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

Just hearing about it here and there about other people having it done. No one ever mentioned it to me, it was something I kept to myself and thought about for over a year

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

My husband is in the military, our insurance is a blessing and is one of our greatest benefits for serving our country. Tricare was very helpful and had a "we want to help you" attitude. They were wonderful. I suggest going by the book, going with the flow and just doing all you need to do to get there. There really is no rushing the process. I did very much appreciate the fact that Tricare does not make you suffer through yet another diet or program to prove you can't lose weight before helping you!!! That says alot about insurance companies in my book.

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

have a list of questions if you have any. My surgeon is a busy guy so didn't hold my hand, so to speak, but he is and was more than willing to take the time if I have something I want to talk about. He is wonderful and I can't say enough good things about him.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Tired of not living my life and watching it pass me by with my kids and husband in tow.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Tricare decided for me but then I think the rules changed right before my surgery. it is ok though, I liked the rules and the outcome.

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 really have any fears. My biggest fear was that I WOULDN'T be able to have it done. I am a huge believer in God and the fact that I don't have any control, He does and so whatever happens, happens. I am blessed and proof that it was meant to be.

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 entire family was extremely supportive and were on my side and in my corner the whole way. I can't imagine it any other way.

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

I don't work

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 4 days. The staff were so wonderful and caring and comforting and sympathetic. The worse thing was the morphine pump, I was so rigid with pain it was hard to use it, even though I was gripping it so tight in my hand. I was so happy to move on to percocet. Nothing is important to bring other than loose clothes to wear home. After OPEN gastric bypass, in those 4 days, nothing matters but the pain!

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

none

In the weeks after you got your surgery date, how did you feel? How did you cope with any anxiety you might have felt?

Extremely happy and a little nervous. I just tried to get TO it and not worry about it. To cope with the anxiety I would go to this web site, Obesityhelp.com :) I couldn't get enough of the information there.

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

to eat or sip ANYTHING was near impossible and I still couldn't see the other side of my pain. I was in the black hole of pain and didn't see any end to it.

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

40 miles maybe

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.

to get down 16 oz of water was sooooooo difficult!! I could eat yogurt and pudding and liquid soups and that was about it for weeks.

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

Since my surgery was the open gastric bypass, my activity level wasn't much for weeks. I slept in the recliner for 5 weeks!

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

prenatal vitamin, iron tablet and calcium tablets. I do not have much luck with the protein shakes, they make me nauseated but I am trying again. My hair is falling out big time.

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 just felt full mostly in the beginning, not hungry at all. At 4 months I think I still have not felt really hungry yet! I had weird dreams right after coming home from the hospital, would wake up scared. No dumping really but at about 3 months started losing my hair and at 4 months I am praying it stops soon before I shave it off lol I am ok though, I have God on my side. Plus, the more slender I become I think the more I don't care how my hair looks.

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

so far at 4 months post op, the pain when I eat too fast or don't chew enough.

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

I go to the one that was suggested to me by my surgeons staff and the bariatric program staff. It is EXTREMELY important to me and helpful. Where else am I going to fit in no matter what I look like or how much I weigh? I miss it when I can't go and love being there when I do.

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

it is about 7 inches long, a little off center but I don't really care. It bothered me, hurt and then started feeling dry and scaley. But now I don't really feel it any more, and I just lotion it and it feels fine. It is exactly what I was told it would be.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Oh that is a big deal. I lose weight and am baffled by it. As to where it goes and what makes it go, I have no idea. I don't know why I lose or hit plateaus. I just keep exercising, try to stay away from the scale and ta da, I lose weight. It can be very frustrating if you get on the scale all the time and it doesn't move.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, people don't look at me like "oh no, look away, the fat lady is coming" nope, they make eye contact with me, they say hello and greet me, they flirt with me, they smile at me and they compliment me. I LOVE IT.