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

I know someone who had it. I think if it works and makes people feel better about themselves and improves their health I think it out weighs the risks! (no pun intended!)

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

It took a month to get approved because the Doctors office did not send them everything they needed. I waited almost a month to check with the insurance company because I did not want to harass them. My advice to everyone is to check at least one a week to find out the status. Once they had what they needed it only took 5 days! Also if you can get another Doctor to write a letter for you either recomending the surgery or at least the benefits if you were to lose weight.

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

I basically just talked with him and he went over the files he had recieved with me. He wanted to look at my stomach and that was it. He was nice and incouraging. My advice is not to be nervous! They see people like us daily! Ask questions, make a list!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I looked up obesity on the internet and found out all the different options. It was then I decided that might be my answer. Something to force me to change the way and the amount of food and what I ate. At this point it was desperation. I was even more encouraged to see Carnie Wilson's success.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I decided on gastric bypass because of my severe acid reflux. Dr. Weber said there will be no stomach acid in my stomach pouch so that will end with this surgery. That means right off the bat I won't have to take Prevacid twice a day! Also the weight loss is higher.

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?

Of course I am scared, more than other surgeries I have had because this is elective really. It also is invasive and serious, they are going to take my innerds and rearrange them! At the same time I can see past that to the weight loss and how much better and happier I will feel. My advise is to ask your Dr. how many people have died and the reason and what I failed to ask is how many had complications and what are the complications. Ask them how many surgeries they have done. That should help a lot. Try to look past the surgery to the new to be you!

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?

What I noticed the most was people who have not been supportive are all the people that have never had a weight problem. One actually told me it was the easy way out. I should diet and exercise, this from someone who has never had to do either. It is not the easy way out, I am desperate at this point. I do not tell thin people any more. Most people think it is great. If you know anyone at work that has had it done, they are your biggest cheer leaders so gravitate that direction.

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

I left sent him an e-mail telling him I am having gastric bypass surgery and will be off work from then till then. (he is on vacation)He is only 23 I bet he doesn't even know what that is, but he has to do the paperwork for my time off. I am not going to volunteer the info. When he came back from vacation he called me and said he got the paper work ready for my time off. Then he asked me what it was. I told him it was wls. I talked about when I quit smoking how much weight I gained. Then he talked about his battle to quit smoking and the subject got changed! I expect to be off work 6 weeks. I know 3 other people that have had this surgery lately and that is what they did. Two have the same Doctor.

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

I was there 5 days. It was miserable but what hospital stay isn't. the nurses were nice. Bring clean nighties and a robe. My hospital stay during my revision was 32 days due to perintonitis, I was in Icu 2 weeks. Some of the nurses were great, some not so great.

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

Just gasping for breath a lot, I have asthma. They had me on oxygen which dried my mouth out terrible. I sucked on ice chips. My revision I got perintonitis and had emergency surgery. I got pnuemoniona and my lungs collasped. I was in the hospital 32 days. It was awful.

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 have constant nausea. I talked to my Doctor and he said drink liquids and he may have to go in and make the hole bigger. Exactly one month post op I vomited, on the fifth heave a bunch of stomach bile came up, I think I broke a staple. I have a call into the Dr. now. I got heartburn and acid reflux and tests confirm I have a stapleline disruption I go in jan 25th 2002 for a resection/revision.

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

Difficulty sleeping in bed. I found sleeping in a recliner the best solution. Inability to get much liquids down. It took all day to drink a protein drink. Loss of a lot of weight, 18 pounds in 2 weeks. Not feeling very good at all.

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

Just a few miles

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.

The thought of a lot of food nauseated me. Kind of like being pregnant and certain smells nauseated me. Anything too sweet I didn't like, that is a switch. I tried a teeny peice of lobster and that came up. I hope I overcome that. I tried to stay with real soft and bland stuff. Anything rich or spicy, or sweet I could not take.

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

3 months later I took up water aerobics 3-4 times a week, love it.

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

flinstones chewable, 2 a day and vitamin b12 that melts in your mouth.

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 nausea and vomiting pretty much stopped, occassionally I would vomit, the hair loss was unbelievable. I have 2 cats and it was a push as to whether they were shedding more than me!

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

When I had the revision I got parentinitus and almost died. I had emergency surgery on Jan 30th and my lungs collapsed and I got pnuemonia. I was in Icu 2 weeks and in the hospital 5 weeks. It is 2 and 1/2 months later and I have a fistula in my stomach that will not heal and I am on an I. V. 16 hours a day that feeds me. I have not had anything to eat or drink since Jan 24. I get stomach cramps and diareah several times a day. I am very depressed and see no sign of healing. I feel like my life has been taken away. You have nothing in this survey for staple line disruptions and 2nd surgerys. People need to know the risks. My Dr. never told me.

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

I started my own support group for surgeries gone wrong the local support groups worship this DR. It makes it impossible to get any support when a surgery goes wrong

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

It is not as long as I expected, it is 6 inches. Looks like a railroad track. After my resction surgery and parentinitus, at one time I had 8 drains coming out of me. My stomach looks like the surface of the moon.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

My weight loss has been very slow due to the staple line disrution.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

no