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

I first heard of this type of surgery with people like Al Roker and Carnie Wilson. I always thought "oh this surgery would be a great thing but its for the rich and famous" then my very supportive doctor told me he thought i would make a perfect canidate. that was a year before i actually started the process it took me a year to consider it ,research it and decide if it was right for me and my family. i am very glad i decided to do this for myself, it has changed my life.

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

My experience with the whole insurance approval business went very well. i realize i am one of the luckey ones. i had a lot of support from my specialist and doctors. once my paper work and everything was in i got approval with 6 weeks.and my surgery was sceduled 4 weeks later. So over all it went very smoothly.i would advise those at this stage to document everything and keep notes and be organized though just in case they need to appeal, because its is definatly worth the fight. keep positive and believe that you deserve this kind of treatment and support.

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

before i even went to my surgeon i researched this surgery and those like it. i also questioned my other doctors. in addition to that i talked to people that had had the surgery and were at different stages out. when i did go to my surgeon i asked alot of questions, asked about the risks, and came prepared with "what if's" that applied to my situation.He was very patient with me, very honest and straight forward. he also advised me to sit in on one of the support groups and that helped alot because i could talk ans listen to people who were living it.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

really i felt i had no other choice. there are risks involved,its definatly is NOT the easy way out, and its a life changing tool that takes time and commitment to integrate into your life. it really effects your whole family. But...weighing the risks etc.(no pun intended)it was my only choice to become normal and healthy once and for all. i had tried everything else and my health and future was seriously in jepardy.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

again i did alot of research on the different methods, and questioned my docs. after that it was for me which method had the least amount of risks but the highest amount of success. with my surgeon i decided that the Lap rny was right for me. i personally wanted something permanent. others want something less invasive. its a very personal choice. which,i believe, is why there are so many different methods.

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?

Well there definatly is the issue of complications with any medical treatment, death included. but personally for me i addressed this issue by looking at the quality of my life at almost 300 pounds, with several health issues that i didnt have control over. i am relitivly young and the thought of facing these health issues long term was very depressing. it is my belief that going into surgery, taking the chance was worth it. my outcome was good i had no complication and have had a successfull recovery from the surgery. again stay focused and positive, there are hard days and it really is major surgery but it is also really worth 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 family and friends were for the most part very supportive. My husband and sister were amazingly supportive. i would say that most people i told after i had decided because i wanted to make an informed decision with out having to answer questions i couldnt yet. but once i knew what i was talking about i could address their conserns with educated answers. once their concerns could be laid to rest i had alot of support.after surgery my family and friends really helped me because thats when the real work begins and they can really help you with the life style changes.

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

my stay in the hospital was pretty short, only four days. two of the days i was pretty out of it. once i got up and around i was pretty motivated to go home. i brought onlly the essentials to the hospital but i would suggest taking your own pillow or body pillow if possible i missed mine. also i would suggest saving the little ounce containers they bring the jello in because they come in handy at home to measure and use.

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

i had no complications from my surgery i feel very fortunate that it went so well.

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 was very excited for my surgery when i got it sceduled. as i got closer i did feel some anxiety but not too much i just talked with people that had gone through it and went to my bypass support group. that helped alot. the week before surgery was the hardest just getting everything ready and going over the rules and what to expect. for the most part i was sooo ready that i just really focused inwardly to remain positive and visualize a successful surgery and future.

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

the first two weeks were the most difficult. i wanted to feel better right away but it took a while just from the incisions etc. after the third week i was feeling really pretty much back to my old self as far as moving around and walking. i had a little difficulty with the diet change just getting used to the pouch and not overdoing it. at about 4-6 weeks i really felt good-more energy and starting to feel the loss. i also was coming off some of my medications for diabetes with was good and made me feel better.i would advise people to take care of themselves and dont overdue it. if they have a set back take it back to the liquid diet for a day and try to get lots of support anyway you need to.

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

my surgery was just in the next town so i only had a half hour drive which i good for me because my surgery gruop has an excellent aftercare support group and follow ups. coming home was really no fun in the car for even 30 minutes really did me in but at least i was close to home some people have hours to travel. i feel very luckey with my experience.

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 thing i had of course after surgery was ice chips then little sips of water oh how wonderful that water was!! then i progressed to clear liquid,the full liquid. i tolerated that pretty well everything tasted extream though, by that i mean salty was very salty and sweet was vert sweet, it took some getting used to.after 21 days i was able to eat pureed foods but still only 1 ounce at a time the in two more weeks icould tolerate whole foods with caution. i havent had trouble with very many foods at all but i havent really pushed it to much with high fat or high sugar foods. the most difficulty i have is with amounts. i have to really stick to the small amounts or i have a lot of nausea and discomfort.

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

i really took it pretty easy for the first two weeks. i started walking on the treadmill after two weeks but slowly and increased day by day. i was back to my regular activity level(which is pretty active as i take care of my three yr old and another child in my home)after the third week. at 1 month i joined curves health center were i work out three times a week. im currently tring to increase it to four or five times a week.

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

i started taking my supplement before surgery to be at most optimum health. i stopped taking them at the time of surgery and started back on dat 5 post op. i started taking one supplement a day tosee how i would tolerate them and eventually got to where i could take them all in one day. it took time but i would recoment sticking with it as vit/supplement are very important. today i take a multi vit,vit C,calcium,iron,B12(im considering the shot for convenence)and some days when its really hard to swallow them i use childrens chewable multi's. i also use protein supplement which i started right away. ive had trouble finding one i like but i keep eith it because it really important and i dont get my protein in my food alone.

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 have been relitivly lucky with side effects. ive had some nausea and vomiting but not extreame. usually when i eat to fast or dont chew enough. ive just started after 2 1/2 months having some hair loss but im tring to increase my protein for that. i havent experienced dumping and have mixed feeling wether im happy about that or not. alot of people hope for dumping as a safeguard against sweets. the one thing that i have experienced is extream nausea when i eat and then travel in the car. ive learned to either wait or not eat in the car.

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

well again i had a really positive experience and of corse no surgery is really fun so id say for me just the surgery itself...recovery and being down for a little while. but over all very worth it. i can say though that everyone is different and i have heard many different experiences again i feel lucky. some times i think for me the worst part is having waited so long before doing it.

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

my surgery group recomends a support group which i attend, i feel it is very helpful and important. they also offer follow up care and nutritional guidence. i have learned alot and have gained alot of insight from these groups.

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

I had the laproscopy so i have six tiny scars under an inch long each. one in my belly button, two on my left side and two on my right and one at the top in the midline. they were all closed and pretty healed within three to four weeks. i knew what to expect because i had a previouse lap gall bladder surgery. so i have an additional three scars from previous surgery. it looks like i was in a bad cat fight! i may never wear a bikini and then again i just might!!

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

i have had small plateaus two times usually correlating with the time of my period, lasting a couple of days to a week. the first was scary for me because it was so soon after surgery i wasnt expecting it for a while but now that i know whats going on i try to increase my water and excercise and it usually helps. i try really hard not to get too freaked out by it. the weight lose was so fast at first it was surprising to just stop for a while but im still on track overall so as i said im try to be ok with how my body is doing things.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

the people that knew me are supportive and do notice a difference, and although ive lost 50 pounds i still have a ways to go and havent notice to much of a difference for people.