is flexible so i could have it loosened completely for pregnancy 3 - there was no cutting of my stomach and "insides" involved other than the incisions for the tools.

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 was afraid of not waking up and never seeing my family again. but that is how it is with any surgery.

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 a bit chocked but they were great. No one wasn't supportive.

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

I didn't tell him until half a year later! He was fine and i was out of work for 2 weeks. But that is cuase I am a gymnastics coach. I went back to "secretarying" right away and was gone only for the trip. like 1 week

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

I was there for a day and a half. and it sucked! mostly just because no one spoke english and i am very handicapped with spanish. The nurses tried and it really wasn't that bad actually. i just remember thinking that i would have paid the extra 6000 to have it done in the states so people could understand me.

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

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?

It was really hard. I cried quite a bit. My doctor has a strict policy of a liquid diet for a month. I got on the boards alot and realized that going to pureeds a few days early wouldn't kill me. I spent a lot of time on the board then! But it taught me alot about what works and what doesn't!

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

Expect to be missing food! It was really hard to do this and still have to cook normal food (that i love) for everyone else. that is the hard part!!!! My tummy was still orange ish from the surgery and the steri strips started to come off. I hated that part cause I couldn't resist the urge to just pull em off. which I ended up doing and finally got to look at my scars. no problems!

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

From Canada to Mexico. My aftercare is in Seattle. It is really hard to be an out of state patient. they don't realize that all of those appointments that are mandatory cost around 600 just to get there! But they are trying and i chose them because they do have a good aftercare program and check up system.

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 am still on a liquid diet so pretty much everything is off limits. sugar free jello and broth and crystal light are my diet. Now 6 months out - NO SUGAR! Splenda makes the world go round! NO FAST FOOD - my rule Other than that I do things in moderation. I have one or 2 sodas in 6 months and not ever the whole thing. It's a somewhat normal diet with higher this and that and lower this and that but otherwise normal.

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

Not very much. I still had a tightness around my port area and my shoulder blade hurt really bad but when I say not much that means actually working out. I was walking and talking and grocery shopping and all that. It's fun to have the "surgery" escuse for not being able to help bring those groceries in! Thanks hubby!

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

Protein - 60 g daily flinstones chewables 3 a day chewy calcium - 3 a day I use Atkins for the quick shakes and then mix the powder in with other stuff.

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?

Didn't have any side affects really. I did start losing my hair when I reached "upper goal" but it has subsided.

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

STIGMA!

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

Don't have a support group and it is important that I find one. It's nice to have the website but it'd be nice to have fact to face. there is a lady here that I can't ever seem to connect with but eventually we will. I'd love to have lots of people there in calgary but hey! whatever!

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

The big one is the best one! It is totally smooth and looks great. the itty bitty one is a bit red and swollenish but they are great. no complaints!

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Ugh the plateau. I have a had a couple little ones right before fills usually. I finally realized that I am losing inches while I don't move on the scale so it all was ok. Now I have been at 135 for awhile I really understand the affect of diet!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Not really in the closer circle. But people are nicer to me in stores and peole seem to look at me more but I have a little problem seeing myself rightn ow so others really don't figure in yet. I don't have a clue what I look like.