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

Like many others, when Carnie Wilson went public with her surgery, my ears perked up! Wow - she had this surgery Laproscopically?? Hmmmm, maybe I could do this! I called my PCP in January 2001 and as he has tried to help me loose weight for the last 12 years, I wanted his opinion of this surgery. His response was very supportative and he felt this would be right for me. I was so happy that this might be possible and once I get my sights set on something, there is no stopping me. I have to admit that when I investigated about the actual procedure and what is done, I was very afraid of doing this to my body, but when I met people in my area and attended support group meetings at the hospital, my fears were diminished. My doctor and my husband (and daughter) supported me and that was enough for me!

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

Having an HMO and knowing that my surgeon did not accept ANY insurance at the time, made me very uneasy that I would get approval. But I and my PCP were ready for a fight if need be. Well, I didn't need to take out the boxing gloves. My insurance company approved my surgery after one week and paid my "Out of Network" Surgeon at 100%. I was so grateful and can't believe how blessed I was. They paid my Hospital Stay and anestesiologist at 100% also. I feel like I won the lottery and I thank God every day for this wonderful gift. The advice I would give someone in the approval stage, is document every attempt at weight loss. Try to remember everything you did to achieve a thinner body in your life and failed at. Read your health insurance manual from cover to cover and know your rights. Remember - the insurance company is not going to pay unless it has to and they sometimes train their reps to say no first and then put the burden on you to change their minds. Be patient and be nice, but keep notes of who, what, when and how things were said. A good surgeon will know how to go to bat for you and usually gets approval without a struggle. Hang in there, it's worth it!

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

My first visit was uneventful. I was examined and told that I was a candidate for the Lap version of this RNY surgery. That made me happy. I am the type of person that has to be armed with knowledge when I do anything, so I was very informed before I got there. I am very passionate about this surgery and can't say enough about educating yourself before making this life changing decision.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

The fact that at 50 years old this was my last horrah! I was determined to not go through the rest of my life fat. I needed to be healthy and live out the rest of my days doing things that I couldn't do fat! Carnie Wilson opened doors and my eyes to this being possible and I wish I could thank her personally. I would do this again without hesitation!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

The Lap RNY Proximal

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'd be lying if I said I didn't have any fears- I didn't think I would die, but I did anticipate some complications. I was one of the lucky ones and did not have any problems after surgery. I was in minimal pain during my hospital stay, but did not take any pain medication after being home except for regular liquid Tylenol. As far as what I would tell others with these fears now- this is a very personal decision and everyone is different. Your physical condition prior to surgery does effect your condition after, so improving your health as much as you can helps. Even if you loose 10 pounds, it makes a difference.

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?

I did not tell anyone about my surgery except my husband and daughter until I got my insurance approval. Then in the 5 months between that and my surgery, I selectivly chose who to tell. Everyone I did tell was supportative except for one person. I have a cousin who was very nervous about this surgery and tried to get me to "just try something else first". Well all the "something elses" were tried and I made up my mind. After surgery, when the weight started coming off, the response from everyone was wonderful. The compliments are such a lift to your spirit and I have never felt so eager to live life to the fullest!

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 so very supportative of my decision to do this. Having worked there for quite a number of years, they knew me quite well and knew that I would not have made this decision without much thought and investigation. I was out of work for only 2-1/2 weeks. I came back first part time and worked my way back to full time over the next 4 weeks.

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

I attend my surgeon's monthly support group meetings at the hospital and I feel that this is very important to continue success in this journey. I also belong to 3 on line support groups and this is also very helpful. I have met so many wonderful people that have become like family.

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

Having this done Laproscopically there are 6 tiny scars that have faded already. I'm told they will almost disappear. I expected the scars to be worse.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have not experienced any real plateaus yet, but can tell you that the support groups advice of increasing your protein and water to trigger weight loss is so true and has proven effective for me! I'm sure I will experience other plateaus down the road and will deal with them as they happen!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Hmmmm - this is such a topic!! It's sad to say that I have been treated differently in recent weeks. I try not to make a big deal out of it, but the truth is that people do react differently to thinner people. We act differently also, so the combination of those two things cause an interaction that didn't exist before. I'm just going to enjoy it and not look at it with a negative attitude.