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

my friend found out about it and dragged me to teh surgeon. I didn't want it at first. The scars, complications plus not being able to inhale all that food! omg- I thought it was a nutsy idea. But a few months of investigation and I realized- this could help me! It could actually help me!

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

My hospital stay was fabulous. The surgeon was in to visit daily, the nurses were wonderful adn very accomodating. The food was hospital food- the diteician in the kitchen had no clue what to feed me, so I ate alot of brown-broth consume and porridge. I complained about the lack-of-protein, and immediatly they began to include pureed meats on the tray. Cool.(tho pureed white fish in a hospital isn't tasty, it was an improvement over porridge) I was in for 7 nights and let out on the 8th day. Stuff I needed: short nightie, long nightie zip-front house coat; lip balm slippers socks for sleeping (shampoo, soap, toileteries) I did not need the tampons or pads I took with me just in case.

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

#1- the day of surgery I was in the washroom and I popped a suture. I bled for aminute, the nurses were in the bathroom with me, they got me up, off the pot and over to the bed and were taking a look at the incision line before I even knew what was happening. Turns out a staple pulled out at the base of the staple line, and oozed out. Gross but not serious. #2- the day I got out of the hospital I went home to my house. I overdid it. I climbed my stairs like 5 or 6 times, went shopping for foods (no, I didn't lift anything) and just in general overdid it. At quarter to 7 pm that night I was at home, already in my nightie getting ready for bed; and I started... well STUFF started streaming out of the bottom of the staple line. (same site as teh day of the surgery). I got dressed, went downstairs to the store below my apartment and looked at my friend who works there and said: "You need to drive me to the hospital -now." He did- I was at the hospital by 6:56 and in the emergency triage by 7:00. The doctors said I ove did it- climbing the stairs 6 or 7 times in one day isn't something I would do normally, and I had no business doing so the day Istepped out of the hospital. I was lucky it wasn't alot worse- I could have done alot of damage by being that dumb.

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 anxious and didn't think the day would come. I dealt with it by eating. I gained 40 to 50 pounds from the day I got my date to the actual date itself.

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

I generally stick with online support from other people whove had WLS. My non-wls people are supportive- but they really don't get it when I complain that I'm not eating enough protein, that I'm no longer able to eat a full plate of food attheir homes. I like the WLS support I get form the people who've had it done- they know what to expect and can comiserate with my "issues" and are helpful at coming up with strategies that help me keep it on track.

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

21 staples. At 7 months out its fading to a light purplish hue. I'm not sure what I expected, but it doesn't bother me abit.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

my first plateau has been in the past month. I didn't think I'd ever get passed 90 pounds down. Than I said to myself: screw it- stop worrying about it and it'll go back on track... and it did. Two weeks after the last time my scale said 260 pounds I hopped back on and it was down to 245. I did not increase my excercise, nor change eating- it just resumed on its own.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes. -some people who were supportive now act as though I never had the surgery- like it "didn't" change my life. -men notice me more now. -some female friends won't talk to me anymore they say I have 'changed'....