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

I first heard about it thru a friend that had the surgery.I started by going to a meeting with doctor within two weeks after she talked to me. I was very pleased with what I learned from this meeting. i aamde an appointment with Doctor and started there.

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

I started my pre-op appointments on November the 6th-2002. The Doctor sent letter to insurance company in later Novenber and before Christmas I had approval letter back. My advice to other people would be to talk to others and go to some support groups. Talk to family Doctor. Everyone is different and would not want to advise someone that might not be a candiate for the surgery.

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

My first meeting with Doctor was full of questions I had wrote down to ask him. He answered all of them in a way I could understand. He gave me some time to think it over but I had made up my mind when I went to see him. He was very attentive to my individual suitation.He discussed all the risk and benifits as well.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My weight and the fact that I had a different option than trying more and more unsucessfull diets.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I took the doctors advice on which proceedure he felt would work best for me. He told me that he would be able to do it laparoscopic,but if he ran into complications he would have to do open RNY which I agreed to.

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 had some fears. And a lot of what if's. I prayed about it and put it all in Gods hands. I told myself that I could die from being obese and I feel like if I can do this and better my chances at having a better life then I would take the risk. If I Died then that would be what God had in his plans for my life.

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 family was very supportive of my decision.They never said anything negative. I did have friends to say negative things but I did not let them upset me. They have all been very supportive after surgery including the ones that said negative things pre-op.

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

My employer was exicited for me.I was off work for 4 days. My supervisor told me to take as much time as I needed. My supervisor did ask me if I felt like I was ready to come back she wanted me to be sure because I could take more time if I felt I needed it.

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

My stay in the hospital was very pleasant. I was in the hospital for 2 days.I went in on Tuesday at 1 pm had the surgery at 2 pm and came home on Thrusday afternoon. Other than usually clothes and etc, I found a pair of salad thongs was very usefull on trips to the bathroom. I could hold the tissue with them and manage to wipe myself without any strain on incisions.

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

I had no complications what so ever. I had a slight complication in one of my incisions during healing. It was the last one to heal because it was were the waistline of Panties,pants and etc. would rub it. It did fine after doctor said it was ok to put a bandaid on it.

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

When I got my surgery date it was only about 2 weeks away. I don't recall any anxiety. But I did have a lot go thru my mind. I just gave it all to God and let him do it for me. I told everyone about it and answered there guestions and agve them feedback on the negative things they said. i did not let anyone discourge me.

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

My first weeks home from the hospital, I was sore but I did my walking which helps so much. It took about a week to go to bathroom without having to use the salad thongs. I was so proud of myself at this point. On the second week I returned to work. I did not get sick and have to throw up untill I was in my third month.I have only thrown up that one time in the six months since my surgery. The important thing is to drink walk, drink walk, drink walk. Most important is to follow all doctors orders.

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

My doctor and hospital was only 20 miles away.

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.

In the weeks following sugery of course the liquids for the first two weeks. I went to doctor for two week visit and he had me try some more solid foods. No sweets of course but after three months he told me to try any kind of food I wanted take small bite wait a few seconds try another bite if I had no promblem after second bite I woild be ok to eat it. Off limits was sweets and carbonated drinks.At first when I tried some foods I could not eat I would leave them alone and in a couple of weeks I would try them again and found I could tolorated them then, So it has been a trail and error suitation. The only food that made me throw up was cantalope, and I feel it was just to sweet. I was afraid to try it again but i went to the doctor to have lab work and he ask me to try it again I did and I did ok. I had a very hard time with meats when I first tried them but now I can eat meats fine except at times I can not eat any kind of chicken. The most important thing is to get your vitamins and protiens.

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

My activity level went up day by day on the second day from being home from the hospital I went to local mall and walked and walked. I can do many things now that I had difficult doing before surgery. I find that at this six month point I have more energy than ever. In the beginning few weeks some days I would start to feel a little weak from doings some things but that has all passed now. I don't seem to get tired at all now.

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

I take a chewable vitamin twice a day some days I chew them both at same time.I talk a calcium supplement which I like the chews. that is all vitamins I take.T that is all I have had to take since surgery. About once a week I take a vitamin B-12. But that was not a request from doctor just something I wanted to do. When I went to the doctor for lab work all vitamin and protien levels were fine.

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 have had some nausia. I have only vomit once. I have had no dumping as I am aware of. I have had no promblems with stools, no constipation and no dirreha.I had no sleep disturbance,I find that I can sleep less time and still feel great. The past month I have experienced some hair loss,however,I have thick hair and can not notice it. It has started to slow down now and doctor assured me I would not go bald it is starting to come back now.

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

The worst part was going to bathroom for BM. and trying to make yourself clean afterwards. After about two weeks that was all better.

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

My job does not allow the time to attend support groups often so my support has strickly came from this web site. The web site is very important and helpful to me. I have got support from a couple of friends and a relative that has had the same surgery.

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

I have very small scares they are little red marks. I have one that is round about the size of a dime, but it is the one at my waist that I had a promblem with. they are what I expected but much better than I thought.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

At 90 pounds down I reached a plateau for a couple of weeks but have started to lose again now. In fact I have lost fifteen more ponds since then.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes I do find that I am treated different. The biggest thing is the difference in the way that I am treated by the public.