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

in my profession--first impressions were negative (years ago) until I slowly began to familiarize myself with the health benefits and the new procedures

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

staff in surgeon's office did all paperwork-- I knew there would be no problem because I had already talked to Blue Cross reps & had my referrals

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

So many of my questions were already answered because I had been attending 3-4 meetings a month and had read 2 books. My first visit was pleasant, my Dr recognized me from meetings--she felt I was a good candidate for surgery. Prepare your self for your meeting--that's the best you can do for yourself

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was going to be 60--it was now or never.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

It's the only procedure they do. I did not want a band.or any surgery that was going to cause severe malabsorption.

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?

Fear of the unknown--anesthesia was my biggest concern. Talk to your anesthesiologist and make sure you have good pre-op evaluation. My surgeon has every patient undergo sleep apnea testing & several other required xrays, EKG etc. Make sure you know what your particular problems are and how your team plans to deal with it.

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 was fortunate to have support from family & friends. Those few who were not supportive had their own issues which i have learned has nothing to do with me.

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

Very supportive. My manager was the only one who knew until I made my final decision and gathered my colleagues together to tell them. was out of work for 4 weeks.

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

I had surgery on Tuesday morning & was discharged Thursday afternoon. I had some nausea and discomfort but no real horrible pain. I found that once I was able to receive Toradol by IV instead of narcotics, I was like a new person. I received medication for nausea for the first 24 hours --due to anesthesia effects. I never threw up. I started out on clear liquids for the first day after surgery then progressed to creamier liquids. No hunger or appetite. I was up & about & bored by Wednesday afternoon. Tired easily though. I was told to bring a fan and chapstick & pillow. I didn't need the fan, chapstick was great--didn't need the pillow. Was glad to have my own robe.

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 excited but still spent time going to meetings to make sure this is what I wanted.

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

I did what I was told to do, wrote down everything that I ate & drank, concentrated on hydrating myself and getting in enough protein. I made sure everything totalled 50-60 ounces/day in fluids,took my time and concentrated on myself which is why they wanted me out of work for at least 4 weeks. I tired easily for the first 2 weeks. Dealt with constipation.

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

5 miles or so.

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 became what is known a 'soft food eater' for a long time. I could not tolerate meat,salads,raw vegetables,pasta, breads. I did best with yogurt,cheese,protein drinks, thinly sliced chicken & turkey,soups. After several months I was able to tolerate more cooked vegetables, then small amounts of meats finally salads & small amounts of pasta and breads. I am one year postop and now tolerate most foods moist, low fat,low sugar, low carb.

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

I was not as active as several other people who were able to walk 1-2 miles daily. Building an exercise program was slow for me--sfter 6 months.

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

Centrum silver chewable vits--now use regular vits. Calcium citrate lemon cream chews (used to use pills). Gall bladder pills (Ursodiol) for 1st 6 months. Vitron-C iron daily . Stool softener daily. B12 500 mcg daily. Off of cholesterol meds. Prilosec for reflux is prescribed but I use only a few times a week. celebrex for aches & pains (can't use Advil anymore)

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?

No nausea, vomitting or sleep disturbance. Dumping if I ate something with too much sugar and that was only by mistake,or too much fat or too fast. Twice I didn't chew well enough and got food 'stuck' for a few hours --painful! Hair loss began at about 3 months--stopped after 4 months but texture of hair is just now recovering at 1 year.

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

Nothing, I would do it over again in a minute!

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

Surgical group has a pre & post op program. Post op has 0-6 mo. group, a community support group which meets once a month headed by a pyschologist, and another community support group for 1 year plus which meets once a month and is headed by either one of the Docs, the nurse Practitioner, a dietitian,a guest speaker etc

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

Six little marks now hard to find. Only one has a bump.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Had many plateau experiences starting within 2-3 months after surgery. Weight would stabilize for 2-3 week period then drop a few pounds. Exercise or changing exercise routine sometimes helped, checking diet and calories & fluid intake over and over was not an answer (except to make me crazy)so I learned to be patient which is another life lesson that was good for me along this journey.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, some people who knew me before treat me like a normal person of some worth but some treat me indifferently or sarcastically (jealous)--I meet new people every day so I see the difference in the reaction from people who are meeting me for the first time as I am now --as opposed to the reactions I used to receive. My family & friends and most of my colleagues are happy for me.