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

I met a woman at work who had had it done and I was so impressed I was ready to jump on it immediately.

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

I had no problems at all.

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

I had a list of questions I took with me to the intake meeting. If I wasn't clear about something I'd ask again. You cannot be afraid to ask the questions, even the ones you really don't want to hear the answers to.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I went on this group weightloss program for 6 months. The government gave us 3 free hours a week to work out during our work days, but it had to be in combination with lunch or coming in or leaving work. I took an hour and a half for lunch every single day and worked out and followed a diet plan. In six months I lost 9 lbs. I was crushed. I was alot healthier and more physically fit, but 9lbs after all that hard work. That was it, I decided to check into the surgery after finding out that my insurance covered it and all it required was that you be over 18 and 100 lbs over your ideal weight or 100% over your ideal weight.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I did some research on the techniques available and discussed it with the surgeon. He recommended the gastric bypass versus the lapband. He said that his experience with the 1400 procedures he had performed the people did better, lost more weight and kept it off.

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 was a little worried but I didn't obssess. I made sure that my life insurance and all the practical stuff was taken care of. The day before I went a little wacko and started cleaning the house, figuring if I died I didn't want people to think I wasn't a good housekeeper. yeah, you do get a little psycho...but the work kept me busy and helped me relieve some of the stress.

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?

They all supported my decision. they love the results.

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

I was supposed to stay in the hospital 6 days but after day 4 I was going nuts. I felt too good to be stuck in there. As soon as the tubes were out..I was ready. Lots of reading material LOL.

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

No complications. Here in Germany, they keep you in ICU overnight to make sure everything is being monitored. My blood pressue got a little elevated but other than that I was good.

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

Oh my gosh the head hunger and having to deal with not having the comfort that food provided was the hardest for me to deal with. Nothing tasted the same anymore. And it never will. How I coped? I didn't obssess about it. I drank as much as I could, which was a lot of sipping and munched on saltines to get rid of the desire to be crunching.

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

I worked full time, so I was at the hospital for a week, then home for a week, then I was able to get to work. Feeling absolutely drained and having no energy as your body heals was the worst. I took walks every single day, one day I took a really long one...had to stop alot to make it home. I took a nap when I got home.

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

one hour. It did not have an effect on my after care because I had my aftercare done at a local doctor. don't need to see the surgeon except for the one month checkup and then the every three months check up.

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.

First month was supposed to be liquids, yogurts, soups and pureed stuff. I still crunched on saltines but made sure they were real mushy. I had canned soups to which I would add cheese to add more protein. I'd mix tuna with light mayo till it was real soft and added minced pickles and jalapenos and ate them with the saltines. Did this with canned salmon, turkey..any kind of canned meats. At my one month appointment I was given clean bill of health to eat whatever I could. Salads went down real well. I had issues wth ground beef (still do 4 years post op) and pork. The main thing was to chew your food thoroughly and stop before you got too full. Throwing up is not a good experience. You have no gastric juices so its like a cat puking...no liquid to it and it was very scary. Felt like it would get stuck. I think I've vomited maybe 5 or 6 times. I don't anymore but I know the I'm too full feeling. At first I could tolerate mayo, then I couldn't then I could. Popcorn was good too, had no problem with that. Most fruits were good. Rice and potatoes..too filling. Way too filling. No pasta either. I think I was two months post op and had made spaghetti for my family and I was like...yummmmm...can't wait. Had first bite..ok, good. Second bite..alright..full..not filling too good. Waited about an hour and tried the 3rd bite..came right up. Still cannot do pasta 4 years post op. I do miss spaghetti. I can eat some, but very little. Its just too filling. I've never been able to tolerate eggs or milk either. If I combine vinegar and mayo I get a reaction similar to a nuclear explosiong going on in my tummy. The gases that form in my intestines is so much I look pregnant and of course it has to come out somewhere. I had very bad gas issues too which thankfully has gotten tons better over the years. The first year was horrible. My poor kids LOL. I have to eat carbs with protein or I dump; shakes, cold sweats, disorientation which lasts about 20 minutes. Not fun when you are driving or doing anything but laying down for that matter. Portion sizes..I can eat a huge salad...but only half a chicken breast or 4 chicken wings. Still cannot tolerate ground beef, so no burgers or much of anything like that. I can eat a subway wrap, 6 inch sandwhich as long as I eat slow. Still have to eat slow and chew chew chew. I can eat a few fries, but nothing else. 1/4 cup rice tops as long as there are no cooked veggies being ingested either. Cooked veggies take up a lot of room.

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

for probably up to a month after surgery my energy level was very low so I didn't do much. After that I started getting better. Within three months I was exercising at the gym.

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

I take a women's over 50 multipack and 2400 mg superomega supplement every day (well faithfully 5 days aweek, the weekends are hit or miss).

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 have had severe hair loss three times since surgery. So that's almost once a year. Not quite sure why, but it is very upsetting. The hair grows back but bald spots are hard to look at in the mirror.

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

wanting to eat stuff and not being able to..physically not being able to. I would give my right arm to eat a whopper. It will never happen. Two bites is the max. No more milk shakes, etc. I try real hard not to think of it and for the most part am good.

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

I don't have one. I talk to other folks who have had the surgery and my two daughters have had the surgery too. Morbid obesity runs rampant in my family..for generations. Aren't we so lucky?

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

I have 5 very thin white lines that are hardly noticeable. Actually, I was expecting it to be worse.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Plateaus...a million of them. All the time, they are a constant source of frustration but hang in there and take in more fluids or take an extra walk.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Oh heck yeah. Men notice me ALOT LOL. Its kinda disconcerting because you get so used to not even being noticed then all of sudden wow...men will talk to you on the streets..yikes..a little scary at the beginning. Now I just smile and say thank you at the compliments. What I really want to do is pull out my "fat" picture and show it to everybody LOL. Women treat me differently too. And not in a good way. Hellooo...why do we have to be so catty? Because I'm single the married women think I'm after their husbands. Never had that problem before. Geez!