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

I had an aunt who had it and she kept the weight over for over 10 years. I didn't really have an impression I just wanted to be thin.

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

I had no problem the second time around. At my old job there was a clause that said no weightloss surgery but with my new insurance it was approved right away.

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

It went well..he seemed very knowledgeable and I liked his nurse practitioner.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I felt like it was the only option to live the life I felt like I deserved.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I had an aunt who had Gastric Bypass and kept the weight off and another aunt who had Lap Band and gained all the weight back.

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 didn't have any fears...I probably should have.

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?

Most supported me a couple were worried but they came around.

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

They wished me luck.

What was it like attending your first information seminar on weight loss surgery? Were you glad you attended? if so, why?

I attended it over a year before my surgery and I was nervous.

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

I was in the hospital for 3 days after the surgery. The most important thing to bring is a comfy outfit to wear home other then that you really don't need much else.

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

The surgery was supposed to take 4 hours and I was in there for 7. My stomach was attached to my spleen and diaphram. Because of this the surgeon left a hole in my diaphram and I ended up with Asperated pnuemonia. Because the pnuemonia was so hard to cure I ended up having to go back into surgery to clean my left lung and this left me with a virus known at Guillain Barre Syndrome that left me "paralyzed" for 2 months.

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 ended up back in the hospital I found it hard to breath. I went to the hospital that I had the surgery done at and they said nothing was wrong and after 3 days discharged me. I knew that something was right and went to my small town hospital and they found the hole in my diaphram and the pnemonia in my left lung.

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

Because I was young I expected to bounce right back. This was not the case. i found it hard to walk and breeth and needed a lot of extra help. Be prepared to depend on other people.

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

60 miles.

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

I still don't have a very high activity level due to the complications.

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

I take a one a day, and iron suppliment, a b12 lozenger, and 2 tums every day.

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 still have nausea. I have only dumped once and that was when a dr sent me for a glucose test, and I just recently started to lose my hair. The vomiting is the worse part and I can't control it. It doesn't always happen but it happens often mostly when I eat out because my stomach isn't used to the food. I recently just looked up vitamins to help with the hair loss but are not sure if they are working yet.

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

The worse part is the complications and the lack of answers and the runaround that my surgeon has put me through. He hasn't been helpful and basically told me to take care of it myself.

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

I have been singing a counselor that specialized in eating disorders since 3 months before the surgery. I have been unable to attend support groups because of the illness's that I have had.

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

My scars are minimal because I started putting vitamin E on them right away. I honesly thought they would be much worse.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have recently plateaud because when I was in the hospital for acute therapy they gave me a lot of carbs and I realized that I could eat them with out getting sick. I have been struggling with this and continue to see my counselor.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

People don't even recognize me anymore and I like that. I like when people notice the difference because I have been through so much to get here.