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

I had always thought about it. But a friend at work started looking into and I decided to research it. I have extensively researched the procedures, risk, complications. I felt the way I was living was a far more risk tha the surgery. I know it will not be easy. However I am strong will person, and I determined to make this work.

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

I am still waiting for final approval. I am 995 sure of the approval. I had all of the necessary information they have requested. 1. all Dr. clinical info. 2. BMI 3. list of past diets 4. Sleep apnea test results No pysch eval needed for approval

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

Dr. Flowers and his staff, Jenny and Theresa were wonderful. I had done tons of extensive research on the procedure. Dr. FLowers was quite impressed with my knowledge and how well I was prepared. He felt so confident about my decision, he did the physical and I walked out of his office with a surgery date. :)

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My BP was at 185/135. Need I say more.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

i wa not a candidate for LAP. I am too thick in the middle. So I will deal with a scar for better health. Hey, Scars can be Sexy. lol

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 am concerned with the side effects as anyone would be with any type of surgery. I am a strong individual, and I am staying positive and praying for a positive outcome. Negative thoughts bring forth negative outcomes. I believe if I stay like this, It will eventually kill me with a stroke or heart attack.

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 only told a select few about the surgery. I was embarrased at first for I thought A lot of people would think I was trying to take an easy way out of being fat. However, they all worry about my health and since it has gotten worse with my BP. My family and friends are with me all the way to help me succeed in my life changing decision.

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

They are very supportive. They know how passionate of a person I am, and see that I am unhappy with my current health status. They are rooting for me. I have 4 weeks of LOA, that I will paid 100% salary for, and my associates and management staff wants to help me anyway they can.

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

For the most part the stay was OK. However, tmost of the staff is not trained to deal with bypass patients. It was very hard to get the extra help that I needed. Like just sitting up. I had a run in with the radiology dept. They wanted me to drink a glass of the fluid for the radiography that was about 20 oz. He did not seem to understand that i could not do that. But my surgeon came to me rescue, he told the whole dept off after reading the xrays and seeing how saturated my stomach was with the fluid even after only taking a few sips. I was in the hospital a total of 9 days. I felt it was way too long, but i had some complications with pneumonia. The nursing shortage is really a strain on everyone. There is not enough help and the help you get, sometimes is not worth it. I found the biggest problem was a language barrier. The most important things to bring are things to help you pass the time. Once you get off the drip you can;t sleep as well, and there is only so much TV you can watch.

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

The only major complication that I have had is that I got an infection under the staple line and when they were removed I developed 3 holes. It is 6 months and I still have a stubborn hole that will not close. I had a debreeding procedure to help close the hole in July and I have made great progress since. It has been very helpful that i have had a nurse come in 1 a week to oversee that everything is OK with the wound and there are no other infections starting. I also had a bowel infection while I was in the hospital so i had to deal with medication and problems with my bowels for a few weeks. My hair began to fall out about 1 month post op, it just stopped at the 6 month mark. The vitamins have really helped.

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 had never been in the hospital, so i was very nervous. I had 6 weeks until my surgery after my initial visit, so I had alot of last meals. I ate like crazy. I probably gained 10 lbs before surgery. I should of started to excercise but that never happened. I did start to drink water, and not with meals. I wanted to start training my body to adjust to the lifestyles changes it was in for. The day before surgery I went off on my own, to think and reflect on my past and what could become of my life aftersurgery. I had to be at the hospital at 5:30 am, so of course I did not get a wink of sleep. I did however meditate for about 3 hours. That was a tremendous help. When I admitted myself into the hospital and they took my BP, it was the lowest it had been in over 3 years. The Dr. was stunned.

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

It was hard. I have a disabled mother and I do not have a spouse, so getting up around was difficult. I finally was happy to be able to sleep in my own bed. I was on liquid pain killer for a couple of days. I got myself off of it, for I was afraid to get hooked. Believe me that would be easy. I tried to walk around the house as much as I could to keep the blodd flowing and help with the healing. One thing that happened is, I cried an awful lot. I would cry at anything, and it was not from pain. I just had a lot of emotional break outs. I was told by several people that have had evasive surgery that it is normal. I did not like that felling, because UI could not control it. TV TV TV you watch a hell of it. If I see one more judge type show, I will throw myself out a window, to bad I live on the ground floor.

