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

I had an online friend whose sister had just had it done. She began to explain what bariatric surgery was, and the more I heard about it, the more confident I became that I wanted to have it done. I launched a search on the web and lo and behold, thousands of gastric surgery websites! You can bet I ran straight to my doctor the next day, who referred me to my surgeon accordingly.

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

Well, the biggest advice I have is: GET YOUR DUCKS IN A ROW. Make sure yourself what is required, don't count on the surgeon's office to do it right because I think that most of them employ lobotomized people! You are your own advocate and you are the one who can make this happen. Take it upon yourself to make sure you have everything you need to send in to them.

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

My first meeting with my surgeon was at a seminar. It was very impersonal and by-the-book, but afterward we were given chances to ask any questions we might have had. People can get the most out of this meeting by writing down the questions that they have before the seminar or first appointment and checking them off as they are answered. If a doctor cannot take a moment to address your questions, then he isn't for you.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

It was simple.. I was fat and suicidal. I felt that if I didn't have this surgery I would wind up taking my own life eventually.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My doctor offeres 2 major surgeries.. the BPD and the RNY. The BPD is the billiopancreatic diversion and the RNY is the Roux En Y. I was interested in the BPD because you can still eat anything and not absorb it.. I was all for not having to alter my eating habits and still lose the weight. But.. my insurance company does not cover the BPD, they feel that it is still to experimental. In the end, I am glad I had the RNY because it has taught me to make better food choices for a healthier 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 really had no fears, because I was suicidal anyway. I would tell people who are worried that the risks definitely outweigh the risks of being fat! I would think that the odds of dying from complications of obestity are far greater than those of an operation.

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 not overjoyed with the idea that I would have elective surgery. They could not understand why I couldn't just push away from the table and make my mind up to lose this weight. No one except my husband seemed to understand what I was going through. I decided that even though my family didn't support me, I was an adult and had to do what I felt was right for me. And I did. Four months later after the surgery and seeing the changes in me emotionally and physically, they are 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 was a stay at home housewife. Incidentally, I am 8 months post op and have just landed a really great full time job. My first in 10 years, so it is a milestone. I know I would have been passed over for this position if I'd applied for it a year ago.

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

My insurance company only approved 3 days in the hospital. I felt that I could have stayed longer, especially because I was sick (wound up being readmitted). A lot of people make a list of things to bring, but that is so silly. You are doped up on Morphine for a good chunk of the time, and the odds are that you aren't going to be reading or doing anything except laying there or walking the hall. A good pair of slippers and a robe that covers you are the only two important things.

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

After my stomach infection healed, I still felt incredibly nauseous. I would be able to tolerate one thing one day, and throw it up the next. I was going through some serious emotional trauma from it all.. but everyone told me to hang in there and that it gets better. Well, I did hang on and after four months of agony, I healed enough to where I could tolerate anything with the exception of sugars. Sugar and I still don't get along too well!

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 ate, slept, drank,,,,, everything was surgery. I was consumed with the idea and didn't think it would ever get here! I have a weight loss surgery site and I spent a lot of time on the computer keeping myself busy. Stay busy, that's the only way to get through it. And.. find people who have had it. Talk to them. You can't get enough information!

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

expect to move slowly. Don't expect to do cartwheels down the street. Realize that you have just had major surgery and are going to feel really poopy for a while.

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

I had to travel an hour. I would NOT recommend people to travel extensively to get their surgery. Afterward, that puts you at the mercy of your family doc or a doc that simply doesnt know about the surgery. Well, that's like going to a foot doctor for a toothache.

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 doctor is very liberal. He gave me a piece of paper with the do's and don't's of eating. Just told me to experiment. My tummy was very temperemental at first, what I could eat one day I would throw up the next. Now, 9 months post-op I can eat anything. I still cannot tolerate sugars and will get really sick if I indulge too much.

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

0. I started out with NO energy whatsoever and was miserable. My doc told me to walk and it would increase my energy. I thought that it was crazy.. but he was right. It got better after the first month.

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

I simply take an adult multivitamin that is chewable. My local grocery store, Kroger, makes it. Before I found that, I just took 2 Centrum Jr.s a day. The Pokemon vitamin is also good because it is sugar free.. and hey, you get all those cool shapes and colors! woohoo!

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 worst thing was the hair loss. I had a beautiful crown of glory.. long glossy black hair. At the second or third post op month I started to lose it. My drain was clogged every day. I finally made the painstaking decision to cut it shoulder length and ride the storm out. It (the hair loss) stopped a few months later and has begun to grow back. My nails, which broke off during that time, are now back to their natural lengths as well.

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

The emotional trauma. I still battle with it. The idea of not being able to indulge in a big comforting slice of cheesecake is maddening. Food was my best friend, and even 9 months post op, I have never stopped mourning the loss.

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

My surgeon has a support group each month. Everyone is welcome, whether they are post op or pre op. It is very helpful because everyone has questions of course. There is always someone who has gone through what you are going through. My doctor is always on hand at these groups as well. Some of the time they employ a speaker. One time we had a plastic surgeon who talked about body sculpting, and it answered a lot of questions for me!

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

My scar is huge. I hate it. Yes, it's what I expected, but I look like Frankenstein. I have one from my gallbladder surgery that was huge, one from a hysterectomy, this one from wls, and many puckers from drains. Really yucky!

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Absolutely no plateaus.. the weight came right off, much to my surprise.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES! I am thrilled that men seem to look at me with more interest, even though I'm happily married. It's an image thing. I also was just given the job of a receptionist for a doctor's office. I know that a year ago they wouldn't have given me a second glance!