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

Heard about it from a friend.....I was willing to try anything....desperate diseases need desperate treatments!

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

No problems with Blue Cross....approved for a conversion quickly without problems.

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

Desperate......I was ready to beg him to help me!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Fear of death! No, maybe fear of life in a body that didn't work....that was worse than being dead!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Doctor's suggestion.

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?

The week before surgery I was terrified....the night before surgery, I decided that if I were to die, it would be with my boots on, trying to help myself and not having given up on myself! That decission made me feel at peace with myself!

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?

I have a loving and supportive family that never discussed the fact that I was killing myself with my weight problems. When I decided to help myself....they rallied around me and supported me. They could see first hand that obesity was killing me!

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

Was no longer able to work outside of the home!

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

It was just okay. The nurses weren't too considerate...but I lived thru it!

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

I am left very anemic. I receive iron infusion once every six weeks. It doesn't hurt and I feel like it is a small trade off for feeling so great. But I am very aware that it can be life threatening....and I sure want to live....so I take care and get proper food, rest, supplements.

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

Back 11 years ago...when I had my surgery, there was no wait. My Doctor offered a date, and I asked to hold off for an extra week because of some commitments! boy have things changed since I was a guinee pig!!!

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

I still use a 12 step program for support. I also attend an online surgery support group. I stay in touch with other post-surgery patients. I keep a good relationship with my Primary care provider in order to stay on top of any problems that could arise.

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

My scar is dark and thick...I have olive tones skin and grow keloids. But, it has been opend up another time to perform a hysterectomy, and two hernia repair. I didn't actually get a tummy tuck....but my Doc fixed me up really quite nicely and now the lower half of the scar is no where near as dark or thick. It's really not so bad...I'll take the scar over the fat any day!!

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

My Doctor required a program that kept me limited to 30 grams of fat and 30 grams of carbohydrates and unlimited protein until my excess weight was gone. My goal was 160. I had no problem attaining that goal....in fact, I choose to go a little smaller...I discussed it with my Doctor. He said that I should continue to lose as long as I stayed on that program. He was right. I never really plateauted...I just slowed down. but I showed a loss every week. sometimes just a pound or two...but always something.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Thin people are treated better by other thin people. Especially men to women. But I think that some of the heavy women are just tired of being treated badly and are starting to fight back! I just don't want to be anyone's target!!!! I may be thinner on the outside...but on the inside, I think I still carry alot of my weight's problems when it comes to the public image.