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

For years I said I would never have RNY bariatric surgery. Where I am from you have two options, RNY and lap band. Originally I was interested in lap banding but after hearing what the surgeon had to say I opted for RNY. I used to say it was killing yourself and that I would never have my insides rearranged, but here I am.

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

Be calm and do what they ask. You won't get anywhere stressing out and trying to push it through. Just do what they want, even if it puts your surgery off for a few months, i.e. doctor supervised diet. I had to do one and it was hard but it was worth it in the end. My surgeon was great about my denial and took care of the appeal without even letting me know. My approval letter arrived the day after my denial.

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

I was nervous I had not lost enough weight and would be turned down. My surgeon was wonderful and very understanding. She made special accommodations when scheduling my surgery so that I could still follow through with summer travel plans and have my surgery in enough time to heal before classes started in the fall.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was tired of being overweight. I want to have a family and be around to do things with them.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

By doing research and hearing my surgeon talk about her experiences with the two procedures.

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 terrified of dying and I was so nervous the morning I went in for surgery. My advice is relax. This is not 1990 when the surgery is new and the death rate is high. Pick a bariatric certified surgeon and rest assured they will take care of you. They will do everything they can to make sure you stay alive and healthy because let's face it, no hospital or surgeon wants a patient to die.

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 was supportive however my fiance's father was not. That was rough on me, trying to explain to him why I wanted and needed to do it. Then up until I had my surgery he would make sure I didn't forget he didn't approve by always commenting on what I was eating and talking to other people about how to lose weight while I was around. It was like he thought I was fat because I wanted to be and had never tried to lose weight. My advice is keep your chin up and just tell people you appreciate their opinion. In the end it's your body and you have to do what you know is right for you.

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

I am a full time student so this wasn't a problem as my surgey was performed in the summer.

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

My stay was wonderful, I had no problems at all. The nursing staff was great. The most important things that I brought were a sleep mask and ear plugs.

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

No

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

Scared. I couldn't believe it was really going to happen. I cried a lot, I was afraid I was going to die. My friends and relatives all told me it was going to be okay and that my surgeon knew what she was doing and that she would do everything she could to keep me alive.

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

I think I had a rather uncommon experience being home from the hospital. I slept the first day but then I was up and shopping the next day and never stopped. I was slower than I had been before and still on pain meds and I also pushed the shopping cart in case I needed something to lean against or support but overall I was very active.

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

About 10 minutes of travel time.

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 cannot eat pork chops, they come right back up. I was told this may be because they are pretty fatty. I cannot have high amounts of sugar or else I dump. I have no idea how my dietary tolerances to these things have changes since I usually don't even try and eat them. I avoid high fat and sugary food and I have no desire to try them every week to see if I can tolerate them.

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

Not much. I was pretty sore and tired so other than shopping I wasn't doing much.

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

A multi vitamin with increased iron, I was anemic before surgery. I also take Vitamin C and B 12.

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?

Hair loss is my worst, it started at about 3 to 4 months out and hasn't stopped. I wear my hair up everyday in an attempt to minimize the amount that collects on my clothes.

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

Sometimes I feel like WLS is more stressful than any other type of weight loss attempt I tried in the past. I feel like everyone is judging me because I had the surgery because most people think you have it and then you are magically skinny. Sometimes I feel inadequate because people don't think I have lost enough.

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

A monthly support group. It's nice, it gives people a chance to tell their story and get questions answered.

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

I have 5 tiny scars which are almost invisible now. One is between my breasts, the other two are directly under each breast and the last two are on either side of my belly button.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have had quite a few and they are very frustrating. I feel like I have done something wrong and that I am a failure. Thankfully I have my OH friends to tell me it's okay, nothing is wrong, and I am losing inches instead of pounds.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, sometimes. People hold the door for me more.