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

I heard about it on the news but never really thought about it seriously. My HMO doctors also didn't take my information requests very seriously except for one who asked me if I was interested in the surgery. I said yes, searched the web, educated myself about the surgery, and went from there.

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

Things have gone surprisingly well. But it's because I am knowledgeable about the surgery and the changes I have to make, and also because I have been extremely diligent in getting all of my appointments in. Follow up with the medical staff. Don't assume it's taken care of, and don't be afraid to push a bit when reasonable deadlines have passed.

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

My first visit was very positive. I liked the surgeon and his staff. I think you can get the most out of the appointment by being organized, having your forms filled out completely, and having your list of questions ready. Don't be afraid to ask everything that you need to in order to be confident of the surgeon and the surgery.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was pretty much sold on the idea of surgery from the start of my info search. My driving reason was my overall long term health. We are not always in control of what happens, but I do not want to die prematurely of diabetes and sleep apnea. I also very much want to have children, and right now with my excess weight, it would be very high risk for myself and my child to do so. I recently attended a support group meeting for the first time, and after seeing everyone else's success and support, I came out even more convinced that surgery is the right thing for me to do.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My surgeon described this as the best procedure for my long term success.

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 any overwhelming fear of dying from the surgery - I am more concerned with dying from disease if I don't have it. I did ask about complications (gall bladder, hernia, anemia, bowel obstruction), and received answers to my satisfaction.

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 friends have been very supportive. So far my mother has not reacted well, and my father hasn't even spoken to me about it. There's nothing I would do differently in how the surgery was communicated to them. I think I will need to help them be educated about the surgery in order to allay their fears.

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

Everyone at work has reacted well and appropriately so far. I told my immediate supervisor and 3 upper managers. I told them I was having surgery. I did not specify the type.

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

I was in the hospital for 4 days. Bring a chap stick, fan, backscratcher, and comfy clothes to go home in. The stay itself was fine - nothing remarkable about it.

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

No complications.

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

At about 3 weeks post-op I fell into a depression. I knew this was normal after surgery, but after about 1 week, it bothered me that I couldn't snap out of it. I had no reason to be depressed. Everything with the surgery went well. But I was getting a bit frustrated about not being able to drink as much water as I would have liked and about my trial and error experiments with different foods. Finally, I decided to give myself a break and relax. Life just isn't perfect, and I was being too hard on myself. Oncce I made the decision to chill out, the depression went away.

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

The first week I felt very tender. The second week was much better but for the first month I intentionally took things rather slow. Expect some minor pain and discomfort. Try to concentrate on your own healing and be good to yourself. Don't hesitate to ask your support system to help when needed. That's what good friends and family members do. If someone offers to clean your house, accept it!!!

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

The hospital was 15 miles from my home.

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.

The first week post op I could anly tolerate 1-2 oz of food at a time. Now at 10 weeks, I would say I can eat 4 oz. Introduce foods very slowly. Eating too fast has been my biggest problem. Stay away from meats for a while until you know you can handle them.

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

My activity level was minimal the first week and then I increased it from there. I was getting up and around shopping by week 2.

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

I take iron, sublingual B12, calcium, folic acid, protein supplement and multivitamins every day.

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

The worst so far was the pain in the recovery room. It was bad and seemed to take a little too long to subsist.

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

My surgeon has support group meetings twice a month. I find them very helpful, but I do not feel the need to go every time. Right now I am not having any issues that I need help with. I also find that the meetings address many pre-op questions, and I am already beyond that stage. I also find myself not obsessing about WLS in the same way as when I was pre-op. I want to move forward in life.

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

The scar is as I expected. It's a thin vertical line that goes from the bottom of my breast bone to my belly button. It's not transparent, but I have no problem with this as I do not expect to be wearing a bikini in the near future.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Although I have lost 49 pounds so far, no one has really come up to me and noticed that I have lost weight. But I have had people say things like "did you get new glasses" or "I like your hair cut" when in fact nothing has changed.