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

I had to travel about 2 1/2 hours for my surgery. I had a choice of a few hospitals and I was not to particular of the hospitals around me. It really has not been a problem, except for my first post op visit, my car broke down on the way up and I had to go the Er of a local hospital to have my infected staples remooved. which in turn the holes opened. I have had to return more times than usual because of the infection, but i don't mind my surgeon is pretty cute. He brightens my day with his positive attitude.

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.

I was limited to ice chips with spitting them out for the 1st two days. While in the hospital I was allowed Ensure protein drinks. YEECHHHH. I stopped taking those and drank water for the 9 days. I could not tolerate it.When I got home I started with liquids. Soup and the like. At 4 weeks I started on soft foods. Mash potatoes, cottage cheese, scrambled eggs, all about 1 oz a sitting. The following weeks I tried stuff on a trial and error basis. I had big problems with any type of bread or pasta, it would get stuck, and I would have to force myself to throw up. I have not had any problems with dumping yet, and I hope I don't have to. Now I can eat anything, with exception of anything fried or sweet. I have worked ot hard to put crap in my body. I have to eat extra protein right now because of the hole. I eat alot of cottage cheese, eggs, peanut butter(not alot), and fish. My body craves these foods now. working out I have to fuel my body, but I only eat a total of 750 calories a day and approx 8 oz at each meal. i learned these ratios through my support group. If you have got a group in your area go. You need all the support you can get.

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

After surgery I was lucky that I could sit up. However, the Physical therapists in the hospital had me up and walking within 4 days. from there on I tried to push myself a little farther each day. While I was at home for the 5 weeks I triedto walk around my house as much as I could. It was still a little cold outside so I did not so much outside of the house. I think the first time I went outside was on my post-op visit.

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

I take 2 childrens chewables with extra iron, amd a sublingual B complex. I also take Saw Palmetto for another medical problem I have called Hirutism.

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?

The vomiting form the food getting stuck was annoying, believe me I learned to really chew my food but breads and pastas I just could not tolerate. I devekoed a problem with dry heaving, it only happened in the morning when I woke up. It was like a morning sickness feeling. My surgeon said it is normal for gastric surgeries. My hair loss started around the 1st month, and has finally subsided around the 6th month. The hair loss wasn't that bad, just annoying trying to rearrange the pieces ot fill in the thinning spots. I thought I was going to have to do the comb over thing if it kept up.

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

The very worst part was the hospital stay, but it has be rectified with my surgeon and some of the post op time at home. I just got cabin fever and I wanted the emotional outbursts, but I would not trade any of it to go back to the way I was. This decision to have the surgery saved my life and will shout it from the roof tops. I have beconme an advocate for tis surgery, to this date I have had 5 people I know after seeing my incredible results inquire about getting tis surgery. I told my surgeon he should give me a finders fee, but that would not be ethical, now would it.

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

i go to a local surgeons support group. I recommend it, you really need this type of support. I have lots of question and feelings that I did not know how to handle. I can't say enough about support. They have been a lifesaver, If you don;t have a support groupd in your area get online and find one.

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

I have a 12 inch scare down my stomach, I don't really care about the aesthectics of it. It really doesn't matter to me as long as I am healthy. The hole I have is another issue, it has become a regular part of me day to pack it. i will be so happy when it finally closes. I have used vitamin E capsules anda product called scar massage to help woth the scar. It has made it fade a little.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have not hit a plateau as of yet. I make sure that i drink 84-96 oz of water a day and work out to help conquer any expected plateaus.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes. Yes. Yes. I notice people don't stare at my trmendous girth any longer, and some peoplie are afraid to realy say anything about the change. Alot of the people that I haven;t seen in a while always remark about my braces or something stupid, and I am always saying to them , No it is not my braces that is different, do you think it is the over 00 lbs I have lost and that makes them feel more comfortable to open up and ask me how I lost it. I am an entertainer and I have always made remarks about my weight, and my bestfriends make fun of me now because I need new material.