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

I saw a commercial on tv and called for information. I was immediatley desperate to make this my solution. Surprisingly I wasn't scared of surgery, I was more afraid of staying fat and miserable.

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

Aetna was really unorganized, but approved my surgery with the first request. I would tell people to be thourough and not give up.

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

By the time i met my surgeon I had talked to others and new alot about the surgery. I still had questions so I wrote them down so I wouldn't forget anything. I would suggest doing this for your own peace of mine and for conserned family and friends.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I really decided right away. The biggest thing was how terrible i felt in my own body. I new that with out a permanent change i would never be able to do it on my own.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Rouen y seemed like the safest but most effective.

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 wasn't afraid of dying. Four months earlier I had open heart surgery to repair a defective mitral valve, so Iknew it could be as bad as that. I was afraid of leaks nad stuff like that, but that was about 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?

At first my family said it was too drastic and that they thought I'd be unhappy with my eatings habits afterwards. Now they're supportive and excited for me. They still get a laugh out of my portions though.

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

I was still recovering from heart surgery when I had my operation so i wasn't working.

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

the hospital stay was as god as it could be. I was in a lot of pain and really frustrated by how weak I was. I jsut wanted to go home. I was in the hospital five days. I had to stay longer than some because I had had recent heart surgery.

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

I didn't have any complications other than a small gap in my incision which close up in a few days.

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 felt tired and frustrated. At first didn't feeling like eating at all. Then I was mad that i couldn't really eat. i coped by just keeping in mind what was coming. I also had alot of support from my family.

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

expect to be tired and sore. Also, my weight problem was mostly in my head and it is really hard to break old habits. Also expect some degree of depression and short temperedness.

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

20 minutes from 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.

In the whole liquid and soft food stage, there was alot of guess work. I could eat things that were too thick. Once on solids, dry foods like crackers or pretzels caused pain. I couldn't tolerate eggs for a while either. Astime went on more and more foods became easier to eat. I haven't dried nuts, seeds or steak yet. Fried chicken causes cramps and gas along with anything really greasy. There are a few exception to that though. I've never ben much on sweets but now too much of them makes me nausious.

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

Right after surgery I didn't get around to much until the second or third week. The incisional pain kept me a little stationary. I could drive by the third week and was out and about, just a little slow. Pain medication obviously effects your activity level for a while.

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

I take a chewable multivitamin every day. I've tried soe ensure light as well. It's a great source of protien and vitamins. It tastes pretty good in chocolate supreme and is low in fat so it doesn't make for a bad snack.

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?

I've had very little dumping and I have only vomited once from eating too fast, I think. I get a little nausious from time to time, but it passes. I am losing quite a bit of hair, which started ahead of schedule because of having two major surgeries only four months apart.Nothing has been anywhre near bothersome. The hair thing isn't noticable when you look at me, just a minor annoyance. I use a Vitatress shampoo by Nexus. It seems to help.

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

getting through the depression and agravation of letting go of foods and portions that I couln't have. As time passes you can have alot more of the foods you enjoy, but in the early stages eating is chore because it's not that enjoyable.

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

I don';t go to any support groups, but ican definatley see where they'd be helpful. This is a big change inside and out.

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

My scar is as good as it can be I guess. It's just a long red line from my breast bone to my navel. This doesn't really bother me because I was already scarred from having my valve repaired.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I haven't plateaued yet but it's only been 1 1/2 months.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Not really, except my sister and friends are always apologizing when I can't eat something they're having. They notice how the weight is coming off more than I do.