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

My mom has a friend from work who had R-N-Y and it changed her life. My mom, although she's always on a diet, has until just recently never been more than 30 lbs. heavier than her ideal weight. When she saw what was happening to her friend, she told me about it. I tried to schedule surgery last year, but I had crappy insurance and the surgery was excluded. My initial impression of the surgery was "Wow, maybe there is hope."

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

I have United HealthCare through the Railroad Workers Health and Welfare Fund. I was approved 24 hours after the first request. My provider faxed the information to the insurance co., I called and told them what I wanted to do and ... bam... approval. The best advice I can given anyone is contact the insurance company yourself. Ask if the proceedure is excluded. If it is, you may have a fight on your hands, but you can litigate it. If it's not excluded, just call them and let them know what you're looking for and why. Also, spend some time and put your weight loss history into logical format, so you have your guns loaded!

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

My first meeting with the surgeon was great. I liked him right off. Before I went in I did a lot of research on line. I wanted to know what all the surgical options were. Then I made a list of questions and, as he explained the surgery to me, marked off what he covered. That left me with a concise list of things I still needed answered. I also asked for names of other patients that I could contact, if possible, to talk about their surgery and what they had experienced. He was more than happy to help out with that. Most people I spoke with were really positive. One lady hadn't been able to control her eating after the surgery, so she was really struggling. I think I was actually able to help boost her lagging spirits!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My brother in law telling me that I no longer had ankles. He said my calves are so fat than they just flow right down into my feet. He's an ass, but he was right. Then I got to thinking about my grand pa. He was diagnosed with diabetes at age 40 (I'm 37), he had pancreatic cancer by age 55 and was dead by 63. I take after him and it scared me. I don't want to die early and I sure as heck don't want to die fat. Also, I had this really gruesome dream about getting in a car accident and getting stuck and not being able to get out. It really scared me. Also, I guess I'm at the point where I no longer look "chunky", because of the comments and nasty remarks people make. You know what bothers me the most? When I was a teeny little size 8 I used to make nasty comments about really fat women. I couldn't understand how anyone could let themselves get like that. Then it happened to me. It's really very easy to get heavy. Depression did if for me.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I got on the internet and started researching different types of bariatric surgeries. Initially I wanted a laparoscopic gastric banding because it is so reversable. Stomach stapling didn't seem aggressive enough. Then I discovered that Adjustable Gastric Banding hasn't been done in the States for a significant amount of time, so there isn't much history there. To top it off, my insurance wouldn't cover that type of surgery. So, I checked into the different types of RNY surgeries available and found out about the micro-pouch proceedure. Although I was unhappy that the surgery can't be done laparascopically, I was very impressed that the surgery eliminates the danger of restretching the pouch. I don't want to get fat again.... EVER! So, I contact the insurance company and the micro-pouch is covered. Additionally, the inventor and perfector of this type of surgery just happened to have an office about 50 miles from my home, so the whole thing just worked out really well.

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 don't really have any fears about the surgery. The thought of getting cut open is kind of distasteful (I think I've watched too many "Trauma in the ER shows), but the benefits far outweight the negatives. Besides, I figured it this way... if I don't do this I'm probably going to end up with some life-threatening disease at some point in my life and they'll probably want to cut me open then anyway. MIght as well do it now and get some enjoyment out of it.

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 husband was kind of concerned at first. He's my best buddy and pretty protective of me. Then he thought about it and decided it was the best alternative for me. My sons (age 18 and 20) are excited about it. Well, lets say they are excited for me and scared at the same time. My oldest son doesn't like "blood and guts" stuff, so I have to be careful not to describe the procedure to him or he gets woosie. I've always been really active and spent alot of time doing "outdoor stuff" with them. Since the weight gain I haven't been as active. My mom is really excited for me. My sisters are not as excited, but they are very supportive. My dad was flat out not happy about it and not very supportive. He felt like I should just go on a better diet and get more exercise. Of course, he's right, but exercising a 240 lb frame is kind of rough. By the tme I move enough to work up a sweat I feel like I'm having a heart attack. No way I can get that heart rate up and keep it up for 20 minutes.

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

My brother in law (the fat ankle man) work together in our interior decorating and kitchen design studio. When I told him what I was planning, he asked me why. I told him I didn't want fat ankles any more. He kind of laughed and then asked how long I'd be gone. I told him 3 - 6 weeks, hopefully only 3. He was actually pretty cool about it at first. Then he started getting snotty and told me that his sister, who is an R.N., said it probably won't work long term and I'm just wasting my time and money. Geez, I hope she doesn't know what she's talking about.

