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

my mom had the surgery done two years ago and i watched her go thru everything. i was jealous and yet scared, because i knew that she was in some pain from the surgery for the first month. i said i would never do it! then when my husbands company whiched insurance to united health care and i knew that they covered it, i thought i would go and atleast talk to a surgen. when i did, i found that if i did not have the surgery, i was going to have a heart attack soon with my weight increasing and my health getting worse. they said that the surgery would take off weight fast and relieve my heart of stress. i just closed my eyes and jumped in to the paperwork with all fours! soon as i knew it i was in recovery and on my way to a healthy life with my son

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

i did not really have any insurance issues. i knew my insurance covered 100% of my surgery and i called them and they said that they did cover it and my bariatric surgen sent them a letter telling them the reasons why i needed this surgery, within a few weeks i got a letter in the mail saying "yes" the surgery would be paid for and on the surgery table i went. i was very lucky for having such good insurance

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

my hopital stay was good. i was very sore and had wished i never had went through with this. i am not very good with pain, and yet the hospital helped alot by giving meds and helping me understand that all my insides had been moved around and that it was all normal for me to feel like this. i was not the only one who has ever felt that way. i took a t-shirt and some shorts to wear in the hospital and a night gown and robe that way i could be comfortablt all the time. they make you get up and walk the same day and they comfortable clothes really help to not brush against your drain tube.

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

yes! i got an ulcer from the surgery within two weeks. they told me that this could happen and was caused from the bleeding during the surgery. i am now two months out and have been hospitalized three times for lack of nutrition, becasue my ulcer makes me get when i try to put anything in my stomach. i am on meds for the ulcer is getting better, i have also had my have the area above the pouch stretched three times, because since was could not hardly eat, i was not passing enough through the opening to stretch it and it shrunk. but am getting better! i have a excellent nursing staff at my surgens office and they are wonderful help!

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 but at the same time scared. the idea of being little and healthy i cried about. the idea of knowing that there was a slim chance of dying from this surgery made me scared for myself and my son. but when the dr told me i was at risk for a heart attack at the age of 29, i knew i could just as well die from that. i was scared up until the day of surgery in the pre-op room. i kept trying to talk myself out of getting it done and when they gave me meds to help calm my nerves i knew i would be ok and it was my 5 year old son that said he loved me and would always take care of me when i got home. then i knew i was going to do this for him and be a healthy mom

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

uncomfortable? oh, yeh! the drain tube was the worst part. there are different kinds of them and mine was in the middle of my stomach above my belly button and i had about a foot a tube hanging out and at the bottom was a drain bag. all my clothes hit the drain sit and irritated it and made it sore. i hated it. had trouble sleeping because of drain tub moving when i moved and causing pain. but i was given meds to ease the pain, after the first few days i layed off of them. i do not like to be on alot of meds if i can help it. but drain came out after 10 days and i was alot better

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

the bariatric clinic has support group meetings once a month and i went to some before my surgery, to hear the ups and downs that people had whom have already had this surgery anywhere from a week to 2 years ago. it helped alot and they answered alot of questions i had. it is worth going and the support is awsome. you actually know when you see a large room full of people your size or larger that you are not the only one doing this. and when you see those who have lost all their weight in the same room, and they are so healthy and look great, you could never tell they used to be fat, thats when it hits you that this is right for you!

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

i have 5 little one inch scares on verious places on my stomach. they are pink, but not real noticable only after two months. i am pleased with how they look and my mom who had surgery two years ago tans in tanning beds now and you can not even see hers!

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

i am behind in my eating levels and this is from my ulcer. one day i can eat good, next day i gets sick from anything that hits my mouth. my biggest trouble is that all my vitamins and meds keep me full and i feel like i can not eat. but my nurse natalie says that the more i push myself to eat three times a day, i will be able to get past this ulcer and be normal. i eat about 5 times a day but only about a 2 teaspoons each time. but it is mashed potatoes, baby cereal for toddlers that dissolve in your mouth and applesause.i eat when i feel like i can get it down and keep it down

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

yes! people who have not seen me in two months or more act like i am another person and say they can not believe how different i look. i have lost 52lbs in two months and can feel like people look at me more even with just that little of weight gone. i have already went down from a size 22/24 to a 16/18 and i feel great when i can try on littlier clothes. i have had no negative behavior from anyone, just lots of WOWS! it feels really good to be noticed