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

I heard about Carnie Wilson's surgery and decided to find out more about it. It seemed very drastic and scary and at first I didn't think it was a good idea for me. But the more I learned, especially at AMOS, the more I started believing it was a realistic solution for me and eventually did it.

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

I got great care in intensive care but the nursing care on the main floor was horrible. They were utterly lacking in compassion. There was maybe 1 nursing assistant who took care of me well and didn't act like I was putting her out, but the rest of them were completely disinterested and acted like I was interrupting their social life or something. It is horrible to be lying there in pain, far away from home and family, recovering from major surgery, and to be treated so coldly.

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

Nothing major. I dealt with suture granulomas for awhile and it seemed like they would never stop draining but they went away after about 4-5 months.

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 got my date pretty quick and was excited about it up till the very end. Then I started having second thoughts about the risks. Matter of fact, I almost left while I was waiting for them to take me back in to surgery. As I sat there waiting with my family, I thought "Maybe I can try Weight Watchers one more time ..." and I almost told my husband to take me home. Ultimately though, I knew this was really it for me, the end of the road. If I didn't do it that day, I would just end up back there 6 months later going through it all again.

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

Tough, very tough. I felt horrible for the first 2-3 months. My surgeon had me on a liquid diet for 8 weeks, which was pure misery. I was weak, tired, in pain, and nauseous 99 percent of the time. Getting up and moving around was difficult. Not being able to eat made me weak and I felt like my knees would give out on me every time I got up to walk around. Everything I ate made me sick to my stomach. The hormones made me moody - very cranky one minute and crying the next. Caregivers need to be patient!

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

Only about 40 miles. Didn't affect my after care too much. I had a nurse coming to see me a couple of times a week for the first month, and then didn't really need her. I see my surgeon every 3 months for check ups because he doesn't have a structured after care program. I think he needs one though - most of the support and information I've gotten has been from this site, not from him.

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 have stayed away from sugar and really fried foods. I don't want to experience dumping, and they were what got me fat in the first place so I'm better off with them out of my life. Everything made me nauseous in the beginning but when I finally started eating real food, I did well with cottage cheese, eggs, beans, chili, and cheese. It is a gradual process, learning what to eat again and what agrees with you. I have been really trying to limit carbs but have a hard time with that sometimes. I eat pretty much anything I want now, within limits. Protein first, then good carbs, then a bite or two of something else.

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

Minimal. I could barely move for awhile. I would get up a couple of times a day and take a stroll up and down the driveway but I was so weak that sometimes I didn't think I'd make it back. It gradually improved, especially when I got off the liquid diet and was able to start eating real food again. I had a lot of pain so it was tough getting going in the beginning.

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

Calcium citrate 500 mg twice daily. Flintstones chewables with iron twice daily. B-12 (sublingual) twice weekly. Nectar protein drinks and Protein Plus protein bars.

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 was definitely the worst and it hung around 4-5 months after surgery. Every time I ate something it would hit and would last a half hour or more. About 4 months out, my hair started coming out and it lasted for about 4 months. It recently started again. I had dry heaves every single morning for the first 2 months after surgery immediately upon waking up, and had the worst case of post nasal drip EVER. It did all finally go away though.

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

The recovery, definitely. Rebuilding strength, learning to eat again, managing the pain, dealing with nausea.

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

This is it, right here. My surgeon doesn't have one. I haven't really felt the need for one though. I don't have deep-seated issues with food that so many do - I just got lazy about my eating habits and really lacked discipline. I come to AMOS for information and to ask questions when I have them, but beyond that, I'm doing fine without an aftercare program or a support group.

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

It is light now, like a white color. I can't really see it because I have a little bit of wrinkled skin all the way around it. A tummy tuck is probably in my future at some point but it will be minor.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I seem to hit plateaus every couple of months. They usually last about a month, regardless of what I do. Then the weight starts comintg off again. About every 10-20 pounds it would stop.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Oh yes. I am getting a lot of attention. Some people are concerned I am anorexic! I notice people seem to be a lot nicer - people who never talked to me before suddenly want to be my best friend. Men are definitely more interested. But the flip side is a couple of friends who no longer speak to me. It wasn't like we got in a fight or anything - they just gradually drifted away. One in particular is very insecure and I think I was a safe friend when I was fat but I'm not anymore - now I'm a threat. It's sad but I don't let it bother me anymore. I had to do what I had to do for my life and for my health, and if people have a problem with that, I don't need their friendship anyway.