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

I had been watching a TV program called "I Lost It"--boy did I feel I'd lost it!! Alot of the ones they told of that had a weight problem had undergone by-pass surgery.

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

I really had no trouble with the insurance approval. I had been a member with Curves for almost a year before I started the process and I had already recorded several times with the nutricianist and doing diets so that part was already to go without much effort.

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

I loved my surgeon. He answered all my questions. I am a control freak (I found out through this process-I thought I was being organized).. I wrote out all my questions and grilled him when I got there. When he'd answered my questions he turned to my husband and asked him if anything of this bothered him. That was when my husband finally was comfortable with the surgery. I recommend others doing the surgery takes the person (people) who are going to be their support unit in for that initial visit so their fears can be resolved also. Besides my husband remembered somethings from the visit I didn't and it helped later on to be able to go over it again.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I needed to do it for the medical benefits. I was an insulin using diabetic and I knew it was the only way to finally be rid of the diabeties. I'm almost a year out from surgery and still struggle with the diabeties but I am hoping to one day soon be considered diabetic free again.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My doctor at that time only did the "Open" R-N-Y, he now offers the lapriscopic.

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 didn't have fears of the surgery-I was dying as I waited for the surgery. My health was not in very good shape-and I wasn't as unhealthy as alot of others have been. I knew I had no other choice. If I wanted a shot at anything close to a healthy life I had to have the surgery. My one hesitation I guess you'd call it that was I am 55 years old and wasn't sure if I should contemplate it later in life. I would give others the same advice I got from the Dr. when I asked him--he figured I still had another twenty years of productive life, why wouldn't I want to try to get that and not kill myself with the health issues I was having at that time. Made sense to me, I chose LIVING..

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 husband, children, my siblings, and my dad supported my decission. They were scared and had their fears but they all supported me. I had others who worried I'd die on the operating table or afterwards from complications. I actually had to stay away from those people. I would try to make them understand surgery comes with it's risk's whether it is tonsils being taken out or open heart surgery. Surgery is surgery. Without this surgery I would surely die in a few short years or I'd have complications from the diabeties. The skeptics before the surgery are watching and more acceptable of the surgery now. I know one person who was just waiting for me to have a major problem so they could say "I told you so". hasn't happened so far..

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

Not applicable--I'm not working at this point.

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

I think the stay in the hospital was very hard . Not because it was anything to do with the hospital, not at all. The hospital and staff were just fine. It was hard because I was 2 hours away from home and felt miserable. I would have been upset if my husband hadn't come every day to visit and yet I worried because it was a 2 hour drive each way for him and I worried about him getting tired or hurt driving. Also you don't have many good things to dream about in a hospital surrounding. I couldn't sleep well.. I can't say any one particular thing to bring special. If anything I brought books and things that was just extra baggage. I guess that would be individual taste.

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

No complications with the surgery.

In the weeks after you got your surgery date, how did you feel? How did you cope with any anxiety you might have felt?

After I got my first surgery date I was excited and had started mentally prepairing for the surgery. I got all the pre-surgical blood and lab work done and everything went smooth until I had to go to my PCP office to be released for surgery. The dr. wouldn't release me until I had a heart stress test. Heart attacks were in my family. My Mom died of a heart attack and my brother had a heart attack but survived. My mind was on the gastric surgery-never thought about the heart troubles. I was soooo upset when she said I'd have to have the stress test first. Of course the surgery was set for a couple of days from that dr. visit so they had to reschedual my surgery for a date after the stress test. As far as coping--I had a nice loooong cry and waited to get the go ahead. Of course I had to go through the stress test and then a catherization on top of that but was finally cleared for surgery and I made it to the next date for surgery..

