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

Seemed drastic. My GP told my sister to tell me about a conference he had attended on Open RNY at a local Hospital.

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

Our work company changed insurances and I thank GOD. Cigna requires documentation of at least 6 months supervised dieting efforts. Which I did not have and so I basically gave up. But when our work changed to United Healthcare I said run it through again and it was approved the first try. United Healthcare took about 6 weeks to approve.

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

My surgeon was called away and another surgeon stepped in to do my consultation. Dr. Canady was very thorough and no nonsense. He answered all my questions. I highly suggest you write down all your questions for a few weeks before your consultation and do some internet research and go in with your questions to your consultation.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My health was decreasing and the Hospital I have been monitoring (for 2 years) has had excellent results and very low problem rate with this Open RNY Gastric Bypass Surgery. As soon as my insurance approved I wanted a chance at a decent healthier life and I scheduled surgery.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

No choice if I wanted to use the local hospital Holzers only does Open RNY which turned out to be great for me because when they opened my up my gall bladder was bad and needed to come out also.

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 most fearful about blood clots which could kill. I didn't sleep a lot and I got up and moved around often the first few weeks after surgery.

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 were doubtful of the surgerys success. But they supported my decision and wished me well. They are ticked for me at the success so far (I am now 5 months out).

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

I was fired right before surgery. I wonder if the time I had accrued to be off was a factor in my termination but I was no longer happy in that job anyway. I would have been physically able to go back to work at 6 weeks because of the lifting involved at my work. Anyone with a desk job would be able to go back around 3 weeks I would guess if there were no complications.

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

I don't remember any of ICU and I did ok in the room. I wasn't happy with the lack of attention given by the nurses on duty. Thankfully I did ok.

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

My liver ripped in surgery which made my recovery a little slower and I had no energy until about 4 months out. This is not uncommon when your BMI is as high as mine was (56.1)

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 didn't really have any time for anxiety. I was working towards one surgery date and then got fired from my job. Holzer Center for Comprehensive Weight Loss was wonderful and worked me into surgery 9 days later so we could get mine done before my insurance ran out. Thank You Dr. Canady!!!

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

I was very tired and I slept often but only for an hour or two for the first few days. I was terrified of getting a blood clot so I walked circles around my house and stood often swung my legs tapped my feet and hands when sitting. After I got the gas walked off which took about 10 days I felt good. I took a nap every afternoon for about three more weeks after surgery due to my excessive blood loss during surgery when my liver ripped.

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

I only had to travel about 7 miles which makes aftercare and the support group meetings very convient. It was also close enough for family to visit without problems.

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.

I could not tolerate the protein shakes and whatever foods I added the protein mix to I couldn't eat again without gagging. I basically lived on cottage cheese for the first six weeks or so and added eggs when my nutritionist said I could. I added tuna salad when I was allowed soft foods. I forgot sugar was in cole slaw and baked beans and I tried them on the 4th of July and dumped hard. I was only about three weeks out at that time. I could eat a chicken soft taco if I chewed throughly at about 2 1/2 months out. Bread, Biscuits, Rolls lay like a brick and make me sick, I can however tolerate thin sliced wheat bread.

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

I walked from day one. I was terrified of blood clots and being a single mother with two sons I could not afford to die and leave them alone. I walked around my house for the first week. Then I walked about a 1/2 mile for a week then worked my way up to a mile and a half everyday over the next few weeks. At 4 1/2 months out I joined the local Wellness center. I use the treadmill for the first 20 minutes then I use the weight machines for about 45 mins and I go there every other day.

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

I started out with Flintstones Complete chewables one three times a day, I did this for the first two months. Then I switched to Walmarts the Source (after approval from my nutritionist) vitamin compareable to Centrum Performance and I will take one a day for the rest fo my life.

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 found the hair loss the most traumatic, I had very long hair (down to my waist). I lost about half of the thickness of my hair in months 3 and 4 after surgery. Of course that prompted me to make sure I was getting in all of my protein. At 5 months out I am seeing new hair coming in so I am finally calming down about it all.

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

I didn't know the pain fromt he anesthesia gas would be so bad or last so long. Other than that the waiting for approval and appointments was the worst thing . All in all not tooo bad and experience for me.

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

Holzers has a support group that meets once a month. I find it encouraging. I wish it had a clothes exchange program. I find it very helpful especially since the surgeons are available to answer our questions at those meetings.

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

My scar is very long and a bit wide in places. At 5 months out it has shrunk as I have shrunk with my weight loss but I hoped/expected it to sink in and disappear into a pencil like line by now I guess I am impatient.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I hit a couple plateaus but found that if I kept doing those thigs I know I am suppose to and double check myself on water intake and protein intake and maybe add 5 more minutes of exercise the scales start moving again in a couple weeks. I hit one plateau at around my 3 month mark and again at about almost 5 months out when I started going to the wellness center to kick start my weightloss again.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Not yet.