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

I SAW A TV COMMERCIAL WHILE VISITING ARKANSAS,AND WAS REALLY PSYCHED! I WONDERED WHY I HAD NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE! THEN, A COWORKER OF MINE HAD THE SURGERY WITH IDEAL RESULTS...WEIGHT JUST LITERALLY "MELTED" OFF OF HIM. I THEN KNEW ANOTHER PERSON WHO HAD THE SURGERY, WITH NOT QUITE THE "PICTURE PERFECT" RESULTS. I THINK SEEING BOTH SIDE OF THIS HAS OPENED MY EYES TO THE FACT THAT THIS SURGERY MAY NOT BE A CURE ALL FOR ALL PEOPLE..HOWEVER, THAT IS A CHANCE I'M WILLING TO TAKE. TO SEE PEOPLES TRUE "BEFORE" AND AFTER PICTURES IS WHAT HAS COMPLETELY INSPIRED ME THE MOST

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

I have BlueCross/Blue Shield POS. There were no doctors in Illinois that were in their network approved to do bariatric surgery. I did the research myself, found a PPO certified doctor and did not have much problems getting approval at all. Several phone calls and I was set!

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

My surgeon was AWESOME! Explained everything to me, had me take a "test" of my expectations, and then went over everything question by question. All in all, it lasted about an hour and a half. Not once did she ever look at her watch the entire time!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Health problems and the thoughts of living a "normal" life before I got too old to enjoy it!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Basically, my doctor decided that. However, I knew the RNY was what I wanted, so I was lucky that was the route she chose to take anyway!

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?

The only fear I had was that it wouldn't work for me! I constantly thought "she won't make my stomach small enough...I'll go through all this and not lose a pound"!!! My thoughts on dying? When it's your turn, it's your turn. If my time was to be on the table..then that's the way it would be.

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?

All were extremely supportive. My husband, on the day of surgery reminded me that he loved me just as I was, and confided he was scared to death! He was extremely supportive afterwards as well, and lost 26 lbs while helping me along!

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

I was approved off for 6 weeks, but returned in 2 1/2 weeks. (I had an open, not laproscopic) Because it was medical, there was no problem at all...

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

The hospital was full when I had my surgery, and so I was admitted to the pediatric ward. The nurses were wonderful. I was in for 5 full days. To be honest, I slept the majority of the time (aside from when I was 'walking' and did not make much use at all of the magazines or anything else that I brought.

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

Not really. Aside from the top and bottom of my scar having some healing issues, I was 100% fine!

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 had a "side effect" I haven't heard much about. I could FEEL water go through me when I swallowed it. It was EXTREMELY uncomfortable and no one I talked to was familiar with this. I sat in a recliner chair for 3 days and cried my eyes out, wondering what on earth had I done to myself. Finally, I realized just how much I depended on food for emotional comfort too. About one week out, I just decided...this is done, now deal with it!

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

Quite a bit of pain, hard time walking up stairs and showering. I did not/could not sleep in my bed for several weeks...and thank god for recliners! Big emotional re-adjustment not being able to eat "normally"... I had a hard time with eggs and yogurt, so my first weeks were not pleasant!

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

Mine was done locally.

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 started out on the "soft" "mushy"...scrambled egg whites, yogurt and cottage cheese for 3 weeks. If I did not eat the yogurt slowly, I would experience "dumping"...After that I went to "toddler baby food". Within the second and third month I ate normal foods again, but extremely small portions. I was asked to not eat beef, corn, or rice for the first 6 months. I actually had an extremely hard time digesting beef even after 6 months...more like a year and a half, and still only eat very small portions of it. As time has went on, I have become extremely intolerant of dairy products and sugar. Salads, spaghetti and cabbage are still very hard for me to digest, and I am almost 2 years out!

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

Very limited. My bathroom was upstairs though, so that forced me to walk and exercise daily!

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

I take a daily chewable that I get from my surgeons office. Every other day is iron supplement.

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, very rare vomiting unless I do not chew my food thoroughly, and my biggest problem with that is pasta! Extreme amount of hairloss in months 6-12...but it all grew back quickly!

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

Not being able to drink water for two days after the surgery! (Bowel sounds did not immediately return!)

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

My surgeon has a support group, but I have only attended several times. I did a lot of follow up in one on ones w/my surgeon for the first year...but prefer to not join in the group sessions.

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

My scar goes from under my breast to my belly button. It is not nearly as bad as I thought! Skin color has returned to normal, and were it not for the "loose" skin, I would not hesitate to wear a halter type shirt!

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I stopped losing after approx a year. I would like to lose more (of course!) but realize I have to work hard for it now!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Absolutely...but my true friends have remained my true friends.