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

I've known about it for years. I grew up in a morbidly obese family who had considered having the procedure done but never did. I have seen great success and failures. My impression of the procedure is you can make yourself a success with work or be satisfied to be a failure.

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

Insurance approval for me was very easy. My insurance, NGS, approved me almost immeidately. I really have no advice since my approval was so easy.

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

My first visit with my surgeon was my only visit until I met him again the morning of surgery. Because it was my only visit, I suggest that when initially meeting your surgeon, have a notebook with a list of questions. Ask them, write the answers and keep that book for future reference. You think at the time of the meeting you will remember what is said, but think again. You will forget. It will all seem hazy through time.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I decided when I was busting out of a size 30/32 and no longer wished to be seen in public.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

rny was the natural choice. I had done research on the internet.

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 am not a worryful person and never considered the fact that I would have complications or die. My view on worrying is, it will happen why fret? You can't change your fate.

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?

My mother, father and sister said absolutely nothing. Not good or bad. My kids had no input. My co-workers and ex-husband were very supportive. Everyone has been very supportive post-op. The only problem I am experiencing is everyone thinks I don't eat enough.

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

My immediate boss was very supportive because her mother-in-law had the procedure and was very successful. I was very honest about telling her that I was having the procedure done. I was out of work for four weeks. I could have gone back after three, but just didn't feel like it. I wanted to go back with a noticable weight loss and feeling very good.

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

I was in the hospital for five days. I felt like I received adequate care, but the hospital was completely unprepared for a gastric bypass patient. They even brought me trays of food that a regular person would eat. They didn't have anything sugar free (they would have to order it from the cafeteria). They didn't have gowns that would adequately cover me. I found that I brought way too much for my stay. I was in a great deal of pain and had no interest in listening to music or reading a book. One lifesaver was my hair ties. I have long naturally curly hair and I wasn't allowed to shower until my nose tube came out (day 4). My hair would have been all matted if I didn't have the ties. could have been a little more prepared for an obese person. I found my toothbrush to be a lifesaver.

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

I had no complications at all on my original gastric bypass. I had a revision two years later. I had a small leak that needed repaired. After that I dumped on things I didn't before. I was gassy and now have GERD very bad. I must be very careful what I eat and when.

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 only waited four weeks for my surgery. I naturally am not a worrier and had no anxiety. Not even while waiting in pre-op.

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

The first few weeks were a learning period. I didn't go much of anywhere. Everyday, I felt a little bit better. I can now compare my original surgery to my revision. Let me tell you, there is a big difference having an incision running down your belly when you weigh 400 lbs. vs. 191 lbs. My second surgery was so much easier on me. I could hop in and out of bed two days after my second surgery.

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

I traveled 1 1/2 hours. It didn't affect my aftercare in the least.

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 am very lucky. At twelve weeks post op, I am able to eat just about anything so long as I chew well and eat slowly. I can have a problem with chicken or tuna getting stuck and causing extreme pain in my chest. Otherwise, I have no problems. I have never dumped and only vomited once about week 8. I drink only sugar free beverages, skim milk, water and v-8 juice. I have not tried carbonated drinks or alcohol. I am never nauseated. Now that I am so post-op I have tried carbonated beverages. They are fine. No problems. Alcohol on the other hand is a no-no. I get drunk very very fast. Pre-surgery I could drink almost anyone under the table. Now I feel the effects half way through my first drink. Drinking alcohol after surgery could be potentially fatal. Please use caution if you chose to drink.

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

My energy level has not increased since my surgery. This is due mainly to my potassium level being so low. My mobility has increased.

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

Three years after my surgery I now take three iron tablets daily, give myself B-12 injections monthly, take one chewable multi-vitamin daily and take colace to aid with the constipating effect of the iron. I also take calcium citrate. Be very careful about your blood levels. If you feel light headed, have anxiety or depression that you can't explain, have a full panel of tests run. Chances are good that you are deficient in something.

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 a problem sleeping. I am wide awake at midnight, but dead tired at 6:00 a.m. I am just now experiencing hair loss. It has not increased to the alarm level yet, but I am very concerned. I have no other side effects. At this point, I would guess that hair loss will be the worst for me.

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

The fuss over insurance approval.

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

Our area has a monthly support group. I have only attended once, due to scheduling. From my standpoint,I am not a fan of support groups and am reconsidering attending. I found the support group to be a utter waste of time. There is no specific topic to discuss. It was just a bunch of people sitting around talking about how much they could or couldn't eat. I would have been way more interested in specific topics, i.e. nutrition, vitamins, exercise, etc.

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

My scar runs from my breastbone to my navel. It is still quite bright pink and shows the staple line. I also have six small pink scars from the retention sutures. I did not expect the retention sutures to leave such a mark, but was fully aware that is what my scar would look like. Now that I am three years post op, the scar is almost invisible. It is just a thin line on my belly. I have had many reconstructive surgeries and have many scars. My breast scars look terrific. The ones under my arms are a little more noticable, but better than having 10 inches of skin hanging under them. Overall, I am very pleased with the way my scars look.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have hit many small plateaus and they are very frustrating. I don't weigh myself often because I can't take the disappointment. I am losing slower than I anticipated and am having a hard time dealing with it. To date, I am averaging about 5 lbs. per week. I am also having a problem with water retention, so I don't have a real accurate weight. Again, now that I am further post op, I must be very careful what goes into my mouth. This surgery is not a green light to eat whatever you like. It is very much a tool. I am still about 20 lbs. away from goal and have battled that since year 1. I will get there. I just need to really buckle down and exercise.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I notice people touching me more often. I don't care for the way people look at me. When I walk into a room and a person knows I've had the surgery, they will give me the up and down look. That bothers me. I don't feel I've lost enough to have a lot of comments yet. People mostly notice when I'm wearing a new outfit. My close friends have been a little distant. After my reconstructive surgery, I was able to wear much more daring clothes. I dyed my naturally curly long hair bright red and I must say I get quite a bit of attention. Men hold the door for me. Women comment on my apparel and hair. I am treated completely different. I have even had men tell my husband that they find me extremely attractive. I am loving it.