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

I first found out about it from my OB/GYN, I was having alot of pain with my periods and he said that I needed to lose weight and if I had a hard time with diets I should look into Bariatric surgery.

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

I have medicare because of my Bi-polar so it wasn't very hard at all, I think I had to come up with about 360.00 and everything else was taken care of.

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

Remember when you go to your first appointment that what your wanting is a way to help yourself lose the weight and keep it off for life. Your surgeon needs to know everything about your eating habits, your emotional state and most importantly your fears. He will be the most important person is your life before and after your surgery, you need to be able to talk to him and feel comfortable with him or her.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I couldn't face being fat anymore, the thought that I might not be around for my son and his kids because of complications of being so big, scared me. I needed to see me again.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My surgeon decided for me and I trusted him to know which proceedure would work best for me.

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 was scared, I would have been really stupid not too!! But the fears didn't erase the need to take control of the biggest obstacle in my life. Being scared is healthy but if you trust your surgeon and really want this, put the fears on the back burner and change your 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 close family was really supportive and wanted me to be happy with myself and if this was how I could acheive it then they were all for it.

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

I wasn't working at the time.

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

I remember when they brought me to my room from the recovery room. I woke up a little and the pain was amazing, but the doctor had me on a pain pump so I could get medicine when I needed it I could just push a button. I was in the hospital 14 days and I couldn't have survived without my little fan, I was so hot and then I'd get cold.

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

I was one of the lucky ones who didn't have any problems, my doctor had a home nurse come to my house to check up on me every other day after I went home for the first two weeks. I really liked that, she made me feel confident that I was doing things right at home.

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 was so excited I couldn't think straight!!! It only took 2 months to get my surgery OKAYED through my insurance.

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

Sleeping in a recliner if they have one, it really saved me. When I got home I thought I could lay in my bed but I was very wrong. There were so many things that were different, things I used to like eating made me sick to my stomach to smell them cooking. I was really hurting, I had a pain ball that was continually giving me pain medicine and the pills were hard to take. I had a real good nurse comming to the house every other day to check up on me, that was the best. She would let me know how my incision was doing and give me a bath, I wouldn't have gotten through the first 2 weeks without her.

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

I only travled about half an hour.

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.

Well right after surgery I had trouble with water. As the days went by eggs, bread, butter, potatoes, any meat made me nauseous, I never threw up but I wanted too! After a few weeks I was able to tolerate those things but I found out I was allergic to milk and processed cheese, NOT lactose intolerant, ALLERGIC. Even now I can't have milk,processed cheese or milk that hasn't been brought to a boiling point. Now more than a year after surgery I can eat anything, and drink anything but milk.

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

At first none at all, I felt drained and tired all the time. It got better and I only felt drained if I did too much, even now I get drained after too much activity.

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

PRILOSEC keeps my stomach under control and multi-vitamins keep me moving and once a month I get my B-12 shot, and coral calcium.

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 dirreaha since I came home and because of it I've had to have surgery for hemmorids and a vistula. Only when I'm on pain pills does it stop for awhile and then it comes right back.

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

Right after surgery in the hospital, not since childbirth have I felt such pain.

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

I have no support other than my family.

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

It runs from my sternum to below my navel and that's what my surgeon told me it would be like.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I haven't plateaued, I just stopped at 168 and my doctor says I've lost enough so I'm done.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, they look at ME now and treat me nicer. And the guys look now also.