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

I first found out that there was such a surgery as Bariatric Surgery when a close friend and co-worker had it done. Although I never saw her results of due to moving away to another state.. I looked into it briefly but never did anything about it.

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

I was on Medi-Cal and the approval was not a problem. I was approved immediately, due to the nature of my health and weight.

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

My first meeting with the surgeon to do my surgery was very informative,helpful and relaxing. I asked ALOT of question. I was so nervous about the surgery that I wanted answers. All my worries were calmed and I was more than ready for it.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I finally decided to follow thru with the surgery, when a brother of a close friend of mine had lost 263 pounds in a year. I wanted what he had. I was miserable being so heavy that i was willing to die to be thin someday.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I was told about the procedure that was needing to be done on me by the Dr. He told me that the open RUE N Y was my only option because of how big I was. I didn't care, I just wanted it to be done and over with. So I could be on my way to thin.

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 feared that I would have complication due to the fact that I smoked. I was worried that I would have problems with my breathing before and after the surgery was completed.

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?

At first my husband did not want me to go thru with it because he was afraid he would lose me on the operating table. My other family members were all for it and encouraged me the whole way thru it. Today after the surgery all family members including my husband are glad that I went thru with it because the can tell that i'm feeling so much better physically and emotionally. they root me every time iI wiegh in and see that the wieght is just falling off.

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

I was no longer able to physically work for 1-2 years before the surgery.

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

My stay in the hospital was very painful but also relaxing and healing. The nurses were there for me when I needed them. They helped me with questions my needs and wants. I was in the hospital for 4 days. By the time I got out I was in very minimal pain. I made sure that I had some things to keep me busy while in the hospital. Like books, and a CD player. Everything else I needed was there at the hospital.

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

During the surgery and afterwards I had no complications what so ever. Everything went great.

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

When I found out that my insurance approved the surgery and they gave me my Date I was so overwelmed with excitement, that it became difficult to sleep. I counted the days to the very end and became very dissapointed when the postponed it for another 2-3 weeks. I got over the dissappointment quickly though and I was starting to get very anxious again and counting the days, hours and even minutes till the surgery was to9 be performed.

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

It was hard to get around due to the pain. It was hard to eat because I was really not hungry at all. I had to force myself to eat.Then when I ate or drank I became sick or sick to my stomach. I had to learn a new way to eat and drink. I also had to change the things that I ate and drank. Some good, some awful.

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

I had to travel 160 Miles one way to get to the Dr's office and the hospital. My first few days after the surgery were spent with family that lived close to the source. After a few days though I started to feel homesick so we traveled that 160 miles back to my home with my pillow and my hand over my incision the whole way there.

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.

In the first 2 weeks I had to eat liquidy foods, like watered down mash potatoes ( with protien powder added), nonfat (without fruit) yogurts (again with protien powder), unsweetened Crystal Light drinks, pureed baby foods, Sugarfree ice pops, Nonfat milk and unsweetened diet 100% fruit juices. Sure there was alot that you could get, but the portions were reduced immensely. I could only eat or drink 2-3 oz. and no more . If I tried I found myself sick. After 6 weeks I was able to graduate to more solids ( still not real foods). I was able to eat lowfat cottage cheese, and lowfat yogurt with fruit pieces in it ( all with protien powder included).. My mashpotatoes (with Protien powder added) was not so runny now. I had no trouble holding anything down, unless I over did it and ate or drank 1 bite or drink too much. By the time 9 weeks came I was able to try all real foods. I tested everything first, to see if i could tolerate it. If I had no problems than I was safe for the next time. I did although notice that if i drank too fast or didn't chew my food properly than i would get sick.

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

At first i was exausted and as I healed I was able to get up and clean the house. As the weeks passed I noticed that i was able to do things easier than before I had the surgery. After my second visit with the Dr I noticed that I was able to do things that I couldn't do in a long time.I was now able to touch my feet,I could place my foot on my lap, I was breathing alot better and I was becoming a little more active (not much though). I'm sure that as the weeks and months pass I'll be more apt to do things that I would really love to do.

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

Since surgery i have been taking chewable kids multi-vitamins,B-12 pills and Iron pills on a daily basis. I also have been able to take my regular daily medications.

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?

So far since surgery I had problems with eating or drinking to fast, or not chewing my foods properly, so it causes me to get nausious or sick. I have noticed some hairloss, but not enough to worry about. I just have to eat slower, chew my foods better and eat more protien. This should take care of these problems, besides I have no problems with coping with any problems after my surgery because, I know that I will benifit in the end.

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

The worst part of the surgery process was the waiting and the anticipation of getting the surgery, so that my new life of being thin could begin.

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

At this time I live to far away to have a support group persay. Although I have a very good support group at home and with my family.

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

My scar from the weight losss surgery is about 8-9 inches long and dark in color. It is not much of a shock to me because I had anticipated that it was going to look just as it does. I know as time passes the dark pink coloring will fade away.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

After surgery i started to doubt that I would actually lose any weight and if I did it would be minimal. After the second visit with my Dr and my first wieghing I realized that this may actually work. I became more stable of knowing that all was going to be fine when I had my second weighing and notice that i had lost 59 pounds in two months and 75 pounds in the first 3 months.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I have noticed that people are proud of my sucessful weightloss. They tell me all the time that they can see a difference in my body and my face. It feels great to know that others see the improvements even though I can't. I can only feel the difference in me.