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

It's been all over the news...but I guess Carney Wilson's surgery impressed me most. Then in January 2004, I saw my doctor and my blood pressure was 150/95. I said I was concerned and I needed help. She knew I had lost 50 pounds on my own. She knew I quit smoking after 28 years. So I had the will power to change my habits....I just needed help. She referred me to the surgeon. I was ready to make the change and take the step.

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

Mine was easy. I have Federal BCBS and all I did was fax my card to the surgery center and 10 minutes later I was approved. The only prerequisite was that I have a BMI over 40...mine was 46.

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

It was great....the surgeon first met the entire group and gave a slide presentation then had a question/answer session. Then he saw each of us individually and I was able to ask more questions. Dr Clark was very patient and caring and humorous. Be prepared with questions...of course you can always ask more information later.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I wanted to live.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My PCP advised me about the surgery...and Dr Clark's presentation gave several procedures and outlined the benefits and risks of them all. The one I went with is the one Carnie Wilson had done and it has the least complications and great results.

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 didn't have any fears about dying. I knew I was relatively healthy and I knew that getting up and moving after the surgery were very important. I also knew what signs and symptoms to look out for in the event of a leak.

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 were all supportive.

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

My manager supported me 100% and I was off work for one week.

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

The hospital stay was brief. I had surgery at 8am on a Wednesday and at 10am on Friday my surgeon said I had to leave....I wasn't sick. He was being jolly and he was being truthful...I felt fine. So less than 50 hours in the hosptial and it was very nice. The staff didn't mind me wanting to get up a few hours after surgery and when I asked for a shower on the day after my surgery....they accomodated me. I had my own fresh jammies and I felt great...sore, but great. Then I couldn't sleep the second nite and the staff didn't mind coming in and helping me get out of bed to sit in a chair for an hour. It was 2am and they must have been bored because I had about 5 people in my room....2 nurses, 2 respiratory techs and a CNA....and they kept my ice chips coming....constantly. Take clean jammies and lip balm.

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

The Jackson-Pratt drain was left in for a week after surgery. It began getting sore the Monday following the Wednesday surgery. It then became infected by the time I had it removed on day 8 after the surgery. Due to this and the fact that it wasn't draining much after the fifth day, my doctor has now decided to begin removing them on the 5-6th day after surgery. But other than that, I have had no problems.

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 just wanted it to be over. I was very excited and not a bit scared. I would come to obesityhelp.com and read the journals....they kept me sane.

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

The first few days I was sore...not too bad...I had to take the liquid Lortab for 2-3 days. I wasn't the least bit hungry...I ate because I knew I had to. I was tired from taking the pain meds, but I went back to work the week after surgery. I mowed my large lawn and did laundry 10 days after surgery.

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

8 miles

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 am 7 weeks out and I started out on a modified full liquid...which consisted of mashed potatoes and oatmeal and jello and baby food. I got so sick of cottage cheese and mashed potatoes. By week 4...I was ready to move on the the next phase....soft foods and meat. I love green beans now...its my favorite and I can now eat chicken, turkey and pork. I can eat ground beef also. But no beef roast or steak yet...not until after the 1st year. I began throwing up in week 4 to present. I can't eat certain things...today it was green bell peppers...made me puke.

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

I have so much more energy now. No more wanting to take a nap in the middle of the day. I can stand now for more than an hour without my back hurting. Doing the laundry doesn't seem like such a chore now. I am remodeling my new house...from ground up and I have energy now to paint and putty.

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

I take 2 Flintstone chewables a day. I also give myself a vitamin B12 shot once a month. I drink protein drinks and I have increased my milk intake 4 times more than what it was pre-op.

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?

The vomiting began in week 4 and continues as I add more food to my diet. The problem has been feeling so "normal" I forget to eat slow and it comes back up. I have not had hair loss yet and I sleep better now than before surgery. I have to remember to eat slowly and chew everything well.

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

The wait. After all the years of being over weight and having someone offer me a tool to help me fix the problem...it's the wait. You have to wait for the surgery, the pre-op education, the tests, then afterwards, you have to wait for the weight to come off....I waited so long for the surgery, now I can hardly wait to be 6 months out. That's the real target....then I will be impatient for the 1 year anniversary. But I think I will be able to finally relax at the 6 month mark.

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

St Francis in Indianapolis has a full support team of dietitians, physical trainers and counselors for after care. They also have a support group that meets once a month. The aftercare is very important and I think it is the backbone of the program....we have surgery, but we still have behaviors to change.

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

I have 6 small incisions sites and they are almost gone....slighly purple in color....they will be all but gone a year from now. I had LAP surgery in 1992 for Gall Bladder removal and I already knew what the scars would be like.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have not had any plateaus...i have lost every week...I have had slow weeks of only loosing 3 pounds....but I have lost pretty steady so far. I am only 7 weeks out.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes. I carry myself with more confidence now and the people around me notice and react to that confidence.