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

A frustrated nutritionist at Robert Wood Johnson hospital mentioned weight loss surgery after multiple failed supervised diets when I was 14 years old and 250 pounds. I wanted nothing more than to have my stomach stapled at 14. Almost 10 years later, my impression changed little and gastric bypass is a miracle!

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 at all. Choose a surgeon with an experienced and diligent office staff or one who uses a processing house like Lifeshape.

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

I met with SO many surgeons. The most important things I took out of each meeting were the surgeons NUMBERS. I'm not talking phone numbers - GET THE STATISTICS. Smiles and bedside manner are good, but the real info is that particular surgeons' numbers - how many surgeries done total, how many a day, how many a week, how many deaths total, how many in the last 300 patients, leak rates, complication rates. How well does this surgeon compare to the national standard of risks? A good doctor keeps track of these numbers. If a doctor can't give you these statistics RUN AWAY and find one who can.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Desperation

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Numbers. Open RNY has the most surgeries that have been performed with best results, lowest complication rates and bearable side effects.

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?

You should be afraid! People die from this surgery and it's no piece of cake! Take it very seriously and find doctors with the lowest complication and fatality rates. The difference between 6% fatality and 0.6% is a BIG ONE when you're one of the dead people.

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 wouldn't have told anyone that I work with

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

8 weeks out of work. I wish I had never told them anything, or just told them that I was having surgery and they weren't entitled to know what type (medical confidentiality). Everyone I work with decided to pass judgement and decide FOR ME whether they thought I need to even have the surgery, let alone how long I need to be out recovering. My employer is forcing me to call once a week and tell them I still want my job or they'll assume I'm not coming back. I have put up with so much crap from them and I'm sick of it.

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

4 days, 2 night in ICU.

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 excited. I prayed to feel less anxious. I was truly at peace with my decision.

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

Cranky, painful, strange.

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

An hour, hour and a half in traffic. I do not mind the distance and I still attend meetings.

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.

Anything containing sugar and fat makes me feel tired, sick.

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

Mine is surprisingly reduced at 5 weeks out.

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

Multi chew, Calcium chew, Iron, B12, Hair/skin/nail

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?

At 5 weeks my hair is falling out in handfulls and I spent a day in the hospital vomiting. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

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

the surgery!

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

two groups, Dr. Greenbaum's Bariatric Bunch and Dr. Benotti's support group. Both are great.

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

Red and angry looking at 5 weeks, but a heck of a lot nnicer looking than some of the others I've seen.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I'm not losing much weight.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Not yet.