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

I cannot remember how I first heard of it but I began looking up information on the inter-net and the more I read the more I was intrigued about it. My sister had a gastric bypass 40 years ago when they were first performed and she had to have it reversed and gained all of her weight back. this made me sceptical at first but I see that the surgeries that are performed today are much different than they use to be. I am scheduled for surgery Sept. 21st, 1999

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

I had no problem whatsoever from my insurance Co. to be approved for this surgery. I have Mailhandler, a company which insures federal employees

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

It was rather impersonel. A group of us met with him in one room. He described in detail the types of surgery that he did and the complications which could arrise. He stressed that the surgery is only a tool and can be defeated. Then he saw each one of us for a very brief time to see if we had any questions. It was at that time that he decided that he would do a VBG on me without consulting me about this. I would suggest to anyone seeing a dr. for the first time to consult with him at that time about which surgery you want.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I realized that there were no more alternatives. I had tried everything including a 14 year term with Overeaters Anonymous. I knew that my life depended on this next step if the quality of my life was going to improve.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I read all I could about both types of surgery and decided that the gastric bypass was the better for me because I love sweets and high fat foods plus i had acid reflux disease and read that this type of surgery will eliminate this condition for good.

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 was very afraid of dying during or after the surgery because of my age.(58) Since I am only 10 days post-op I still am very concerned about complications. My surgeon has had 17 years experience doing this type of surgery. He has a staff of qualified people at his bariatric center who are willing to help in any way they can. The follow up program is excellent. I would suggest that anyone having this surgery do exactly what they are ordered to do befor and after surgery. This is a complicated prodecure and the stomach must be treated with extreme care especially the first six weeks while it is healing. I believe that no one should have this prodecure done unless the surgeon is connected to a bariatric center where follow-up programs are available.

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?

at first i was relunctant to tell anyone but my husband but slowly i began to tell a few close friends, then my children, then everyone that i talked to. All were very very supportive and all are very curious to see what will happen to me now that i have had the operation. i have had letters, cards, flowers and visits from many people. I am very glad that i was so open in telling people about this. The more direct that we can all be about this staggering problem the better for all concerned. We folks who have been overweight have suffered in silence for toooooooooooooooo long.

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

Since I am a full-time self employeed artist and work from my own studio at home I don't have to answer to an employer.

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

I was there 7 days. St. Vincent's in Carmel is one of the best hospitals in Indiana. The floor I was on deals a lot with bariatric patients. The nurses were wonderful. The ward is new and the set-up is very efficent. One should bring nighties for each day if possible, comfortable slippers for walking, some reading material.

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

yes, the nurses could not find another vein to give me IV fluids on the second day in ICU. They stuck me many times, but finally called my dr. who said to hook me up to a feeding machine through the tube in my stomach. So for the rest of my stay in the hospital I had the feeding tube in me attached to a portable machine. We went everywhere together. I got use to being "attached" to my Trans-Pal and went on with the business of walking, resting and dealing with pain in my sholders.

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 talked a lot of my husband and used the WLS sight over and over again. I e-mailed a lot of people about the sugery and asked a lot of questions. I prayed a lot. I overate to compensate which was probably not so smart. I talked to family and friends about what I was going to do. they all were very supportive that I had made the right decison.

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

I am just a few days over two weeks post-op. It is a very strange time indeed. It takes a lot of time to get in 6 ozs. of food, 8 ozs of juice, and 3 protein shakes in one day when it takes so long to eat 2 oz. I found that if I try to eat too fast I get nauseated. So I take my time. also I am trying to get down 2 Centrum children chewable vitamins, an anti-biotic pill 4 times a day, a premarin pill and a prozac pill. I have learned to take thses between meals with juice or water. Also I am supposed to walk at least 30 minutes a day. I can tell my body is healing because I don't have a lot of energy or ambition to do much. I watch a lot of TV and have rented some movies. My incision itches like crazy and the two slits on either side are still oozing and hurt. I am also dealing with the fact that I can't eat a lot of foods that I craved befor and when i see them on tv or smell them when my hubby cooks its very difficult and sometimes depressing. I realize that it takes time to heal but it seems like a slow process.

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

I traveled two hours. So far it has not affected my aftercare. I went back to the dr. two weeks after surgery and will go again in four weeks. I can call the bariatric center anytime I have a question or I can call the dr.s office if I have a question. Also I have a very good PCP here in town if an emergency should come up.

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 can eat soft foods such as yogurt, cottage cheese, cream of wheat, oatmeal, eggs, cream soups, fruit juices, and protein shakes. I cannot eat any meat or veggies for six weeks. my meal portions are 2 ozs. each. I can have three meals a day, plus 8 ozs of fruit juice and 2 protein shakes and all the water I can drink. after six weeks my meals will be 2 ozs. and I can have meat and veggies. no bread for a long time.

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

The first two weeks were better than the 3rd week. I have had a major problem with constipation. Am working on solving this. I can take my own shower, first week husband helped me change dressings and get dressed. 2nd week i changed my own dressings and dressed myself, did dishes and some very light housework. 3rd week no more dressings, can dress even put on my own shoes. have been out to movies and had company. vacumed the floor today. i usually take two naps a day. energy level wears out very quickly.

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

I am taking two centrum chewable vitamins a day plus a prescribed b-12 with iron capsule. I drink two instant carnation breakfast protein drinks a day. The iron capsule is making me very constipated.

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 hardly any nausea and only vomited once. No dumping or hair loss because of the protein drinks and sticking very close to prescribed diet. The worst part is the constipation. I have tried everyhing including stool softener, prune juice and laxatives. So far I have not gotten the probem corrected.

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

the last night in the hospital i got gas and no matter what i did or took I could not get rid of it. the nurses told me to walk which i did. It was so painful. my husband stayed in the room with me because he was going to drive me home the next day. needless to say neither of us got much sleep.that was the worst pain during the whole process.

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

I had mysurgery done at a bariatric center. I can call the dietician or bariatric nurse any time during the day. If I have a health problem I can call the dr. anytime and one of the 4 drs. with this center will return my call. This is very very important to me. This is why I chose to go with a bariatric center. Also WLS site have been very valuable. I have learned so much and am in correspondence with three or four people who have had the surgery and are willing to share their activities with me and give me advice and cheer me on.

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

My scar is about six inches long. I expected it to be longer. After almost 4 months it is still sensitive and red but it does not hurt at all. after six month it is completely healed, not painful and getting lighter all of the time.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I went from 285 to 225 in three month. However this fourth month has been slower. i vacilate two pounds up then two pounds down. I hope to lose 10 pounds this month, but so far have lost 7 and have a week to go. I have heard from other WLS women that the 4th month can be a plateau month. This is the few days of my first six months. I have lost 92 pounds. I have nad no more plateaus. but I am very careful what I eat. I try to eat a lot of salads and veggies, whole grain breads, no beef, yogurt, eggs, and lots of water. I don't eat any sweets at all. I indulge in a piece of fried chicken once in awhile. If I have this i have a salad with it.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Absolutely, It is a remarkable difference. Men especially are complimenting me on my looks. People treat me with a great deal of respect and politeness. I never knew how much obese people are discriminated against until I lost this weight,(so far 67 pounds in almost 4 months). One strange thing is the way my children who are both adults now don't treat me any different except to be more critical. Perhaps they are having a hard time adjusting to a new mother who use to be a dumpling and now is "out there" doing all kinds of new things.