chachi

  • BMI 30.7

Obesity & Me

Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.

eating just out of boredom and no lack of interest in anything else. It was like something thing that is on your mind 24/7

What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?

not being able to do the things with kids and people looking at you like a lazy slob

If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?

play with my kids and sit down on the floor to play and just having more energy

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

tv and websites, I never thought I would actually do it

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

I paid for it myself, the best investment I ever made

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

Dr. Spiivak was very confident and encourageing

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

my kids

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I did the lap-band first and the gastric bypass after one year. The lap band was a waste for me, I needed more control

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 not afraid of the procedure itself, I was more worried about the social aspects of the aftermath, but it was quiet overwelming, after the surgery it was a total feeling of panic , what had I done

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 family was very supportive, but I am not sure they realize the emotional toll it takes on a person, its not as easy as it looks

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

I am a stay at home mom

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

The hospital stay was fine

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 very ready to begin a new life

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

It was very stressful and scary, but the feelings soon passed and the results were great

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

10 miles

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

I was pretty tired but I have kids so I felt very motivated to move on

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

all

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

I have not attended any support groups but I would definetly encourage others

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

very small scars

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

many plateau have happened, some took longer than others but with effort diet and exercise they passed

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

yes many people treat me with more respect than when I was overweight and are more receptive to me
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