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

I found out about it through my mother. She had the surgery in Sept 2000. When I first found out about it I was very worried for her, but when I seen how well everything turned out I was very optimistic that it would work for me.

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 getting insurance approval for my surgery. It is covered by Alberta Health Care. I also had benefits through work which provided 100% pay coverage for half of my sick time and 66.66% for the rest.

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

I was nervous at first because I really wanted to be accepted for the surgery and hoped that he wouldn't say no. But he asked questions about my history and I asked some questions about the surgery and the effects on my future. I felt very comfortable with him. You can get the most out of this meeting by coming prepared. If you have a list of questions write them down or you will forget about them.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

The success my mother had with it.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Vertical Banded Gastroplasty

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 actually wasn't affraid about the surgery. I kept my mind off of it by worry about the little things instead. Like getting the IV, and the suppository.

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 as were most of my friends. I do have one friend though who was and still is not very supportive of my decision. I think it is because of jealousy mostly.

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

I was off of work for 8 weeks. My supervisor didn't really have a reaction at all. He allowed me to take the time off of work and when I came back he asked me how I was feeling and that was it. It has been 6 months since my surgery and he hasn't said anything about it since. Neither have the rest of the people I work with. Except for a few people who I get really nice comments from

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

My hospital stay was Ok. My mother stayed with me most fo the time so she was the one who helped me the most. Generally the nurses were nice, but it did take a long time to get any pain medication. I was there for four days. The most important thing to bring is pj's, toothbrush, and other toiletries.

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

I didn't have any complications from the surgery. But the surgeon did nick my liver during the surgery. I had some bleeding but it was controlled.

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 felt some depression after surgery because I couldn't eat the things I used to, because I was in the pureed stage. But once that was finished I was okay. I can still eat my favorite things, but just in moderation.

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

I was uncomfortable for the first few weeks at night. I am a stomach sleeper and of course I could not do that. So once I was able to sleep on my stomach I was ok.

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

I live in Calgary and my surgery was in Cardston. About 2.5 hrs south of Calgary.

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.

For the first 6 weeks I was on a strictly pureed food stage. Which I hated. But got through (well most of it). Since then I can eat almost anything. I don't tolerate eggs very well. Unless scrambled. I miss and hit on bread. And I don't handle Chinese food well either. But other than that I am okay.

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

I felt really good after my surgery so I was quite active. Especially once I could start driving again.

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

some chewable vitamins

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 had quite a bit of hair loss. It is still happening but is not as bad now that I am not losing as fast. I only experience nausia and vomiting if I overeat(rare) or eat to fast.

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

The worst part was the NG tube down my nose and throat. I kept choking on it and vomiting from the demeral they gave me.

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

I am involved in an online support group who also has monthly local meetings. I think this is very important. It keeps you motivated and it helps those who are in any stage of this process.

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

My scar healed very well. It is thicker on top than on the bottom. It is a pink colour. Not very bad at all. Better than I expected since I usually scar pretty badly.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I definately find that I lose less weight if I am not working out.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes. I get chatted up by more people now. When I am walking or driving more people notice. I know I am the same person on the inside. I always had huge self confidence. But now my outside is more attractive and thats what people notice. And everyone is guilty of that whether they are skinny or fat.