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

I had heard of surgery years ago but never knew about it fully until 2001 when i had actually met someone who had already had the procedure done. I then began to wonder if it was something i would have the heart to do but at the time i wasn't that big and of course i would have never guessed that i would allow myself to get to my current weight so i never addressed any research. In 2003 i started working at a new job and two of my co workers mentioned that they had just had the surgery the previous yr they also showed before and after pictures as well as explained the procedure to me. After working with them and constantly asking questions about risk and eating or non eating, exercise etc my manager became extremely interested and due to the fact that her sister had just had the surgery also she began doing research and i began as well i thought it would definitely be something that i would benefit from. Then reality kicked in and so did some MAJOR fears. Being that i had never been in the hospital for any sort of surgery let alone any major surgery i was scared to be cut. I also began to get nervous about hanging skin, nausea and dumping as well as the possibility of DYING during the procedure so of course even though i dedicated an entire folder on my pc to research on the surgery i pushed it to the back burner and punked out.

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

Well i just switched insurance companies and enrolled in a Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO my benefit year does not start until Jan, 2007 and i have not gotten to the phase in my Weight Loss Journey where i have submit insurance forms so i will keep you updated when i have to cross that bridge.

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

My first meeting with the Surgeon was a great one it even moved me to tears. I was extremely comfortable in his presence and I look forward to the next meeting I have with him to get my surgery date.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I just came to the decision that i have tried various weight loss methods on my own and they have not worked and this is critical fork in the road for me it's either LIFE or DEATH that is how i view it. I am looking forward to eliminating my chances for getting any additional health problems.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I weighed the risks and the idea of a less lnvasive procedure & recovery risk appealed to me as well as the option to adjust the band to individual needs or the option to have the Band removed if any serious complications arised.

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 am petrified without question but i am also petrified of getting health problems that could cause me to die because i am fat.

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?

As an initial reaction a few people including my mom, my ex and my current boyfriend and his family don't think I should do the surgery they think I should just exercise. Everyone else either is for it or has not made any negative statements against my decision. {update} as of now everyone is more than supportive. Most of them asked questions which I answered based on my research and the information I was given from the doctors and although they still don't like the idea of me having surgery they are supporting me 100%

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

I disclosed to my Mgr & Asst. Mgr that I am planning to have WLS they were not that happy about the idea my Mgr just thinks I need to eat differently she thinks I am crazy for having the procedure and my Asst. Mgr at first didn't say much negatively but she later started asking questions because she also is battling a weight issue and since I have been employed there has been on and off 4 or 5 different diets she is currently on medifast and says if this does not work she may consider surgery as well. I plan to stay out of work for at least a week just to get used to things before I return to work.

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

My stay at the hospital was like a textbook dream come true. I know not all cases are like this but, I am just thankful that I experienced one that was. I didn't begin to get nervous until they asked me to change into my gown and socks and had to wait before actually going into surgery. All the time you have to sit and wait your turn makes you a little nervous especially the walk into the operating room but the surgical staff made me feel so comfortable they even had the ipod hooked up to the speakers and asked me what type of music I wanted to listen to. Immediately after surgery I was expecting to feel pain but I had none I just felt like I had ate too much and I felt a little woozy from the anesthesia but other than that I was fine. I went into the hospital at 9:30 monday morning I had surgery around 12:30 that afternoon and I was released the very next morning around 9:30. The staff on the recovery floor were to say the least EXCELLENT ! I would do it again in a heartbeat they were extremely supportive, caring, attentive, & knowledgeable anything you needed was already provided before having to ask and if you did ask for anything {I personally asked for more ice chips} you had them in front of you before you could bliink. I was told to pack pajamas, a robe, toiletries, and a change of loose clothing to wear home as well as slippers. I actually thought I would get a chance to wear some of the things I had brung with me but the only thing I did use were my toiletries, my towel when I washed and my sweat suit which I wore home.

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

Thankfully I have not had any complications 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?

