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

I had two sisters who had a procedure done many years ago - - at that time it was called "Gastric Stapling" and really only made their stomach smaller so that they could not eat large portions. As time went by I considered baratric surgery myself and found that the technology had vastly improved. I did a lot of research on state of the art procedures and found a surgeon who would help me.

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

I fought for five years to get the approval for my Gastric By-Pass. It appeared to me that the insurance company was hoping I would die before they had to spend money on a Gastric By-Pass. I won.

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

I had attended Support Group sessions for people who were considering Gastric procedures so I knew all the questions to ask. I highly recommend a great deal of research about the various procedures and by all means go to any Support Groups that are available - - talk to people who have already had the surgery and hear their experiences. You will then have a good understanding and be able to discuss the options intelligently with your Surgeon.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was dying. Just that simple. I was an out of control Diabetic - - 9 pills and four shots of insulin per day.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Lots of research and lots of talking to people who had experienced the various procedures. The Support Group sessions were extremely important and interacting with people who had already had their surgeries was invaluable.

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 had great fear of infection. Let's face it this is not a risk free procedure. But I had a GREAT troublefree experience and highly recommend the procedure to anyone who is already at risk of severe health complications from obesity. If you are dying anyway - - dying slowly - - then you have everything to gain.

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 wife and all of my family have been extremely supportive. They worried about the risks but they knew that I considered this to be a life saving procedure.

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

I had no issues with my employer. I was out of work for two weeks. I have a job with very low physical exertion.

What was it like attending your first information seminar on weight loss surgery? Were you glad you attended? if so, why?

You cannot get too much information. Talk to patients who have already had the surgery and are 6 weeks or more post surgery. They are the best guage to understand how you will cope after the surgery.

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

I was in the hospital for three days after my laparascopic surgery. The most important thing you can bring to the hospital is a "can-do" attitude. And get up and walk immediately. Walk and walk and walk.

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

I had no complications at all. I left the hospital three days after surgery and never took any pain pills after leaving.

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 looked forward to the surgery because I knew that I could not continue on living the way I was. I had no regrets and no thoughts about backing out.

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

Learning how to eat again was a real challenge. Go slow and try to understand what your body is telling you. If you pay attention you will soon come to learn when the next bite is one too many. Listen to your Surgeon and Nutritionists. When they say you can only eat 1/3 cup - believe me - - they mean it!! And if you eat one mouthful too much then expect misery for about an hour.

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

I live about 14 miles from the hospital. The distance was no issue for me.

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 cannot eat foods with high fat content or high sugar content. Beyond that I really have not experienced any trouble. I have found that I really don't care about some of the things I used to eat or drink constantly. I used to drink a pot of coffee each day and I sometimes don't even have one cup on many days. I used to love green salads but really don't care about them now. It's strange how your mind changes along with your body.

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

I started walking about six hours after surgery and I didn't stop. Still walk and can't get enough. I am riding a bicycle now as well and enjoying the freedom that exercise gives me. After losing the first 100 pounds I am more anxious than ever to continue my trend and the exercise is the key to it all.

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

I take two Flinstone Children's Multi-Vitamins each day and a Calcium supplement. I also take a Vitamin B12 supplement three times per week. Everything is going great so far.

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 not vomited at any time - - I have not had a dumping session at any time and I have not had any issues with hair loss (yet). You MUST stay in tune with your body - eat slowly - chew well and DO NOT eat one more mouthful than your body tells you to eat. You will learn that one mouthful too much will make you miserable for an hour or more. You won't enjoy it and you won't repeat it. Listen to your body.

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

I had great anxiety about getting an infection. When your intestines are opened up let's face it the risk is there. I continued to worry about infection until I felt like the healing process was well started. When I could see the incision sites (5 of them) and not see any signs of infection I started to settle down and understand that I was okay.

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

My hospital and Surgeon have created a "Surgical Weight Loss Support Group" that meets a couple of times a month. You get to interact with people who have had the surgery before you ever go for your own surgery and you get to share your experiences after your own surgery. It is a marvelous tool to stay on your weight loss journey and I absolutely believe it is an important part that everyone needs to participate in.

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

I have five little half inch scars that are not cosmetically disturbing in any way. I was prepared to walke up from the surgery with a 10 inch wound but my Surgeon is one of the foremost Baraatric Surgeons in the country and is extremely highly skilled at laparascopic surgery. She simply made the surgery easy and I have not one hint of a regret.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have not had a plateau yet. I am well briefed and understand that it will ultimately happen but I am still melting away and life is GOOD!!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

You can't lose 100 pounds and not have people noticing it. Everyone has been wonderful and completely supportive. I don't think they treat me differently but they sure are full of compliments. I like it.