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

Two or three years ago, it was easier to get insurance coverage. There was a mushrooming of people having Gastric ByPass Surgery after that. I had one insurance company who kept procrastinating. If i had to do it again, I would have pushed on a higher level within the insurance company. My present insurance company continued to jerk me around. They denied coverage out of network and told me there was no one in network There was and I had surgery 8=13=02 Calmly unemotionally fight fight fight. You are actually saving the insurance company money by eliminating or reducing, diabetes, caridac stroke expenses. Do no accept no Go forward Organize

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

I was lucky in that this was my third surgeon. Friends and my roomate had the surgery. I was well familiar. I would suggest doing alot of research on the surgery. Come in with all your questions, concerns, fears written down. Ask to meet other patients who had the surgery.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was sick and tired of being so fat I was approaching an age that surgery would not be an option much longerr I was fearful of cardiac problems. strokes etc. I wanted to feel good and look good I wanted to be free

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My roomate had a lapriscopic and she recovered so well. With another surgeon I was going to have to have an open because I could not afford the extra 2,000 charge for a lap. Had lap and am thrilled.

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 saw my roomate stop breathing after surgery. ONe day in ICU and she was fine. I saw her have a stroke 5 months later(unrelated to the by pass) and her neurologist told me she would not have lived after the strong IF SHE HAD NOT HAD THE GASTRIC BY PASS SURGERY. The stroke was just a sign of a condition in her skull she was born with and is no fine. Without the by pass surgery, she could not have had some of the life saving diagnostics tests. I did not fear dying I feared pain to a small degree I feared throwing up, being nauseaous and so sick that I would n ot want to live. I feared severe infections that would have laid me up for a month or gotten me back in the hospital. talk talk talk go to support groups talk with people who had the surgery, use this website

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 roomate is my family as she is my life partner. She had already had the surgery 2 yrs. before so of course she was a role model and most supportive. Family and friends were very supportive even the friends who did not want me to have the surgery. Afterwords friends, employer, family VERY SUPPORTIVE CANT DO ENOUGH FOR ME

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

My employer was most supportive I was the second teacher to have this surgery. He told me to take all the time I needed. He called me at home. I just had the surgery two weeks ago and plan to go back to work 5 days from now. That will be exactly 3 weeks after surgery I am Lynda Michelson Had surgery with Dr. Paul Wizman on 8-13-02 at West Regional Medical Center in Margate Florida FEEL GREAT

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

I had a wonderful stay in the hospital. I did not expect this. I was at Northwest Regional Hospital in Margate, Florida. All rooms for gastric bypass patients are PRIVATE without additional cost. I could have left after third day but did not feel well enough and I stayed four days. I had no complications. The nursing staff was well versed in gastric by pass surgery. The hospital program is new-less than one year. The staff is eager to learn and help. The most important thing to bring to the hospital is: COURAGE, FAITH, OPTOMISTIC ATTITUDE. Other than that-personal hygiene items, robe slippers, phone numbers of people you may want to talk to. Other than that- all else was provided

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

None

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 was extremely anxious I used relaxation tapes. I talked to friends who had the surgery. I tried to focus in on today. Not thinking of the upcoming surgery or my past. In part I still did not think I was going to have the surgery. It was too positive, I felt I did not deserve it. I had been through many changes this year, the death of my father, the death of two beloved dogs of mine. My life partner had a tummy tuck and I became a grandmother for the first time. I did not think I could handle any more changes.............but i did

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

I HAD THE SURGERY OVER TWO WEEKS AGO AND TOMORROW I WILL HAVE BEEN HOME FOR TWO WEEKS. DO NOT BE FOOLED ABOUT FEELING GOOD. tHIS WAS MAJOR SURGERY AND YOU NEED TO REST. HARDEST SYMPTOM WAS SEVERE WEAKNESS AND TIREDNESS. WALK AROUND DO NOT BABY YOURSELF CALL DOCTOR WITH ANY CONCERNS

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.

Had surgery only a little over two weeks ago. No sugar All protein . Supposed to have pureed foods for two weeks, had them for one week. Not hungry at all I can't eat left overs. It makes me throw up. Eating really slowly ESPECIALLY IF YOU REALLY LIKE THE FEELING OF NOT THROWING UP. I COULD EAT MOST PROTEIN AS LONG AS I EXCESSIVELY CHEWED THE FOOD.SOUPS WERE GREAT. tOOK MT RX SHAKE AND MADE IT INTO PUDDING THIS WAS GREAT.

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

jUST CHEWABLE MULITIPLE VITAMINS SEEING SURGERON TODAY

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?

NAUSEA WAS MY BIGGEST FEAR AND I WAS NOT NAUSOUS AT ALL

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

TAKING TWO YEARS TO HAVE SURGICAL APPROVAL

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

DR. WIZMAN HAS A MONTHLY SUPPORT GROUP THAT I ATTEND. EXTREMELY HELPFUL INFORMATIVE GREAT TO SEE OTHERR PATIENTS.

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

ALMOST NON EXISTENT A MILLION TIMES BETTER THAN i EXPECTED

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

TOO NEW ONe month post op I did not lose more than a pound in two weeks.Had a major problem with constipation. I am on Lithium which makes weight loss difficult. I have been learning not to compare myself to others. I have lost 36 pounds in 2 months. I am happy

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

JUST MORE HELPFUL