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

omg i first learn of the bariatric surgery about 14 years ago i wanted to do that then but unfortunately i had no insurance and i couldnt find a way to do this so i just put it on the back burner for years.

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

i had such a hard time getting approved our first insurance company would not approve it they said that it wasnt medically necessary... then finally the last and my current insurance company approved me with out a problem,

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

the doctor explained alot of information to me and was able to answer all my questions..

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

i had decided to have the surgery cuz i couldnt handle my health conditions... i needed to become healthier and i had tried everything else...

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

i looked at obesity help. com and did alot of research and decided that the open rny was the best for 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 had the normal fears of dying but if i hadnt had the surgery i would have died without this surgery. i would say stop and think of what your life is now and how you can change this be perpared for a totally different life. remeber that gastric bypass is a tool and it is up to use to use it correctly.. do the research and make sure you do some sole searching before just jumping into any surgery..

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 had a few family members that were not supportive but once i told them i was doing it anyway and to either support me or dont that was there choice and they have since been very supportive... my husband has been extremly supportive through out everything he is so proud of what i have done and he is always telling me how good of a job im doing..

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

i am unable to work do to being disabled...

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

i had the best hospital... st. lukes hospital the staff was so encouraging about the procedure this is what this particular ward did all the time so all the nurses understood it 100%... i had a rough time i was in for two days to be rushed back the next day with a bowel obstruction and then i was in for three days... remember to bring any kind of clothing you want to wear while there i was able to wear my own night gown once the iv came out and i took toothbrush and toothpaste and some puzzle books to do so that i would have something to do..

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

during surgery i had a bowel obstruction happen, this caused my surgery to take longer than normal.. i had bowel problems before having gastric bypass i am sure that didnt help any... i was rushed back to the hospital because of the bowel obstruction, the doctor and the nurses was able to fix the problem. i would again even with the complications do this again.

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 felt good... i thought it would be alot harder than what it was... i thought my hardest thing would be watching my husband and three teens eating... but it isnt hard at all

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

i had alot of pain the first couple of weeks... you really need to make sure that you drink all the time get that water in and make sure you go for your walks that is extremly important... make sure you only eat the 2 ounces six times a day... and get that protein in..

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

i had to travel 1 hour and 10 minutes that was the closet for me... wasnt a big deal at all... it hasnt affected my care at all when i had the complications my husband drove me up to the hospital and i have been there since for follow ups the doctor is a god send..

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.

for the first three weeks i thought i wouldnt survive i could only eat a maximum of 2 ounces and so limited to soups only and then only creamed type soups... i ate cream of wheat and jello... in the next six weeks i have been on soft foods... i have learned too cook almost everything for the family in a soft food stage so i can eat it as well... you must remember if its not soft you best puree it breads and rice and pasta are a no no... they will set wrong in that new small tender pouch..

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

at first i was extremly weak and not able to do much at all... now that i am nine weeks out i am on the go all the time i have a routine that i do i get up and walk on the tread mill go downstairs and excercise then i clean house then i go window shopping or just out running errands... at a year out now i can do so much more hiking, camping, walking.... i stay on the go all the time i love it so much.

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

i take a multi vitamin with iron... chewables of course and i take 2000 mg of calcium a day that is also a chewable... i also use procel protein mix to get in my protien i also get a vitamin b12 shot when needed... at a year out i do my b12 shots my self still take a multi vitamin with iron, calcium, protein of 70 to 100 grams per day, drink tons of water too...

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?

i have had no real side effects as of yet... i do get nausia if i dont eat my six meals a day and if i dont get enough water in... that is always a sure sign for me that i need to get these things in... i still get really weak if i do not eat and get my protein in six times a day. symptoms, are weak,shakie,nausia. so i make sure to not miss any of them during the day.... water is not a problem any more i drink anywhere from 1/2 gallon to a gallon per day of water alone...

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

the fact that they cut me from my breast bone all the way past my belly button....

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

i have tons of friends that i am able to talk to about what is going on... i also have my angel that has been there for me during this hole thing... i also do the online support groups im not near any support group meetings so it makes it hard for me to attend... you really need all the support you can get..

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

my scar is longer than i thought it would be.... it looks great though i had no stitches and no staples so its healing nicely

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

hit my first plateau and this had depressed me alot... the scale did not budge for about three weeks... i was layed up with vertigo i could not do any excercising for almost two months... this has since changed and i am able to do more....

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

i havent seen anyone treat me different.... i get alot of compliments on how well im doing..