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

A friend of mine told me about it and she was planning on having WLS, however, her insurance denied paying for it. I then went on-line, researched every procedure available for WLS at the time, then researched every physician who performed WLS. I wanted to make sure I had a competent surgeon with a VERY low fatality rate!

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

At the time I had insurance through my husband's work. It was Aetna. I was approved in 2 weeks after my letter of medical necessity was sent to them by my primary care physician. My insurance at my work, North American Health Insurance, will not approve anyone!

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

My first meeting with my surgeon was full of questions and information about WLS. People who want to get the most out of the initial consultation should have a list of questions that are important to them to ask the surgeon. That's what I did.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Tired of Yo-Yo dieting, tired of being tired, tired of stares and comments and tired of looking so old.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Research, research, research!

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 did have some fears of having complications or even death from the WLS because my children's father is deceased and I was all they had left, but I knew if I didn't go through with this surgery that I would not live to see my children grown or see my grandchildren!

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 and friends were all VERY supportive, except for my son! He was against the surgery and even refused to be there during the surgery or after! But, he eventually came around and now I think he is glad I had it done because he knows this weight loss will possibly make his Mom live a little longer (hopefully).

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 very supportive about my decision to have the WLS. She was also a very good friend and was excited that I was going to do something about my weight. I was out of work about 6 weeks.

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

I had my WLS at Vanderbilt University Hospital in Nashville and I cannot say enough good things about the care I received there! I was only in the hospital 3 days. I can't remember what I brought to the hospital, it's been 8 yrs!

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

I had absolutely NO complications from the surgery! Still don't after 8 yrs. Very blessed!

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

Oh my goodness...there was no anxiety, I was on Cloud 9. My feet never touched the ground after I received my surgery date!

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

The first few weeks home from the hospital you may experience nausea/vomiting and some pain. I was lucky and did not have pain...just soreness. I did have the nausea though, especially when I drank water. That only happened for about 2 weeks, then I was fine. Everyone is different though.

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

I travelled approximately 100 miles to have my surgery and also my aftercare. Gas prices were a lot less 8 yrs ago! :)

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.

The first two weeks I was on strictly liquids. I tolerated sugar-free popcicles the best and actually lived on them for a long time. After I started eating solid foods, my first food was Wendy's chili! Low fat and tastes good. Could only eat a very small amount, but it was great to eat something WARM. The first year I could only eat very small amounts of food at a time or I would get nauseated and vomit. However, as time as went by, I have learned my limit and stop (most of the time) before I get to that point. I still love food, but enough is enough for me.

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

My activity level did not increase a great deal until I had lost approximately 100 lbs. At that time, I began walking a lot and toned up the loose skin. I was fortunate (good genes I say) not to have a lot of loose skin.

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

I take Calcium twice a day and I take a Multi-vitamin once a day.

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?

The one side effect that was the worse for me was the hair loss! Gosh, it was coming out by the handfuls! My physician recommended Zinc, but it made me sick so I had to stop using it. I just tolerated the hair loss until it stopped. It is still thinner than it ever was, but better.

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

The wait for insurance approval! My wait was very short (only 2 weeks), but it seemed a lifetime!

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

I live in a very small town and aftercare support programs were only available in Nashville (which is 100 miles away), so I never really had any aftercare support.

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

My scar is very light now. It is from the sternum to the belly button. Small price to pay for such a change in my life.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I experience a couple of plateaus, however, they were short-lived. I was more worried about my continuing to lose weight when I got down to 149 lbs. I am 5'9" tall and that was too skinny for me. Increased my caloric intake but not the amount of food. Gained up to 175 lbs which is a good weight for me.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

No doubt about it.