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

I saw an ad on TV for Dr. Fobi many years ago and ordered the video. When the package came in the mail I didn't even open it, I knoew I wasn't going to go through with it, I was too scared of the horror stories I had seen on TV.

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

I was disabled due to my weight and had Medicare - no approval needed. The locl physician who does these operations stopped taking Medicare patients claiming he had not been paid by Medicare in 4 years so I searched physicians in nearby states and found Dr. Fobi. Everything happens for a reason and this was mean to be.

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

They all (surgeons) require that you attend their seminar which is nothing more then a Q & A session. I had been to several here in Las Vegas and then to Dr. Fobi's. I met with the surgeon only minutes before the surgery however I did meet with his staff of other professionals prior to surgery who assisted me and answered all my questions.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My cardiologist telling me that I would probably have a massive heart attack within 3 to 5 years that I would not recover from and the fact that I was just sick and tired of always being sick and tired.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I let the physician decide for me as he is the most experienced, not me however I wanted the maximum weight loss possible.

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 concerned about never waking up after surgery but figured, what the hell, if i died in the operating room I'd never know it and there are worse ways to die. I was scared about what could go wrong afterwards but have many friends who have had GBP and all were doing fine and coaching me - they really made the difference. The deciding factor was Dr. Fobi's mortality rate was minimal and this made a HUGE difference to me. I felt my chances of surviving the operation were high and that I would have success.

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

The hospital stay was pleasant although I did have a lot of pain initially, but it was well controlled with medication. I was in the hospital for 4 nights. The thing I have learned most about abdominal surgeries, as I have had several, is that you MUST get up and walk - walk - walk as this speeds up the healing process. The more you walk, the better you feel - really.

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

I did not have a single complication from the surgery however the incision was slow to heal and became slightly infected but my physician was on top of it the entire time.

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 literall had to force it out of my mind because I found myself trying to talk myself out of it, even though I knew I wanted this more than anything. Whenever I would start to get scared I would start to sing (in my head) as a way to STOP thinking about it. I was very anxious to succeed and nervous that I would fail.

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

I remember feeling as though I had a bowling ball stuck in my stomach. It didn't hurt, just uncomfortable. So I called a friend of mine who had the surgery years ago and she told me I was eating too much. I told her I was eating less then 1/2 cup of malt-o-meal and she said "decrease it". I thought she was nuts but it worked. It was slow going at home for the first 2 weeks but I was up and about and living almost a normal life. I returned to work almost immediately after surgery but I have a "work at home" job so this was easy for me to do.

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

I drove from Las Vegas to California - about 300 miles. It had no bearing on my after-care at all.

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.

Of course I could only eat very small portions and lived on things like pureed soup, malt-o-meal, sugar free jello, popsicles, broth, some pasta, etc. In the beginning I could not tolerate chocolate or anything greasy or sweet and suffered the "dumping" syndrome several times. As time went by I found that I could tolerate more and more and today, about 10 months post op there is nothing I can't eat, in moderation.

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

I immeditely felt like I had a whole new life and was very energetic. I used to hate showing (I would still do it, just hated it) and after surgery, since I could see a smaller me every time I looked in the mirror, I enjoyed showering - putting lotion all over my body - looking for smaller clothes - my energy level was very high because I was happy for the first time in 20 years. I started to participate in events and activities and 7 months post op I was thin enough to wear a swim suit and not feel embarrassed (I had lost nearly 100 pounds by then) so I went to HAWAII for a week because I wanted to walk the sandy beaches in a swin suit. Oh my God, I cannot tell you how GREAT that felt.

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

B1, B12, Iron, A & D, E, protien drinks.

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?

Hair loss, but this was due to me not taking my protien like I should and once I realized that, my hair stopped falling out. I have had NO problems associated with this surgery that have bothered me.

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

Nothing - in all honesty there was nothing about it that was bad. Maybe the fact that I lost so much weight so fast and would spend $500 - $600 every few weeks in new clothes - if I knew then what I know now I would have lived in sweat pants and t-shirts for the 1st 6 months because you just keep losing weight and nothing fits anymore but this is a GOOD thing.

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

I did not have any support group other then a few friends that had the surgery themselves.

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

Scar is what was expected and will no longer be visable if I decide to get a tummy tuck later.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

After about 6 months post op I would go weeks without losing any weight and then all of a sudden I would drop 10 pounds. This is still going on but during the times that the scale doesn't budge, I see inches coming off so I am okay with it. I have gone from a woman's size 38/40 to a normal size of 16 slacks / 12 blouse and I am about 50 pounds away from my goal weight. I have lost 145 pounds in 9 months.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

ABSOLUTELY!!! I used to go to the store and if I walked in behind someone, especially a man, he would not hold the door open for me - he would let it close behind him. But now I literally have had men and women stand there and hold the door open for me and I have even had a few guys run to get ahead of me to open the door for me. This pleases me but also irritates the hell out of me because if not for the weight loss, those same doors would be slammed in my face.