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

I thought you had to be extremely over weight to have it and did not consider myself extreme yet. Even though the scale said I was. (As they call it morbid) When I looked at myself I did not see how heavy I was, even though the scale said I was. The only time I noticed it was when I saw a picture of myself. Then I was embarressed. I was embarrassed also to tell people I was having it right away because I felt they woudl thin I was weak.

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

I went to the group informational meeting and picked up the packet. I listened to what they ahd to say and felt I really could do this, and needed this. I filled out the information and sent it in. I then met with the nurse and got the ball rolling. It did not take long at all to get my approval. If I could give one piece of advice to anyone thinking about doing this and starting this whole process it would be, to stick with it, it will change your life and give you your life back. It is a tool that you will never misplace, but can abuse so you will still have to work on it!

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

I had talked to a couple people that had had sugery so knew a few things I wanted to ask. Plus I had read eveything there was on the internet about it. I wanted to go in with my eyes wide open. I aksed many quesitons when I met with the surgeon, and felt I knew enough about this surgery to make a educated decision.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My clothing not fitting properly and not wanting to go another size up. I couldn't stand not loving myself anymore. I was so depressed I didn't want to go see my family, or friends anymore. And I started to hibernate in my house.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I knew I would need the one that had the most control over me and the least possibilities for me to cheat on.

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?

My biggest fear was coming out of the anesthesia and throwing upfrom eating wrong foods.

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?

My immediate family was very supportive. I did not tell all my friends and family until I was closer to the date. I still was some embarressed about it.

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

My employer was Ok with me having it. As initially the surgeon said it woudl be 3 weeks out of the office. I was honest and told him I was having gastric bypass and he seemed somewhat supportive. I had complications, I developed a leak and ended up back in the hospital for another 4 days and came home on TPN iv's for another week and a half. So I did not getmy drain tube out until 1 month after surgery and I cam back to work half days after that for a week then went into full days. If I can suggest anything to anyone it would be to keep your drain tube in for the first week at least. Had I not had my drain tube in I would have had some very serious problems. My pouch started leaking and every swallow I took, drained right into my drain tube. That would have all went into my stomach cavity had I not had my drain tube in.

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 was wonderful. They had a whole wing that was stricktly for WLS patients. And some of the nurses had had the surgery so they knew what you were going through. I was in the hospital the first time for 2 days, then went back in for another 4 days 2 days later. The most important thing to bring is if you are a allergy sufferer, bring alavert sublingual over the counter allergy medicine. I could not take any of my allergy meds which cause my sinus' to drain which cause that all to go in my new pouch and cause me to be uncomfortable.

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

Yes I developed a leak 2 days after I got home from the hospital. I went back into the hospital because I also dehydrated. I spend another 4 days in the hospital, then came home iwth a TPN IV line in and administered my own nightly IV for another week and a half. I lived on ice chips for 2 weeks straight. It was very scary and I was very teary. I was second guessing whether this surgery was worth it or not. But I can tell you all, within the frist month after surgery and the weight started dropping off, it was al worth it!

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 excited for surgery. The only tie I really got scared was the night before and the mornig of I was pretty teary and scared too.

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

It was hard knowing what I could and could not eat. But I didnt know about thsi website then yet. Just hang in there. I survived on cottage cheese mashed up. That was probably the main thing I ate for the first while after liquids.

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

I only live 15 min from the hospital and doctor office. That has been nice for follow up care.

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.

Milk tasted and still tastes sour to me. Yogurt and protein drinks don't work for me either. Chinese is an instant throw up. I seem to have concluded I need sauces on my meat to ba bale to juice it up a little bit to tolerate it. I can not eat a hamburger but can eat steak without sauce on it. Chicken has been on and off as far as getting sick from it. But I have never had trouble with roasts as long as I have gravy for over it. The best things for me to eat are chili and thin spagetti with lots of sauce. For some reason the tomato base goes well since my sirgery. And I need to spice tings up more than I ever did in the past. I still am trying new things occationally but will only try them when I know I don't have something going on so if I do get sick I am at home. I can tell you though that throwing up is nothing like it used to be. You throw up such a small amount and it doesn't have a chance to mix with the stomach acids so it doesn't taste so terrible like it used to either. And I have found I know whne somehting doesn't settle, so I will not let myself suffer. If after an hour or so I still an struggling with it, I will drink gulps of water or some diet soda, within minutes usually I throw up and feel instantly better.

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

The frist couple week were hampered from my leak and TPN line but after I got that out and the drain tube out. I oculd tell week by week how strong I was getting. So I could do more and more things.

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

B12, vitamins-chewable at first and calcium

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 have only had dumping once and that wsn't so bad. I have vomited which at first was scary to me but after it was an instant feel better it is not so bad either. I am having some hair loss. I can see it but no one else really can tell. I just keep telling myself it will bet better and none of these things really get me down. The worst is having to throw up when you are at work. A public restroom is not really a place I like to throw up.

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

It owuld be nice if there was a WLS for dummies handbook that had every website that helped you, and had all the protein amounts for foods, and had all the answers. But there isn't so this website has been a good thing as many of my questions have been answered.

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

I go to the Park Nicolett one at my hospital. It has been great as you realize nothing is a dumb question and others have and are going through some of the same things.

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

I have one quarter size scare from where my drain tube was in. It is worse than normal because my drain tube stayed in for a month. It is slowly fading and thing it will be fine. The other little scared are barely noticable now. I never eally thought about it before my surgrey but knew I did not want the open method as I didn't want that kind of a scare and didn't want the complications that can go with it either.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have not really went threw any plateau's that have lasted long at all. Mayeb a couple days or so. I read in one of the books I got that eating a potato for one meal usually will bump you out of a plateau so I have used that method and it has worked.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, EVERYONE comes up to me and says how great I look. It is a nice feeling. If I haven't seem someone for a few weeks, they comment on how much smaller I look too. I am getting looks from Men again too. And feel like people are respecting me more now too.