Karen H.

Obesity & Me

Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.

It was very hard. Food was my crutch and I used it to help me thru everything.

What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?

Unable to play with my children. The dity look and comments made by others.

If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?

Playing with my kids. Going to the amusement parks and going on the rides with my kids.

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

My sister was the one to tell me be about and I started researching to find out if it was for me or not

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

I did not have any problems with approval. I did call my insurance company weekly and made sure I talk to the same person and really stay on top of it to help push it thru the approval process.

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

My was several hours long and he took the time to explain who, what, and how. He also answer my long list of questions and made sure I understand the life committment it took for this surgery.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My health and my kids

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I went with what the doctor suggested

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 had very poor health going into this so I knew it was risky. Make sure you understand everything and you have a support person that you can talk to and will be there with you the whole way

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?

They were scared but understood it was my dcision and respected it. They were all behind me though.

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

I was off for 8 weeks and working in the medical field they understand the reason why I needed it.

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

I went in on Monday and was home on Thursday afternoon. The staff and hospital were gear toward this surgery and took good care of me.

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

No

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 was nervous but excited about the new start in life I would have

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

I was tired and very sore.

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

I traveled to Rockford from Bloomington IL. Over two hours away.

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 didn't have any problems during the first few weeks with food. Since then I have to be careful with dairy.

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

Slow but steady

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

I take multi-vitamins

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?

Only for a few weeks then when my activity level increase they lighten up and went away

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

THe binder after the surgery was uncomfortable.

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

I join a local support group then took over the leadership of the group.

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

due to the tummy tuck I recently had my scar had change and is a lot smaller.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

When the weight loss stop my inches shrunk. ANd I was prepare for this to happen and would increase protein and exerices to help it along.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes very much. Sometimes it is funny how they act around me know that I am smaller.
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