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

My hospital stay was supposed to be 3 days, but turned into 6 because I was allergic to morphine and had a reaction to it. Also, I have an irregular heart beat and they needed a cardiologist to release me. I was at Detroit Riverview Hospital and everyone was fantastic. The most important things to bring (If you are having an open surgery where they do a big incision) are some comfy slip on shoes, cause you can't bend over to tie anything and some kind of pull on clothing that just goes right on without zippers or buttons or anything. I brought the slip on shoes and pull on dress, so that was okay. I wish I had brought some pictures of my kids. We live 200 miles away from the hospital, so I only got to see them once, the day of the surgery and I really missed them. I was also glad I took my makeup and my own hair care stuff so I could get cleaned up and feel human while I was in there.

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

I had one teeny little spot on my incision that didn't look like it was going to heal up, but it finally did. I was VERY careful to follow all the doctors directions regarding care of my incision. That was the only problem I had.

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 first got my surgery date I was so pumped I couldn't think of anything else. Then, the closer the surgery got, the more anxious I got. I have a pretty vivid imagination and watch alot of the "trauma in the er" kind of shows, so I was imagining my bowels being out of my body and the doctor with his hands digging around in there. It grossed me out and I started feeling faint. So I prayed about it. I really felt like God had lead me to this surgery as a way out of the fat mess I had made of my life. The more I prayed about it, the less I was thinking about it. Then, I got out my "skinny pictures" that I had from my life before I got fat and I looked at those. If someone has been heavy all their life, I seriously recommend they clip some photos or look at pictures of friends or family members who are the size they dream of being. Also, my husband (who is the greatest husband anyone ever had) took my "drive by shopping" for all the cute clothes I would like to wear when I was thin again. It really helped us both get past the anxiety. It was fun looking at size 22 clothing and holding it up to size 8's and 10's and thinking "wow, pretty soon these little clothes are going to fit me". We just focused on the end result and not the surgery itself.

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

My first few weeks home from the hospital I slept most of the time. I would sleep like 12 hours at night, then be up for a couple of hours, then go back to bed and take a 3 hour nap every day. My incision was more annoying than painful, even though I couldn't take anything other than Tylenol liquid for the pain due to medication allergies. I really like to take baths and it really drove me crazy that I couldn't soak in the tub. My dear hubby rigged up a really long hose thing so I could sit in a little bit of water that didn't come up and cover my incision, then I could run the water over me and kind of feel a little bit better. Our bedroom is on the second floor, so getting up and down stairs was kind of tricky, but there was no other alternative. People would call to check on me and I would be really groggy and out of it. I didn't really want to go anywhere, but I was getting grouchy from being trapped in the house for so long. My first trip out of the house was to Meijers to get some sugar free foods and I lasted on my feet about 3 minutes. I had to ride around in one of those little scooters. You know, people act like you're invisible when you're in one of those things. Here I am, cut open from one end to the other, trying to reach something up on a shelf and people would walk right by like I wasn't even there. I even would say, "excuse me, can you help me?" and they would just keep going. Weird. Okay, the long and short. Expect to be uncomfortable. Expect to get tired of sleeping on your back. Expect to be exhausted, no matter how much sleep you get. Expect to get really bored with sugar free popsicles, jello and chicken broth. Expect people to pop over for a visit and expect you to sit up at the dining room table to visit until they get ready to leave. Expect to get no housework done for about a month. Make sure the laundry is done before you go. Stock up on the sugar free stuff so you don't have to ride around in one of the stupid little scooters. Expect to feel like "what in the heck have I done to myself" and then turn around and feel really excited about this great new future that's about to happen. Stay off the scale until your first visit to the doctors office. Do what the doctor tells you and take realy good care of the incision. Take your blood thinners like a good kid and sleep all you want. In a couple of months, you'll have more energy than you did when you were just a kid! Keep your chins up, cause pretty soon you're only going to have one!

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

I had to travel about 100 miles for the actual surgery and about 30 for my follow up visits. Aftercare was not really an issue because my hubby took a lot of time off work to stay home and take care of me. Also, I have two grown sons who were really great about helping out.

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.

