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

I started researching the WEB, looking for things to help me, and I became very intereted in surgery. I had heard about the earlier types of surgery done 20 years ago, but was fearful of it. But, for some reason, I felt o.k. about this new type of precedure and started to really get into researching it.

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

I got turned down from my first insurance company, instead they were willing to send me to yet another weight loss program. I was not happy and I quit my job in favor of a job that had the insurance I needed to get the WLS. Things went pretty fast after that. My advice would be to learn to have patience, but be persistant.

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

First visit was brief. I was there with a whole bunch of other people, so it was like in and out real quick. But I understood that the surgeon had nurses who were helping out. I did get a chance to talk with my surgeon. I respected her attitude, her professionalism, her ability to understand where I was at, and how I needed her to help me in my journey. I was impressed with her.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

When I weighed the pro's and con's. When I realized the health benefits that I would get from it and how important it was for me to be healthier, it just "sealed the deal" for me. I considered all the past diet failures and it was the right thing for me. I never looked back.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I researched them all, the open rny made the most sense for my then health issues. I wanted the surgeon to be able to see all of me, inside.

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?

Initially the fear of dying on the table troubled me, but then I thought, "thats where all the professionals are, in the hospital". So I guess if I was to have my choice about it, I decided that I would rather die on the table knowing that someone did try to save my life, instead of in my bed, far from emergency equipment. I had fears of blood clots as i have a history of DVT, but I had a vena cava filter put in the day before the surgery, so I felt protected. I didn't think I would die from the surgery itself, that it is usually other things that can and do occur. I felt that I would be able to make decisions for myself and if I could not, I instructed my family as to what my wishes were ahead of time. All in all, I think having a positive attitude is a major requirement in helping yourself to heal. I went into it with a clear head. I surrounded myself with positive people and would not let anybody bring me down. I stayed away from people and children who were sick. I started eating proteins 5 months before. I started deep breathing and increasing my lung capacity 4 months before. I was determined to be a healthier fat person going into it.

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 husband was terrified. He had already lost a wife and child 20 years ago during childbirth, he was not able to accept it at first. But I took him to a few support groups, worked on educating him, then he said he would support me on whatever decision I would make, since it was my life. My daughter was very supportive as was all my other family members. They told me to go for it. My family is still very supportive now, including my husband who has seen the increase of breath and we are once again doing a lot of physical activities together.

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

I told everybody I ran into, it was never a surprise. I think I enjoyed everyones responses, good or bad. My boss was supportive, so were my co-workers. I was out of work the full 8 weeks, I had that time coming to me and decided to take full advantage of it. I needed to be sure of the food program I was on, and be comfortable at work bringing my lunch everyday.

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

I checked into the hospital at noon on the 20th of December, 2002. I checked out of the hospital at noon on the 24th. The most important thing to bring is your sense of humor and a good and positive attitude. When you first come out of surgery you are so groggy, you may say weird things to your family. I know I did, they were sure to tell me about it later! My hospital stay I really don't remember much, the drugs were so good, hardly had any pain. Like having a baby, after a while you forget what it was about!

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

No. I had a little bleeding from an stitch that opened up, but other than that, it was smooth sailing. Adjusting to foods during the first 6 weeks wasn't so bad either. I knew what I was going to have- no choices- it made life a bit easier. It was the re-introducing of solid foods that still to this day, takes something to get used to. One day, I am good, the next day I can't eat anything or I puke it up. The behavior mod thing really works!

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

About a month after the surgery, I grieved over the loss of my old lifestyle, even knowing that I was dying quicker being fat. I was mad at the world for making me make a decision as extreme as that, that there was no other "magic bullet" that had been invented. I was in disbelief of the whole thing. After I got my surgery date, I was thrilled. I knew I was going through with it, no matter what. I told my husband that he was to bring me there, even if I had changed my mind. I never did. I was not filled with anxiety or worry. I was at-peace with the decision I had made. I was going to "go " with it.

