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

I had a friend who had surgery over 2 years ago and she looks great, then I kept hearing about others I know having it. Saw a commercial on TV for BTC so I had them send me a brochure. Read it cover to cover but was still not convinced that I wanted to be cut open like that. Started looking at laproscopic, then I ran into a friend at the grocery store who was almost a year post op with lap. She was so excited that she showed me her scars in the middle of the store!! She gave me her doctors card and I was sold. Went to his seminar the next week.

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

I had no problems with either mine or my husband insurance

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

Dr. Salvino at the WISH Center in Downers Grove, IL was attentive, patient and i never felt like a number. I listened to all my questions and answered them straight forward. Explained the procedure to me and made sure that I understood. My advice is to do your homework and be prepared.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. AT 46 I want to be able to be a part of my life and that of my families from now on and at 284 pounds that was not going to happen.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Even though the Dr. said that the recovery times were about the same for open or lap, I did not reaaly want a huge incision. Lap was really easy 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?

My only fear was that I was going to be on the table and soemthing would go wrong and I would have to have full incision. Thats pretty vain! I had and still do have complete confidence in my doctor(s)ad they are trauna docs too and I trusted them completely.

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 oldest daughter was the most supportive and is going to have the surgery herself. My other kids were ok with the decision. My husband was and still is not totally sure of the whole procedure. At first he was worried that I was going to die or that something was going to go wrong. Now he is so insecure about the weight that I am losing that he thinks I am going to run off witht he first guy who winks at me. Thats after 25 years of marriage!

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

I told no one at work what i was doing except for a few very close trusted friends who were not in management. I truly felt that it was no ones business what i was doing and why. My surgery was on a MOnday and I was back at my desk the following Monday, half days for the first week then full time the next. I was out of work 1 week and 4 days of that I was in the hospital.

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

The hospital staff was wonderful, very supportive and helpful. I had surgery on a Monday and could have checked out Thursday but because of transportation conflict, I was discharged on Friday morning. I brought a good book, and puzzle books, tv got very boring, and you can only walk so much. Paper and pencil was essential as I made many new friends and needed to jot down their email and addresses.

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

No complications. The worst part was not having anything to drink and being so dry, up until the time I had my leak test on the second day.

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 just kept busy both at home and work, trying to get everything in order in case there was a complication. Everyone goes through the same emotions of being nervous but anxious, calm but scared. You just got to deal with it.

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

I felt wonderful, but a little tired and a nap here and there really helped. I just kept busy and rested when I needed to.

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

My doc is 1 hour way. There has been no affect in care. They are only a phone call away as far as I'm concerned.

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.

Right now I am 1 month out and am supposed to be eating pureeds foods. I can tolerate anything which is unfortunate I'm beginning to feel. Chocolate is not bothering me and neither is sugar. I can eat anything and I have, I just chew it well. I realy have to watch that I dont get into the carb/sugar rut that got me here in the first place. At one month, I am eating most anything soft, (including an oreo dunked in milk---dont tell anyone) have had steak which was chewed beyond recognition. Trick is to just not swallow things whole and to eat very slowly. I cannot no drink a small bitwhen i eat so I have had to gauge that as to what I eat and then sip, but so far it seems to be working.

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

It started out slow and gradually has gotten much better. I am stepping up my exercise so I expect to see it raise considerably.

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

I take 2 flintstone +iron each day, a optical calcium chewable and 1 drop of b-complex. I wish I could find a protein that I really like that tastes good.

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 vomited 2 times and both were due to eating too much too fast. Once it was gone I felt fine. so far I have yet to experience anything else.

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

The time from after surgery until I had the leak test the next morning when I could not hav a drop to drink and then had to drink the barium inorder to do the test. Absolutley the pits!

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

A local support group and a network of people to call or email

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

AT one month out I have 6 small incisions and they are fading fast. Largest is 1 1/2 inches and it is the most noticable.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

None yet

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Not really.