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

My brother had RNY-GBP and I was not very supportive of his choice. At first I was worried about the risk of the surgery for him and I just thought that it was too radical. A few times it even crossed through my mind that he was taking the easy way out because he did not want to change his lifestyle. (This was a major misconception on my part.)

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

Obtaining insurance approval was actually very challenging. There were a lot of hoops to jump through. My advice to people would be to hang in there, don't give up, and keep going.

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

My first visit with my surgeon was great. I had done a great deal of research and I had questions written down to ask my surgeon. I felt completely comfortable with my surgeon and was impressed by the honest and straight forward manner with which he answered my question.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

More than anything, I wanted to get my Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus under control. I felt like it was imperative to my long term health to make major changes. The weight loss would be just a wonderful additional benefit.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

After researching, I felt like RNY-GBP would be the most beneficial and give me the best chance to improve my T2DM.

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 did not have a great deal of fear or anxiety about my surgery. I was more afraid of what my diabetes was doing to my body.

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 did not have a great deal of fear or anxiety about my surgery; however, my husband was very anxious. In an effort to ease his fears, he attended all of my doctor appointments prior to surgery with me. He heard everything, positive or negative, regarding my health and the surgery. He went not only to my weight loss appointments, but also to other appointments, like my cardiologist appointment for clearance. My family was extremely supportive about my surgery.

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

My business partner was not overly responsive to my decision to have surgery in a negative or positive manner. However, I was confident that I was making the right decision for myself and I was prepared to maintain my confidence regardless of his reaction. I was out of work for exactly 3 weeks.

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

I have support through my surgeons office, obesity help , bariatric eating and friends and family.

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

The scars from my RNY-GBP are almost invisible, which is far better than what I expected.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

My weight came off very fast and stopped at a healthy spot. I have completely changed my lifestyle to maintain it, but they weight just came off. I run now, walk daily and eat healthy, small amounts.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Absolutely and completely different. The whole world is nicer on most days, and i will take it.