I was very happy when I got my surgery date it was on my birthday I was also saddened because I only had the weekend to have all of my favorite foods before beginning a 2 week liquid diet that my surgeon recommended. As the days got closer to my date I was even further disappointed because I had to push my surgery date back a week and was nervous that I would have to do an extra week of liquids which in the end I did not have to do. A few days before my surgery I began to feel a little anxiety but it was mostly to the point where I would ask myself did I really make this decision? or am I really going to do this ?.

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

Expect to not to feel hungry I had to remind myself to eat but when you do eat you should expect to feel full much faster than you are used to during the first two weeks. By my third week when I started mushy foods I began to feel hungry at various periods in the day but still felt that full feeling early on in a meal. By my 4th & 5th week I began to get scared because I was eating solid foods and able to eat much much more than I had been in the previous weeks. My fear was that I had moved the band by eating certain things or that I had somehow done something wrong. I immediately called the hospital to ask if I should come in and they laughed and told me that was to be expected because my stomach had shrank and that there was actually no fluid in the band at that time so I was able to eat what I wanted which was the critical time where I should be glad that I can consume as much but also should be careful at the same time not to consume too much of the wrong foods. Once I received that piece of information my fears were eased and I was able to pass that info on to my cousin who had surgery a month after I did and called me with the same questions & concerns.

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

My surgeon's office is about an hour away from my home but there is also another office closer which I can go to for follow up and can get to within 30 minutes. Either location is great and the hour commute is fine for me because the hospital is in the same area as my job so I have gone before work when I had to go for fills / adjustments so it is actually convenient for me.

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 actually have not had a problem with eating any foods I have not been a big fan of steaks before surgery and I have only tried to eat steak once since and I was not able to chew it well enough to go down easily. The only thing that I had a problem with is since I had my first fill I have had occasions where I have not chewed my food as well as I should have {I know it's my fault... I'm new to this band thing and sometimes forget} and food has gotten stuck in my chest {Yes trust me you can feel it sitting there like you swallowed a rock } and I have had to spit it back up. One week I feel that I can't eat as much and at other times I feel like I push limit and have eaten too much so when you hear people say it is a trial & error thing believe it.

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

My activity Level and energy level overall has improved I don't get winded as much when I walk or climb stairs. I use my inhaler for my asthma less frequently and I don't feel tired all the time like I used to.

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

I take chewable Centrum multivitamins and I also take the chewable calcium they come in yummy flavors.

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?

None of these things apply to me.

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

The only part I beat myself up about is when I forget and don't chew well enough for the food to go down and it gets stuck. It is not a nice feeling and I am working on trying to remember so this can not be an issue anymore.

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

I have not gone to any support group meetings yet. However, I talk with other patients during visits at my surgeons office that have gone through WLS as well as online at the ObesityHelp site and other sites and I ask questions whenever they arise.

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

I expected the scars to be where they are I am still healing so I am not sure how the scars will look when the healing is complete and they fade some. So far I am not disappointed at how they look I know these scars are here for a reason and the best reason of all which represents the huge and most important decision I have ever made in my life which was to get healthier, stay healthy and live a longer life.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

After my first fill I could not really get any foods down for 2 days. I had 2 adjustments in 1 week for that one fill because my band had too much saline in it and was too tight to get any food down. I lost 10lbs in a week as a result so I did not complain. However I expected to continue that progress with weight loss and between then and my 2nd fill which was about 3 weeks later. I kept going up and down on the scale as far as numbers go and only lost 3 lbs at the time of weigh in during my 2nd fill but I did lose a great amount of inches and I'm having to pin the waistband of my clothing, shirts & pants are fitting much looser and things of that nature. I was told that the numbers may not go anywhere which is fine as long as they don't go up but that I was losing inches which is great and my body's way of adjusting or trying to stabilize the weight loss thus far.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

No I have not noticed any changes in the behavior of others although people have noticed the weight loss even individuals that I did not tell I was having surgery and have mentioned that I seem much happier.