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

I had a doctor recommend it to me...I put it out of my mind right away - but not necessarily because of the suggestion, but how he was in presenting it - he has NO bed-side manner at all - not even in the clinic setting. I have known people that have had this surgery - 1st time I heard about it was in the 70s when a friend of my parents had it done. Over the last 3 years, I have known several people that have had the surgery and I started looking into it. After lots of research and discussion with people that have had the surgery I decided it was what I wanted to do, so I did more intense research and started investigating surgeons for me.

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

Approval was fairly easy, except that my insurance lost the 1st request that was sent, so my doctor's office had to resend it. I had enough co-morbidities that it was a snap to get the approval

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

The first meeting was good. Dr. Chute is quiet, but through and he certainly knows his business. I had a list of questions to ask him. If I hadn't had my list, I would have forgotten many of them. The biggest concerns I had were pertaining to my diabetes and being on the insulin pump, and he was very calming and reassuring that those things are common for people in my situation and that he (or other staff in the surgeons office) would help me with that - along with my PCP.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was ready for it - I was tired of not being able to do the things I wanted to to and liked to do, I was tired of being tired all the time from carrying a whole other person along with me, and I needed to take care of myself and get healthy to curb the problems associated with my other co-morbidities.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Lots of research on the internet and I went to MANY different doctor's introduction meeting to see what proceedures they do and their success rates with them. I decided that I really didn't want to do the band as it is (in my opinion) too new of a proceedure here in the US. It is successful in Europe, but the Europeans have a very different lifestyle/eating habits from most of us in the US, so decided that wasn't what was needed for me.

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 had a few fears about those things, and I still do, but they are normal fears. Any surgery you go through has the potential for complications during and after surgery, but you have to weigh the risks. Short amount of time for big risks now, or MANY MANY more risks of serious problems later due to the extra weight and co-morbidities. I would tell someone else that they are normal to have these worries, but to look at the pros and cons of doing this compared to what the extra weight and possible co-morbidities could hand you in the future.

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 parents weren't thrilled at first, my brother, who is a doctor, was all for it and helped me convince my parents this was a good thing. My sister, who is a nurse in an ICU unit only sees the worst of the worst of these surgeries, but after going to the informational meetings with me, she became a believer that this is what I needed to do for my health as well. By time my surgery came around...they were all behind me 100%, and I have been well supported since then as well.

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

He was supportive as well. I was the 6th person on just my floor of our building to have this done, so the company is very supportive of it. I set up a meeting with my boss to tell him that I was thinking of doing this and he was fine with that - he just wanted to be kept in the loop about things. I was out of work for 4 weeks and then went back to work 1/2 time for 1 week and then back full time. I probably could have come back sooner, but felt that this is how I wanted to do it.

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

My stay was fine - I was only there for about 36 hours, including the pre-op part of it, so there isn't much to review. The unit I was put in after surgery is a unit that specializes in WLS patients, so there were a bunch of us there walking around and comparing proceedures. I brought a bunch of stuff - magazines, books, etc. that I never looked at and could have left at home. I spent a good part of the time either walking or sleeping. Comfortable clothes to go home in is a MUST...something that has a loose elastic band or a drawstring is the best - that way you can make it fit comfortably.

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

Nope - no complications directly related to the type of surgery I had, but I did have an asthma attack as they were taking the intubation tube out, and I was glad that I had brought my inhaler with, as that was what helped stop it.

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 feel very good - still a little bit tired, but healthy as a horse. Any anxiety I had I handled by talking with my surgeons office or with a friend of mine that is an RN. I had one incision spot that was a little worrysome, and I consulted her about that as she knows what to look for.

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

Prepare to be tired. I couldn't believe how tired I was - everytime I sat down, I fell asleep...unbelievable.

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

I travelled about 60 miles for surgery - and after care wasn't affected by it because I work in the same city that I had the surgery, so it is easy to get there from work.

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 had relatively few problems with food. I have found that Ice Cream is definately off the menu - I licked a spoon that had been used to scoop ice cream (no chuncks of it, just the liquid) and 10 minutes later I was in the bathroom. Other things that bother me are high fatty foods and very high sugar foods. I can, however, eat dark chocolate, in very small amounts.

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

The first few days after surgery were fairly sedentary, but after that I started walking - mostly around the house and then resting, but as the weeks went by there was more exercise. Since then I have started working out at Snap Fitness doing weight lifting for firming and toning and walking on the treadmill.

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

I take a generic version of Children's Flintstone Chewable vitamins 2xs a day and 1000 mg calcium supplement. I also take B12 shots 1x a month.

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 nausea for quite a few weeks after surgery, but I think that had more to do with the healing of my innards than anything. I also dump on fruit juice, and I LOVE fruit juice, so I am having issues with that...who knows - that may change.

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

getting my mind around how small my stomach really is

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

I go to 2 different coffee groups - no official support groups, but the coffee groups are a lot of help and fun. We discuss many different issues/situations and keep appraised of each other's issues/problems/successes/triumphs and are very supportive of each other.

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

I didn't really know what to expect. I have 7 little scars that look really good (healing). Can't wait for the redness to go away, however.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have had a few "minor" plateaus, but during the time that the weight wasn't going off, the inches were. Amazing how that works!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes. Some people at work, that wouldn't have talked to me before are very friendly. The VP of the department that I work in is also much more friendly than she has been in the past. The majority of people that I work with directly aren't any different in how they treat me, however.