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

My mother is a dietition and, years ago, when she would tell me about someone who had had some type of bariatric surgery it was always a negative thing. I grew up with that sort of outlook about it. Later I made a friend whose father-in-law is Dr. Gerald Goodman who is a retired Bariatric Surgeon in Salt Lake City. My friend told me about his father-in-law's practice. My reaction was that it was a pretty drastic measure. I couldn't image doing such a thing to my body. I guess everyone has to get to the point where they are ready to take a drastic measure. It was some time later that I made that step.

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

My insurance approval wasn't a very big deal. I basically just filled out the forms and waited. I did have to go back to several doctors to get information. I also made very sure that I had filled things out correctly. I emailed the customer service department of my insurance company to ask questions and make sure I was on the right track. I work for the federal government and we have a choice of several insurance plans. I was actually ready to switch insurance companies if mine did not approve the surgery. At last they approved the surgery but stipulated that it be done by the end of the year. Because of scheduling conflicts I ended up having the surgery the week before Christmas of 2004. I would not have chosen to do it during the holidays but it was my only choice. In the end, it was worth it.

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

My visit with the surgeon did not happen until I had been approved and was ready to make the appointment for surgery. First he met with us as a group and talked about the procedure and answered questions. Then we were taken to individual exam rooms and he met with us individually. My advice is to have your questions written down so you get them answered. Take the time to prepare for this meeting.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I just kept getting heavier and heavier. I could not see that pattern changing. I could see that I was literally slowly killing myself. I was desperate. I knew someone who had had the surgery. She had had a pretty major complication and nearly died. Still, she said she would do it again in a heart beat. I prayed about it and studied as much as I could and then realized it was the right thing for me. I just didn't have one more diet in me. Diets had failed me. I needed something that would give me a tool for the rest of my life.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I had laproscopic RNY. It is the only procedure that my doctor performs. I read that it is considered the "gold standard" of bariatric procedures. Also, as I studied it seems that it had the highest success of losing the most weight and keeping it off. I figured if I was going to do it, I'd do it all the way.

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?

For some reason I felt very calm about the surgery. Perhaps the fact that I had prayed about it and I really knew it was the right thing for me to do helped me out.

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 was really worried about telling my parents. They are elderly and they have nothing to do but sit around and worry. I really don't like to worry them. Also, as I said before, my mother is a dietition and I felt like she would think I was opting for the easy way out. In reality, my dad thought it was the right thing to do right away. My mom did worry. Then she studied (I gave her info that the doctor had given me.) And she prayed about it too. After that, she became one of my biggest supporters. Different friends have had different reactions. I got a lot of "Oh, you aren't heavy enough for that." A few people tried to talk me out of it. After surgery most have been supportive. Some try to convince me I've lost enough weight. I think there is some feelings that they are fine as long as they are smaller than I am. So they don't want me to get much thinner. I have found that when people ask me how I lost weight I seem to quickly say, "Well I had gastric bypass." It is almost like I'm saying I took the easy way out. Well, anyone who has done this knows, this isn't the easy way out. I wish I wouldn't do that. I've now lost 95 pounds and I need to quit reducing that accomplishment. So that is one thing I would change. I don't know what I would say. I certainly don't want to keep it a secret, but I don't want to dimminish the accomplishment either.

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

I simply told my supervisor that I was having gastric bypass and would be out for a couple of weeks. He wished me well and told me to take as much time as I needed. I had the surgery the week before Christmas and came back to work the day after New Years. I had lap surgery and the recovery really wasn't bad. For the 1st week I think I only worked 1/2 days. I was encouraged to lay down if I needed to and to take it easy if I needed to. Can't complain about that!

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

I stayed in the hospital for 3 days. It was a pretty typical hospital stay. I would bring chapstick. I would also bring something to read or do that doesn't take too much brain power. You are pretty grogy at first.

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

No complications.

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 quite good right away. I did feel a little nauseated at first but that wasn't too bad. As it was Christmas time, the TV had tons of food commercials and I found I felt sorry for myself a lot. I wondered, "What have I done to myself." I don't think I really did anything to cope with this anxiety, but it did go away as the pounds started melting away. I think one thing did help was to find recipes for foods that I could eat so I didn't get bored with the few things that were obvious to eat.

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

I traveled about 50 miles.

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

I take chewable vitamin suppliment and chewable calcium. I also take a sublingual B-12 vitamin.

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?

If I eat something sweet, I'll feel dizzy. I really haven't experienced dumping but I have tried real hard to stick with the program. I ate a couple of small bites of a brownie one time and I did get dizzy. I had sleep apnea prior to surgery, now I sleep really well. That happened almost immediately following surgery. I have only vomited one time when I tried to eat some left over chicken that was too dry and I ate it too fast. That was really uncomfortable. I am 6.5 months out and have been losing hair for about the past month and 1/2. It isn't real bad though.

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

I am a member of BSCI (Bariatric Support Center International). I have loved going to their support groups and looking at their web site. I also love their cooking classes. They have really helped me find foods that are fun and healthy. http://www.bariatricsupportcenter.com/

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

I had lap surgery. My scars are very small and are getting less noticable all the time. I think I have 6 of them.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

None so far.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes! But I also think I treat myself differently too. I feel so much better about myself.