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

I learned about the specifics and personal profiles when I stumbled on to this website. I don't even remember how I found it.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

There was no 1 thing. No catalyst. Just a growing feeling of hoplessnes. I don't know 1 person who had lost a significant amount of weight and kept most of it off for good. NOT ONE! I knew I would not be the rare exception.

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

My surgery went from lap to open. This was a horrible disappointment. The scar will always bother me. It has been two years and I still can't look at 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?

In the weeks following surgery I suffered from a very bad depression. I guess this is why I stopped updating. I was very overwhelmed. I lost weight very very quickly because I was so nauseous. I barely ate. I have never had the same relationship with food since.

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

I think depression is normal, but severe depression may require medication. I put it off thinking that by the time the meds would kick in it would be over anyway. It did pass but it was very bad. Even tho I was turned off by food. I was very hungry! This was something that I did not expect. It takes a few weeks to stop being hungry all the time. Maybe the old stomach is still wanting food. I don't know. So the biggest issues were hunger and depresion.

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

No travel

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.

In the begining eggs and meat were the biggest problem. Getting enough protien is really really hard. Now I have no intolerences at all as long as I don't overeat. Overeating is the only intolernce really, and what a good thing.

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

As soon as I was taken to my room after surgery I got up and started walking. I never really "worked out" but I walked and walked. I still walk a couple of miles a day. I was very tired and a bit weak, probably from the wasting. I just could not eat. This may seem strange but I immediatley abandoned the low fat diet I was advised. I ate the most calorie dense food that I could manage. Butter, cream, cream cheese. I had no interest in fast weight loss. Permanent weight loss was my goal. I still eat "real foods" and I am very satisfied

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

I started out with flintstones chewables but the taste made me so sick I would gag 'till I teared. I now take centrum with mierals 2x a day and tums when I remember. I also drink mineral water. I make sure to eat plenty of beef during mentruation to try to keep iron.

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?

Nausea lasted for months. Hair loss lasted a year. I cut my hair short and started over. It was not severe but it really came out for a while. Rogaine was useless. I needed protein but could not tolerate it.

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

The waiting for approval is pure torture. Once you have done your research and made your decision, you want to get on with so bad!

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

My husband had the surgery 6 weeks before I did. All the support groups in the world cannot campare to the closest person to you having complete understanding and experience. For us it was not important. However had this not been the case I would have gone to meetings and made sure my spouse went with me.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I lost 100 lbs. in about 7 months and have kept it off. My weight has been stable for one and a half years. A personal record and a miracle.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes and it makes me very happy and at the same time, very sad. I'm the same person I always was, but now people see me. They help me in stores. They carry things for me. Men notice me, want to talk to me. It's weird. One day after losing about 75 pounds I said to my brother "I'm on the verge of being beautiful!" He said to me, "you were always beautiful. Only now it shows." But I realize it is natural to be attracted to physically attractive people. And perhaps natural to ignore the unnatractive.