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

I got home on a Thursday and I remember the next night I almost had an emotional breakdown. I was so upset because I knew I wasn't able to get all the liquids in they told me I had to have. When I left the hosp. I was instructed that it was imparative to get 40 ounces of liquids a day and I was to chart my intake. I was overwhelmed almost immediately. By Firday night I was going down for the count. I remember crying and my poor husband suggested I call one of my sister's (they were to be my support unit)--I knew they'd never understand what I was feeling so I frantically called my Support group leader. She calmed me down and explained there is no way I could expect to get all 40 ounces in right away. I don't think I would have made it without my support group!! You need to be able to call those who are in the trenches.. They've been there they know what you are feeling. You are going to feel lousy until you start getting proteins in and feeling better from the surgery. Don't expect soo much of yourself. Listen to your body and DON'T panic!! Ask questions until you are comfortable with the answers.

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

I traveled about two hours to get to where I was having the surgery. The ride home was interesting. I had to stop every half hour to walk around so I wouldn't get blood clots after surgery. Makes a 2 hour drive much longer!! I could go to a local hosp. if I had an emergency and that made me feel a bit better.

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.

My dr. gave me very easy guidelines to follow after surgery. They gave me a list of things I could have and they wanted me to try to take three days between each grouping and if I couldn't tolerate say the soft liquids then you stayed on the clear liquids another day or so and I could increase to my bodies comfort levels. I could not tolerate sugars. I still am very leary of them and am very careful to watch them. I also stuggle with roasts, ham, porkchops. I just eat little if any of them and when I do have to eat them I try to chew them to a creamy pulp. I also have a hard time with BBQ sauce, much sugar. I am able to tolerate some of the above meats better. I still prefer chicken or seafood though..

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

I wouldn't say I was very active until the four week check-up after the surgery. Your body needs all that time to heal and you'd be surprised even after four weeks how little you really can do before you run out of steam. As time has gone by and I have lost more and more weight my energy level has increased so much. I can easily work out a half hour at Curves and come home and walk a mile here at home (so say a total of maybe an hours work out three times a week). I know I should start picking up more work out time and I do feel up to it. I love the energy I have today.

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

I take Optifast Vitamins four times a day and have done so ever since surgery.

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?

The first time I dumped was hard because I didn't expect it and it was a total shock even though others tell you it is going to happen. I did start losing my hair about six months out and was sure I'd never regrow it. I increased my proteins and it has come back and as they say it's even thicker.. You get through but again I can't tell you how much I rely on my support group for answers and support.

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

The worst part of the bariatric process was just dealing with my emotions. I was not prepared for how unprepared I was. I had done alot of research and had gone to a couple of support group meetings-pre-surgery. But I still wasn't prepared for the emotions that would overwhelm me. Hang on to your support group and get acouple of names of contacts for just such moments..

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

I went to my local gastric bypass support group and held on for dear life. They are such warm supportive people--they helped me feel I wasn't unique in my feelings. They were open and HONEST. If you go in and ask how much of an incission was involved--you should see the shirts and blouses fly up to show off thier scars. They are great. They were totally honest with me. They told me I'd end up with bat wings under my arms, more gas than a normal person would have and I could end up hacking like a cat struggling to get rid of his furball (part of the dumping process). They were and still are my life line!! I can't tell others enough how much I needed all of them. They would each tell me they'd do it all over again in a heart beat--this took me a little longer to get to that point.

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

I have just a four inch incission and it's about a quarter inch or less wide. Not much at all and it will fade so it won't be pink. Who cares--I'm not planning on entering a beauty contest--I just want to be healthy inside and out..

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I've only had one plateau so far. I had to pick up my proteins and exercise and that moved it on. It was only for a couple of weeks. I am a diabetic so my weight is coming off slower than most others and I think it has been easier not to get to anxious about it. I'm losing between one to five pounds per month. Slow and steady wins the race--right.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes people do treat you differently, unfortunately. I didn't think I'd have a problem with that but I do. It is hurtful but I am trying to make it make me stronger and deffinately it hurts me to see others out ther struggling with a weight problem... I want to run up to each overweight person and tell them about gastric surgery. I am glad however they see me as a much more comfident and happier person.