Elizabeth A.

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Obesity & Me

Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.

I used to eat large portions of food and I had much difficulty stopping when I was full. I was able to lose weight if I deprived myself of some types of food and ate small portions, but I was hungry most of the time and I craved the foods I could not eat. So I could not stay on a diet for more than 8 months. Every year I lost about 10 pounds but then I gained at least 15, so I was in the perpetual yo-yo diet.

What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?

I looked much older and ugly. I did not have energy to do much. I had many medical issues ranging from high blood pressure and cholesterol, knee pain, etc. I got easily tired even walking.

If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?

I have lost 90 pounds and I have more energy than ever. I can dance, have long walks, I can go up and down the stairs without suffocating after 5-6 steps. What I enjoy the most is that I am healthy, no more high blood pressure, knee pain, cholesterol and other maladies. And I look fantastic!

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

My supervisor suggested a permanent solution to my weight problem such as a surgery. I got very scared when I read about the bypass and the problems yu will have with absorption of nutrients. I also thought that the band would not be a permanent solution. It was until I read about the vertical sleeve that I thought seriously about having surgery.

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

The billing department at the hospital managed all the process obtaining authorizations and payment. I had no problems at all and my insurance paid about 95% of the surgery.

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

I made a list of questions before my fist meeting with my surgeon. She answered all the questions and gave me all the pre-surgery recommendations. She was very helpful and recommended me to enroll in ObesityHelp.com to get information from people who have had surgery and what their experience was. She also recommended me to watch a video of the surgery. This advise was very helpful.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I wanted to end my perpetual battle with my weight and figure. I wanted to have a permanent solution, something that will help me control my portion's intake and live to the fullest.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I wanted something that was permanent and could not be reversed. I wanted to be able to eat all kinds of foods but in small portions. I wanted to have the less negative effects possible after surgery.

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 never had surgery before so I was afraid of how I would react to the anesthesia especially due to my high blood pressure. I also had concerns about possible complications such as puncturing another organ or if the staples on my new stomach would open. However, I followed all the recommendations of my doctor and surgeon without any deviation and I have not had any problems.

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 family was very supportive because they had seen me struggling my entire life with this issue. Some of my friends were very scared and tried to talk me out of it. However, after I made my decision, they were very respectful and helpful. They were with me at the hospital when I had surgery and afterwards to take care of me.

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

My supervisor was very supportive. I was out for about 3 weeks but since I had the vacation/sick time needed there was no problem.

What was it like attending your first information seminar on weight loss surgery? Were you glad you attended? if so, why?

It was helpful because I learned about the medical insurance process and the process about all the requirements I needed before being approved for my surgery. However, I did not learned much about the surgery I was interested about. Most people was interested in the band and the focus of the seminar was the band.

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

I stayed in the hospital 2 days. The attention I received was first class. Everyone was kind and helpful. I shared the room with another 2 people and one of them was very inconsiderate. She was talking on the phone or with the people who came to visit her to the top of her lungs even at 2-3 in the morning. Take earplugs with you! I take many things with me that were not needed such as shampoo, etc. You will be in pain and not able to move much. It is necessary that you walk as much as you can.

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

My recovery was fantastic. Initially I burped a lot, this helps you to eat slowly and I had to stand up and walk a little to burp before taking another bite. I also had acid reflux for about 3 months after the surgery. Initially I had to take the medication for this every day, but after about a month only when needed. After 3 months I was off the medication. Twice I eat too fast and I threw up everything, you really need to eat very slowly.

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 not anxious at all, but I did want to recover well and fast so I followed all the directions that my surgeon gave me to the dot. I began eating only liquids, then purees, then soft solids, etc until I was able to introduce all types and textures of food over time.

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

At the begining it was difficult for me to drink all the protein that I needed a day because I was not hungry and I got full so quickly. I was given medication for pain but I only took it for about 2-3 days after I returned home. I felt tired and I wanted to sleep all day but I push myself to walk around the house several times a day because this is an important part of your recovery. Returning to work was fantastic because I was so busy that I would not think much about the surgery, food, etc.

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

I live in Brooklyn and I went to Manhattan to have the surgery. Very convenient I just took a cab back home.

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 had the surgery 2 years ago, so I don't remember exactly how many weeks it took for me to go from liquid diet to purees. I think it was 3 weeks of liquids, then purees for about 3-4 weeks, then soft solids such as fish and chicken cut into small pieces, vegetables, etc. I love hot pepper and I could not eat it for months because I did not want to irritate my stomach more. But after about 6-months I re-introduced this. During the first 10-12 months I could not tolerate anything fried and carbs felt very heavy in the stomach. No seltzer water or beverages with gas. At this point I eat everything I want just in small portions.

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

Initially I was very tired and I needed to sleep a lot. But you need to push yourself to walk! Soon I began feeling more and more energy. After 2 years I have more energy than ever!

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

I take multivitamins, vitamin C and D and Iron. I also take vitamins for my hair and nails.

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 but is taken care of taking vitamins for the hair, skin and nails. Also the acid reflux but I took medication as needed and after 3 months it was completely gone.

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

For me all the process was easy and fast. My doctor, my nutritionist and the personnel at the hospital really worked together to process everything with my medical insurance.

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

Because of my busy work schedule and the long hours I work I was not able to participate in any support group program. My support have been my friends and my desire to be healthy I did not want to mess up with the surgery.

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

After 2 years you can't notice any scars. My surgeon was fantastic. she made 5 small incisions and I used a product from my country almost every day that is called cicatricure gel. No scars at all!

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

The more I checked my weight the more difficult the process was for me. I had to hide the scale when I was stuck with the last 20 pounds. This helped me to relax and eventually I lost the weight. Just now I realize that I am repeating patterns when I am alone of eating in front of the TV and I gained 6 pounds during the last month. I need to take care of this because I don't want to go up in my weight again I look and feel fantastic!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes! In a very good way! I also behave differently because I feel more confident and happy so people respond to that. Men give me a lot of complements....women too but different kinds of complements. I love it.
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