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

I felt like an invalid, not able to do the simplest things for myself. I depended totally on my family and they came through for me. I think people should expect that the healing process takes time, not to rush it, not to expect to be able to keep pace with the others who have gone through it before them. It is your own journey, you must make it very personal, you must expect that you will heal in your own time and that every body is different.

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

I only had to travel about 25 miles each way. I was closer than most people and it did not affect my after 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.

I started out with the usual mushy stuff: cream of wheat, instant mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, jello, pudding, protein shakes, cheese, cream of rice, sugar free popsicles and no sugar added 100% juice. I graduated to creamed soups very quickly and enjoyed them quite a bit. I had this stuff for about 6 weeks. I tried scrambled eggs, but it made me sick. Then I began to lick peanut butter off a spoon, it was 50% less sugar, but tasted very good. I then moved on to refried beans from Taco Bell at about 3 months. At 4 months I added fish and chicken and was surprised to find out that it didn't stay down very well. The nutritionist said i was having trouble with dense proteins. So I stuck with beans. I added a little bit of salad and fresh fruit without the skin. I continued to find ways to eat fish and chicken and now at 7 months I can eat them. It is still hit and miss on certain recipes for chicken, but I can eat any fish. I have tried tender pieces of red meat and no problem with that either. My most difficult stuff to digest now is pasta, rice and bread, so I don't eat much of that. I am used to not having real sugar now too, although I have learned to make sugar-free desserts. I still can't eat eggs, but I never like them to start with. The only thing that is really different now, is portion size. I still eat with a baby spoon, off a small plate, but thats all I can handle anyway.

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

In the days after surgery, just getting up to go to the bathroom was a chore. Your stomach muscles really do hurt. In the first week, I exercised by walking around the house, then I did the stairs to the basement. Weeks later, when I was losing really fast, my energy level just zoomed and I was busy doing stuff around the house. I realized i was not as disabled by my weight and I started to feel much better.

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

I took protein shakes for the first 5 months every day, plus a multivitamin with iron, calcium, zinc, biotin, B-12 2 times per week. I still take everything except the protein shakes, I was at the point of gagging on them. I do have an occaisonal protein bar, but try to get all my vitamins from food.

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?

Vomiting was initially the hardest. I puked so hard one time that I ruptured a suture in a lens implant in my eye and had to have emergency surgery. I was getting good at being bulimic. All I had to do was cough and up something would come. It was hard, but it taught me to eat slow, that was the lesson I needed to learn with that. This lasted for about 3 months. My most recent side effect is losing my hair, I had long, thick hair. Now it is long, thin, and stringy. It came out in handfuls every day. I thought I would not be affected by that side effect, but it started at my 5th month out and it is still going on. I am researching every product out there to see what I can do about it.

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

I waited a whole year from the time I went for my initial consult until the surgery day. It was a long wait.

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

I go to a monthly support group that my hospital has. It is helpful to see others in differnt stages of the journey/process. I still learn something every time I go, plus I have made a bunch of new friends.

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

My scar is exactly what I expected. I had my gallbladder out 27 years ago and the scar was very similar. I put up with that all those years, this is the same.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I had my first plateau when I was 5 months out. I was nervous that I would not lose anymore weight. I was sad. Worried. Afraid of failure, yet again. I went a whole month without losing a pound. But I didn't gain, so it was good. I survived that experience and lost about 7 pounds in 2 weeks following that month. I know what to expect now. I had my second month long plateau just recently, but I lost about 3.5 pounds after that, so I know that the weight loss will happen. The process is much slower, but I can handle it.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, in a way there is a lot more jealousy. Or co-workers would make comments about how I do my hair or nails, or about the clothes I wear, which strangely enough I had all this nice stuff before, but I was not noticed. Some family members are competitive or feel threatened, saying that they now have to lose weight. Before I was the biggest in the family, now I'm not, they are. So it makes them act weird around me. Some people feel they have to police my food, check out what I eat everyday, then compare what they eat on a formalized diet plan like Atkins or Weight Watchers. For some people I have become the poster child of weight loss. They watched me go through it, now they are going to do it, because I have survived. Most people are proud of me especially my real friends.