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

My Bro in Law, Bob, has been such an inspiration to me, he had surgery on the 23rd of April, which is also my birthday. And he is doing wonderful. He had a little infection on his first day or so out and had to have some blood. He is such a wonderful tender hearted guy. He tells my husband and myself everyday, I'd do it again......I'd do it again........I'd do it again.........

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

Did not have any problems with getting approval, was approved in about 2 weeks.

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

We signed in and they took copies of our insurance and drivers licences. We where the first to arrive. That was nice. We had time to ourselfs for a couple of minutes to regroup after the walk and hot flash..lol Around 8am we went to the conference room, and meet Anna, (SHE IS AN ANGEL, I'll explain why in a minute) she explained the procedure to everyone and showed the instraments that where used to do the surgery. Then she went over the complications, SHE ASKED THE QUESTION, (ARE YOU PREPARED TO DIE) I, being how I am was the only person to respond, I told her that I was prepared to live, if I wanted to die, I wouldn't be haveing this surgery. She just smiled. In fact thanks to this wonderful site, Obesityhelp.com, I was very prepared for anything she ask. I probably could have helped her teach the class. lol After her part, we meet with her husband, who did the insurace part, he said that he saw NO reason that we (my husband and myself) would not be approved. In fact, he said that my husband did not need pre approveal. (Glory to God) See I told you, God is wonderful! From there we meet with the nutritionist, she was also very nice, and told us what to expect, and the we need to start taking Multivitamins with supplements, and a Calcium Citrate every day. From there we had to wait about 2 1/2 hours and waited to see the DR. I was called back first and put in an examining room, the Dr assistant came and examined me and took the packet of stuff that we had filled out and brought. Then she went and got Dr Shirmer and he came in a shook my hand and ask if I had any questions, and thanks to all of you on here I really didn't have any. He said that I was an exelent canidate for surgery and that he would do the surgery LAP if at all possible. I thanked him and his Assistant, he shook my hand again and told me that my husband was his next patient and that he was looking forward to meeting with him. His Assistant came back in and told me that (usually) they have a group, to decide who has the surgery or not, but Dr Shirrmer had the ultamet say so. And that He had decided that my husband and I both would be HAVING THE SURGERY ! did I say Thank you God....Thank you God..... I almost danced...... HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY>>>> Then she gave me some paperwork to have our Sleep study done and told us to wait and then go downstairs to the lab for our bloodwork.... While waiting the waiting room we saw several of his patients that had the surgery. One man had weighed over 500 lb and he was one year out and he weighed 180lb. he looked wonderful. Another woman that we meet was 42yr old and she had her surgery 7 years ago, she had weighed 525 about that, and she now wears a size 6. She told me that she used to wear the biggest that Lane Bryant and Romans sold that had elastic in it. She looked wonderful We meet a couple of others that were there to have their first meeting, all of them had been waiting a year or more. One lady had been waiting for 17 months to just get an appointment. When we told them that we had made our first call to the office 3 weeks ago, and that our origional appointment was set for the middle of August. And that we had gotten a call on Tuesday the 25 and told that they had 2 cancelations and had two openings and ask me if we could be there on Thursday at 8am. I told them yes and we went down on Wednesday spent the night at hotel and here we are. They couldn't believe it, there were some that were with us in the conference room that said that the DR said that they would call them to let them know if they had been approved by the staff for surgery. When they ask me what we where told, I told them that we had been approved on the first visit. All we have to do is have the sleep study, because we both have asthma He wants to rule out sleep aphena, not because it would matter, but he wants to see if we will need a cpap machine. My husband does not need a phyc. eval. his insurance does not require it, but I have to have one, as my insurance does. No problem

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

The realization that I want to live,,,, I want to live,,,, and I am not living sitting on my butt, because I can't breath and my back is killing me. I am watching other people live, I want to take part in life, not just watch it pass me by. My kids want me to play this and play that, and I just can't because of the pain.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I got on my trusty computer and researched and researched some more. Then I started asking questions of people that have had this surgery. Then my Bro in Law had the surgery as did his neice and they are doing wonderful.

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 have had 3 other major surgeries and I have been afraid to the point of almost getting off of the gurney. LOL But with the help Jesus and my husband, they gave me the support to overcome the fear and trust in God. Pray and seek the Lords will in what you do. He will guide and protect your path.

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 am waiting on my surgery, but my kids do not understand, they are afraid that we are going to die. I told them that we will die for sure if we don't do something NOW> I hope that thru my going to this site that I can keep finding people that they can relate to and see what a differece that it made in their lives.

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

My hospital stay was not that great, there were some mishaps in my breathing treatments, a big problem with my breathing, and one really nasty nurse. But the good news is that over all they were pretty good to me, one nurse was an angel to me, very sweet.

