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

I found out about the New Start Program through a T.V. advertisement. I ordered the vides & information packet & was ready to talk to someone about having it.

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

I had to make several phone calls to various departments of my insurance company because one department did not know what the other department was doing. I did however get approved after my physician sending only a letter of medical necessity. persistance is the only way you can get this thing approved.

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

It was mind boggling because of so much information given, but it was very informative. It was also exciting, but on the other hand a little scary.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Being a failure at so many diets in the past & the big one--- to be able to see my 3 y/o grow up & not have to be crippled up in a wheelchair by the time she was in high school.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I just went by my surgeons reccomendations.

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?

To me, the complications or risks involved were no greater than if I had to have my gallbladder or appendix out. It was worth taking the risks for.

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 do not have any real close friends that I had to deal with. My family, excluding my husband, was not supportive at all pre-op, but are being wonderful since it is over & they see that I am doing fine. They were just terrified that something terrible would happen to me during surgery.

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

My supervisor was mad because I was taking off work, but she got over it. I was off work for 8 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 average. I did have a bad experience in ICU when my IV infiltrated & I did not get any pain med for several hours. Finally, Dr. Fabito came in to see me & had the pitiful nurse give me a pain shot immediately. He was very upset that she had not called him about my IV being out & not being able to get pain meds through it. I was in the hospital from Wednesday until Saturday about noon. The only thing you really need to take to the hospital are some shoes that are comfortable & easy to get on, because they will get you up to walk the day after surgery.

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

The only real complications that I had following surgery was the extreme pain for several days to a couple weeks. It was not really a complication, just part it. I had no infections or leaks.

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 really terrible until about the 4th week. I wore my abdominal binder for almost 4 weeks, because it gave support to my incision & my back. I did not have any energy & did not feel like doing anything. I was terribly depressed. I cried a lot & had many second thoughts about having the surgery, but it was too late. The depression lasted 4-6 weeks post-op. I still do have a few regrets about having the surgery, because it is such a lifestyle change, but the weight loss is nice & I ma starting to adjust better.

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

The first 4 weeks after were pretty rough for me, but every person's experiences differ greatly. I had no energy. I had a LOT of incisional pain & discomfort. I wore an abdominal binder for the first 4 weeks, because my incision was so painful with moving or standing. I was unable to sleep in my bed for 3 weeks. My recliner was my best friend. I had horrible mood swings, mostly depressed & terribly hard to get along with. I kept telling myself that I had made a terrible mistake by having the surgery. I hated the pureed diet that I had to be on for a few weeks following surgery.

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

My surgeon & hospital was approximately 75-80 miles from my home. This was difficult at first because I was unable to drive to make follow up appointments, but after that it has been no problem.

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, I was on a full liquid diet which consists of strained cream soups, popsicles, puddings, cream of wheat, thin mashed potatoes etc. Everything has to be sugar free. Then the next 2 weeks was a pureed diet which caused me the most difficulty. I could not stand eating something pureed, so I stuck mainly to soups & puddings. On the pureed section, you can eat just about anything you can puree, but you need to stick to sugar free & low fat. Once on a regular diet, I have been able to eat most anything, even meat & bread which a lot of people have trouble with, but it is pertinent that you take very small bites & CHEW, CHEW, CHEW. I am allowd to eat 4 oz of food three times a day & it is supposed to take at least 30 min to eat this amount of food to avoid problems with digestion.

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

My activity was very minimal for the first 3-4 weeks, because of low energy and pain level. About the only thing I did was go back & forth to the bathroom and take showers.

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

I take a multi vitamin with iron daily, a calcium supplement & my physician has put me on a pill called trinsicon which is a vitamin which high in the B vitamins. I started these after taking vitamin B12 injections monthly for the first 2 months. The pills I take are all daily. I was told by my physician & dietician that I will have to take these for the rest of my life. I also am supposed to drink a protein drink 2-3 times a day, but to be honest, I have trouble getting then all in.

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 had problems with not sleeping for about the first month, but that has resolved. I had a little nausea for about the first week, but I have been very lucky to not have any vomiting. I only had 1 episode of dumping which was right after I got on a regular diet & I had eaten something very high fat. I am now 12 weeks post-op, & I have been losing my hair for about 2 weeks. I was told that this will subside, but I don't know when. I hope very soon.

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

The pain was terrible at first, but the part that has been very hard is the fact that I still want to eat as much as I used to. My pouch will only hold 4 oz at a time and I feel full with this, but my mind still says that I'm not satisfied with the amount I can have. I sometimes feel deprived. My social life consisted a lot of eating out with my family. Now, I get no enjoyment out of eating out, because I can not eat like "normal" people. Also the fact that you have to eat so slow that your food is always cold by the time you get it down. It is no longer any fun to cook. I could care less if I cook a meal for my husband, but I force myself to do this. My 3 y/o doesn't care if I cook or not. She could live on cereal & grilled cheese. It is a huge adjustment to make mentally as well as physically.

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

I attend a monthly support group at the hospital where I had my surgery. They just recently started having weekly groups, but it is too far for me to drive weekly. The group is very important to me. I do everything in my power to attend them.

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

My scar is approx 10 inches long & is still quite sore on the top part. I knew the scar was going to be very long, but when you actually see it on your abdomen, it is quite a shock.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

The longest plateau I have had so far was about 2 weeks & that was only one time.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

So far, I am not getting any different treatment yet. Most people are proud of me when they find out what I have had done & the weight loss I am having. Some people are still skeptical as to whether I will ever be thin.