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

I had heard about it in the late 80's. I didn't give it much thought because I wasn't more then 100 pounds overweight then. I was ONLY about 70 pounds overweight, so I wouldn't have qualified for the surgery. In the 90's, I had seen medical claims (I was medical claims examiner) and the cost was about $30,000 and the hospital stay was at least a week to 10 days and again, I couldnt afford that. Nowadays, the 3 day hospitalization is more streamlined, plus I'm having my surgery done laporoscopically, so I dont have to worry about a huge incision. Also, with my insurance, it will cost me about $200. I think I can afford that!!

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

Insurance approval was easy. It was very clearly indicated in my certificate of insurance (everyone who has insurance should get this from the insurance company) what the qualifications were to have the surgery approved. Check your policy for exclusions. Some companies dont cover ANYTHING to do with weight loss, no matter how badly you need it.

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

He asked me about my weight problems dating back to my childhood. Also about my family and if they were overweight. He wanted to know the different diets I had tried. He said that everyone he sees has the same background in weight loss attempts. He also told me that even if I were to lose the weight on my own, I would only have a 2% chance in not gaining it back. I had lots of questions as to how they would do the surgery, what are my chances of dying (yes, I know paranoid, but you should ask), how long would I be off work, what kind of restrictions do I have, etc. He offered even more information then what I asked.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

When he told me that I was an excellent candidate for the surgery because I didn't have any medical problems like he typically sees (high blood pressure, diabetes, pulmonary problems, sleep apnea, etc) but that in 10 years I would have one of those conditions with my weight as high as it is. He also said that if my weight stays this high, I'd die 10 years sooner then if I were at a lower weight.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

The doctor told me that I was a better candidate for laparoscopic RNY rather then the 6 to 8 inch scar because I dont have any medical conditions. I'm also right at about 100 pounds to lose and I dont have a huge stomach. I didn't want a huge scar, so I agreed with the laparoscopy.

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?

Who doesn't have a fear of dying??? I certainly do. I'm afraid to have the surgery because I haven't been in a hospital since I was 4 years old. I'm terrified that my heart will stop in the middle of the procedure I'm petrified that I wont wake up from the anesthesia. I'm afraid that I'll get a blood clot and die. However, even through all of that, I'm more afraid at not living the rest of my life happy. Being overweight has not made for a happy life. I'm tired of letting life pass me by because of my weight.

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 still haven't told my mom that I'm having the surgery. She's a very negative person and I dont need negativity before I go into surgery. I'm scare enough as is. My friends are concerned for me and they dont think that I really need the surgery. They think if I was more disciplined that I could lose the weight. I then asked them if they ever walked a mile in my shoes and they said no. I asked them if they had ever been more then 40 pounds overweight. Again, they said no. So then I said, then how can you judge what I'm doing and say it's wrong?? They then understood. They have now been supportive. The people who are in the same boat as me who need to lose 75 to 100 pounds are much more suppoortive because they understand what it's like.

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

I did not tell my employer why I was taking medical leave except to tell them I was having surgery. I had no problems with them. I should be out of work 3 to 4 weeks.

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

My hospital stay was 2 days. I did very well after the first day of surgery. I was fortunate that the hospital gives WLS patients there own hospital room and doesn't charge for a private room. I was treated very well by the hospital staff at Mt. Carmel West. There really wasn't anything I needed during my hospital stay.

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

I was fine the first week after my surgery. Then I developed some problems with the drain tube. Once it was removed, the problems stopped. The only other problem I had was I had NO appetite. I was only consuming 300 calories a day so my body shut down and wouldn't lose any weight. Once I increased my calories, the weight started to come off and I felt better. This was all within the first month of surgery.

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 a 7 week wait from the time I was approved to the surgery date. That's a LONG time to have to wait!! I just wanted time to fly by and as the date got closer, I was getting scared since I hadn't had any major surgeries since I was a child. But my fears were just that. I didn't have ANY problems with the surgery or hospital stay.

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

I had some problems with a drainage tube after the first week I was home. Once it was removed, I started to feel better. I was still very tired and didn't start feeling like going back to work until about the 4th week.

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

About 3 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 couple of months I had NO appetite. I really didn't eat anything. Then I started to exercise after a couple months and suddenly I was able to eat anything!! I'm not saying there was a correlation between the exercise and what I could eat but I certainly felt a lot better. Since the 2nd month after surgery, NO food is off limits. I eat anything I want.

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

I didn't do anything for the first couple of months. At month 2, I started exercising and have been exercising 5 days a week since the middle of June.

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

My surgeon prescribed pre-natal vitamins and an iron pill. I take each pill once every other day.

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?

Nausea was the worst. I had nausea EVERY day for the first couple of months. Once I started eating at least 800 calories a day, the nausea went away.

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

The nausea for the first couple of months. After that, I've not had any problems.

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

I've found this website to be the best support group there is. I've went to the surgeon's meeting and have had much more valuable information provided here.

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

5 small scars. The largest one is about the size of a quarter.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Only in the first month when I wasn't eating enough. Once I increased my calories, the plateau stopped.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes. Your treated "normal" with more common respect.