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

Sorry that I have not been able to get to updating before now. But I have been through alot. First, my surgery had to be done open and I had some complications, My surgeon tried to do it Lap but could not, I had 5 major hernias and my deuduem was attached to my stomach with scar tissue and was twisted. He said that I had 5 major hernias and many small ones. I had a feeding tube and drains. I had alot of problems with my breathing. I have had to be on oxygen since I have been home, and I had a cernoma bleed, and had to go back to our local hospital for blood work. I was using a walker to get around until the past few days, I have been able to walk with out it. I went back to the surgeons last week and he took the feeding tube out ( that really hurt) he also took all 66 clamps out. I have been able to get into my bed since I had that all removed. I was sleeping in my recliner. I have an RN that comes once a week to check on me. And I have a PT that comes 2 times a week. I am doing alot better, I only have to have the oxygen at night now. And I can get up and down by myself. I would do it all again. I am down as of last week when I went to the surgeon 34 lbs. I can't wait to see what I am down now. I am going to go and buy me a set of scales soon. I really want a treadmill but that will have to wait awhile. I will try and update again soon. March 12, 2005 Sorry it has taken me so long to update again, but I have had more complications, I have an infection. It seems that I have infection in my incesional site, the Surgeons office said that it was looking for the weakest link to exit, so that was right in the middle of my site. it has all healed up except that spot. It was as big as a fifty cent peice, with red all around the size of a basket ball. I had to go to my PCP and have it lanced, he put me on Keflex and Bactroban cream. It has drained for the past week and is still draining. I wish it would heal up and just get better. I had another sernoma under the first one that just started to heal as of May 05.

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

When I came home from the hospital, Surgeon's office called me on my cell phone on my way home and asked how I was doing, I told her that I couldn't breath, that my pulse ox. was 64. She told me to come back to the hospital, I told her that I was at least 4 hours away from the hospital and almost at home. She wanted me to go to the nearest hospital and get another pulse ox done. I told her that I have a friend that is a Permedic and that he would come to my house and check me out. My friend called her and told her that my pulse ox was still in the 60's. Dr. Office ordered me oxygen and had a nurse to come and check me out. I still have a nurse that comes once a week. I went through a really tough time, had to sleep in my recliner for 3 weeks. I didn't think that I would ever get over this, but praise the Lord, here I am almost 4 months out and doing so much better, still tired at times, but I can clean my own house, play with my kids and take care of my home.

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

5 1/2 hours, When I had a emergancy, like the hemotoma that I had, I had to go to a local hospital and have my blood levels checked. I would have prefered to go to the place that did my surgery, but that was not possible, but the care that I recieved at our local hospital was excelent.

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.

My sense of smell was so elevated, the smell of coffee would make my nausious. I could not stand the smell of broth of any kind. I could not stand the smell of the protien drinks... any of them and I tried several. They all made me gag. I can not eat mayonaise or salad dressing of any kind. But mustard has been the best thing, it really helps me keep the meat down. I have a lot of problems sometimes with cheese, sometimes makes me gag. I can really do scrambled eggs with bacon bits. And those small flat bread seem to be doing me well. I can drink milk, no problems. The only real problem that I have is that I can't seem to drink any thing other than water, and the only water that I like the taste of is Deer Park brand. Weird....

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

I was on oxygen 24/7 for the first month or so. My actvity level was zero. Then I started with physical theropist that came to my house 2 times a week, and I gradually got off of my walker and got stronger and more strength in my leggs and started walking, I can do almost anything now, I still have to take a break now and then. But I can do about 20 minutes on my treadmill now.

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

I have been B-12 anemic for the past several years, so I have to take a B-12 shot. I started out taking childrens vitamins, 2 a day , chewed well. Then I went to Centrum 1 tab 1 time a day. And then there is the wonderful tasting Calcium Citrate 1 tab. a day. That is it. I try to eat a protien bar every day. Still can't do the protien drinks.

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 had nausia for the first several weeks, just felt kinda sick to my stomack, kinda like morning sickness, but have never actually thrown up any thing. I had trouble sleeping and still do at times. At about the 3 month I noticed that I started loosing my hair. It at 4 months out is still coming out bad. I bought a hair peice to try and hide the thinning spots. I only truely dumped one time, it was because I ate the chicken off of a Subway Chicken sub. and it had Ranch dressing on it. I got soooo sick, never, never , never want Ranch dressing again.

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

Having to be away from my family, the complications that I had, not being able to take care of my own personal needs. Not being able to sleep with my husband, and having to sleep in the recliner. The fear of the unknown.

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

The Surgeon has you come back to be checked very often, and I have friends that live near me that have had this surgery and we kinda have an unoffical support group. It is very important to have someone to talk with, and share your experiances , fears and questions with.

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

My scar starts at the top of my breast and goes below my belly button. I did not expect this, I was hoping to have my surgery Lap.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Have not had any so far , Thank the Lord.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES, I have noticed. They are nicer, it seems that they listen to me more now. Kinda like they notice me more, or something.