My regular doctor prescribed diet was: week 1 - sugar free jello and popsicles, weak chicken broth, apple juice (no sugar added of course), sugar free and fat free instant pudding. weeks 2 & 3 - same stuff and week one, but I got to add runny mashed potatos and yogurt. Also had to start drinking my protein drinks. week 4 - babyfood or very mild pureed food. Lots of protein drinks in very small amounts throughout the day. Also started working on increasing my water intake to the 64 ounce daily requirement. week 5 - same as before, but leave off the babyfood and add more types of pureed food. week 6 - "normal" food, but teeny amounts and teeny bites. No liquids with meals - they cause horrible bubbles and burps that get stuck half way out. The one thing I noticed right away was that my sense of smell was really heightened. Food that tasted really good before the surgery made me sick to my stomach afterward. Spicy foods, my favorites, were totally outof the question. Yogurt was a never before appreciated delicious treat. I craved protein foods and spent a couple of weeks pretty much living on milk. About two months after the surgery the regular food was okay, but still not great. I was still getting the air bubbles and they really hurt. Right now I'm 5 months post op and I can pretty much each whatever I want. I even have an occasionally small piece of dark chocolate to ease the chocolate monster. I don't have a significant amount of dumping cause I steer right clear of sweets. The thought of eating something really rich just makes me sick to my pouch. I don't have tummy rumbles anymore and I have to remind myself to eat like I'm supposed to.

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

Up until about 4 weeks after surgery I was really tired. I slept about 18 - 20 hours a day. Forget trying to walk and get any exercise. If I made it downstairs to empty my bladder I figured I was doing great. About the 4th week, I started to feel like my old self and wanted to get up and around. I'm five months post op and, although I am quickly approaching the big 4-0, I feel better than I did when I was 20!

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

I take a sugar free chewable kid vit every day. Also, since I started dealing with the hair loss, I've started taking Amway hair and nails formula. That seems to be helping. Also, my favorite protein drink is MetRx ASR in just vanilla. I mix it up with Crystal Light and it's pretty good to drink. I has 60 grams of protein in one serving, really low carbs (like 4!) and it doesn't taste chalky. Also, I am REALLY careful to drink lots and lots of water everyday. I can really tell the difference when I start getting dehydrated. My skin starts looking nasty!

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?

Right after the surgery I had one incident of vomiting, which was really pretty easy to deal with cause it didin't have that normal puky taste... no stomach acid. The worst thing was the air bubbles when I would try to eat something. It was really painful, but normal with this surgery. I've tried sugary foods twice and dumped both times. It's really uncomfortable. Dark chocolate doesn't seem to bother me as long as it's just a little bit. 3 1/2 - 4 months after the surgery I started losing some hair, but I have a massive head of bushy, thick hair, so it's not noticeable at all.

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

The worst part for me was having the allergic reaction to the morphine. I couldn't understand what was going on and I freaked outin the hospital and tried to leave. I thought I could sneak out and then I wouldn't have to get the surgery. Then I realized I'd already had it and was really unhappy. The only other things I really didn't like was sleeping on my back for six weeks and not being able to soak in the tub for a month.

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

The closest support group is about 50 miles away, so it's really not feasible for me. I email my friends I met on obesityhelp.com and I keep a journal. That helps.

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

My scar is about 14 inches long and extends from the base of my rib cage, right between my breasts, down to just about my pubic hair. It does make a detour around my navel, for kicks I guess. I thought it would be about 7 inches long. Sometimes it hurts, sometimes it itches. Mostly I wear waist cincher panties to keep my clothing from rubbin on it. Also, it's red and kind of raised up looking. Hopefully the tummy tuck will remove it. It's pretty gross looking.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

After the initial rapid 3 month drop, I started going 2 - 3 weeks without losing anything, then I would lose 10 - 12 lbs in a week. Then I'd wait another 2 - 3 weeks and lose another 10 - 12 lbs. I'm now 12 months post op and the weight loss has pretty much stopped. I'm now at 130 lbs. and I wear a size 2!!!!! I never thought I'd get this thin. Life is great!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

You bet. No one brings my husband dessert to me anymore. Men try to flirt with me and women check out what I'm wearing. Sales people in "Normal" sized clothing stores actually approach me and ask if they can help me instead of ignoring me or pointing out the "plus" size section. I wear a size 2 and it's a blast to shop. The sales girls bring me stuff to try on that they think would look good on me. I've been told I should be a model. If they only knew where I started out they would just faint!