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

At first, scared. Afraid I would fail at this too. How awful would that be? Then I was afraid of complications. I began research and began to weigh risks and benefits. I figure the risk of death is there with or without the surgery when you are as large as I am.

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

Let you're medical and therapist and surgeon all write letters of medical necessity for you this helps you case tremendously!

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

I liked him right off. Very direct very together and very smart. Not real warm and friendly but very professional. In a surgeon that was all I cared about was his ability to perform more than his personality.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I realize I am going to die from fat if I do not do something radical! I need to learn to eat all over again!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I decided on the Lap RNY because it is less invasive. I can be back to my job sooner. I had lap chole which was not too bad to recover from. I kinda know what to expect pain wise.

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?

You will risk you life if you nothing so why not risk it to be better?

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 hubby was scared and did not want it. Now he seems how important it is and how excited I am to get this all underway. NOw that I am post op he is thrilled with my progress. I have lost 200 POUNDS!

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

My supervisor thinks I can do it without the surgery. She is afraid for me. She says she will support my decision no matter what it is.

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

I checked in Friday am about 5:30am and was his first case. I went home on Sunday afternoon. He had to discharge us late that date because he was in surgery that morning with another patient. The night nurse Friday and Sat was wonderful. I was not all that iompressed witht the 7a-7p nurses.

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

Nope! A few weeks later I gotr a virus and got gastritis from that but no surgerical 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 weak. I felt bad. I thought I had made a huge mistake. I was worried about ever feeling normal again. I dealt with this by talking to others who had had this surgery and they reassured me they had felt the saem way initally. I also went to my therapist every 2 weeks for a while.

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

You will have lots of challenges. Try not to obccess over things. They all work out in the long run.

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

5 hours. I went for my one montha nd then 6 months but never did go back for my one year.

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.

Once I got on the post op diet where I could eat real foods. I could not tolerate meat. I could not eat anything tough or dry meat wise. I lived on bacon, cheese, lunch meat, peanuts, peanut butter, protien drinks. Now I can eat anything as long as I chew it well enough and eat a small enough bite of it.

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

I began walking from post op day 1. Now I go to the gym 4-5 days per week. I do my aerobics 4-5 and weight training every other day. Amazing from a couch potatoe to this!

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

B12, Vit c, Iron, calcium and reg vitamins daily.

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 lost a lot of hair. No bald spots and it is all back now. This began about 4 months out. I just made do with what I had!

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

The two month wait between approval and the surgery date fromt he surgeon!

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

I go to Dr. Champions support group here in Huntsville Al. Dr. Ralph Carson helps out here with it and is very knoweldgeable and supportive.

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

5 small puncture wounds. Yes, I expected this.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Since February 2002 I have lost and gained the same 5 pounds three or four times now.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, they are more apt to speak to me. Theya re more apt to ask me about the weight loss process.