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

I learned of WLS on a local tv news program. They were interviewing a surgeon that did WLS & clients who have had the surgery. I thought then this is what I need to do. That surgeon on tv is the person who will do my surgery. I knew I needed to find out as much as I could about it & proceed.

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

I really can't give advice. My Dr. has Weight for Life handle all the ins. portion of this. I filled out all the paperwork & ins. info & sent it to WFL & they did all the work. I never talked to the ins. co. Within 2wks I was approved.

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

I first meet my Dr. at his office with a group of his other patients who will be having surgery. He had all the info. we needed. He had answered all of my questions by time he was done with his presentation. My Dr. suggets we listened to all he had to say & then ask questions. He wanted to make sure we heard what he had to say w/out interuptions because it was a group setting. I suggest you ask whatever is on your mind if it hasn't been answered. This is a very gin decision & you need all the info you can get.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

With all of my past failures I don't know what else to do. This surgery seems to be the best thing for me. I will have a tool I can use to stop eating when I am full. Even on a diet you don't have that, you can end up eating whatever amount you want. I have tried to get all the info I can & be knowledgable about what WLS is all about. I feel this is best for me & my situation.

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 am 2 days pre-op now. I have a sense of calm now 2 days before. But up until last wk I was really nervous & wondering if I was doing the right thing. Another fear was complications & possible death. I think if I dont have surgery I might not die tomarrow but gaining more weight is right around the corner & I will be dying a slow death & my children still end up w/out a mommy. This process of ins. approval, dr's appts, support groups has all been so extremly effortless I can't help but think that I am doing the right thing. Do what you think is right for you & your immediate family. We don't do this to look better we do it to stay alive & live healthier, although looking better is a benefit. It has to be a good thing for you. Nobody can tell you it is right or wrong for you but you (and God)! ##3wks post-op## The fears you have are legitimate. This is such a major event happening in you life & when it is done, there is no going back. I think I had such confidence in my Dr. & his knowledge, I was able to get past the fears I had. I don't mean to sound corny either but I had total faith in God & believe he was giving me this opportunity to regain my life.

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?

My husband @ 1st said I didnt need that drastic surgery, I wasnt that heavy. Come to find out I qualified pretty easy. As we got more & more info. we came to the decission it was the right thing for us. My other family members are also very supportive. You know, there is always someone who knows somebody who had the surgery & has died from it. You have to decide for yourself how you handle that type of stuff. I always tried to give them the most accurate info I could. And no one can know what we go thru until they have carried an extra 100lbs+ around for as long as we have. ##3wks post-op## My husband has been my main support person & I can't even think of going thru this w/out him. He was like having a personal nurse in the hospital & then @ home, it was like having a home nurse. I know God is smiling on him for all the work he has done to help me & also take care of our 2 little kids & run a house. He is an absolute angel. I really encourage people to have @ least 1 main support person around that you can depend on. All other family members have done everything they can also to support us. Whatever we needed, someone has been able to help. I only hope I can give to someone, like everyone involved has given to 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 better than I expected it to be. The nurses were attentive & helpful when I needed them. They always were checking on my pain & made sure I was comfortable. I had the dry heaves the 1st few hrs when I would get up to walk. The nurse finaly found an anti-nausea med that helped me. I was in the hospital 3 days after surgery. The most important thing to bring is your own fan & chap stick. Believe it or not. Your lips get so dry because you are not drinking for 2days. I also brought me own pillow, my own pj's, baby wipes-incase of BM in hospital, sanitary pads-might start period while there.

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

The only thing was the dry heaves the 1st 18hrs after surgery & only when I would get up to walk. The nurse tried a few different anti-nausea med's & the 3rd one finaly worked. I also had a temp of 101 for the 1st 3 days. They gave me antibiodics & told me to keep coughing & deep breathing. The fever was probably from stuff in lungs. The day I went home the fever was gone.

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

After I finaly got me surgery date, I felt kind of numb. Like I didnt have any feelings @ all. I guess because I was so used to waiting for the date, I never thought it would be a reality. I just had to make myself realize this was real & the date was getting closer. I had to decide that this is what I wanted & to go for it.

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

These 1st few weeks have been so good. It has been so much better than I expected. I was sleeping in my own bed the 1st night home-although propped up w/a few pillows. Within 1 1/2 wks I was able to sleep on my sides. Food & fluids went really well from the beginning. Still no problems w/that. I guess my experience has been good. People should know that things dont always work this way.

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

I live only about 30mins from the hospital. I go to aftercare meetings @ the same hospital every other Monday

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 have eaten: cottage cheese, refried beans w/cheese & hot sauce, tuna, deviled ham, soups, baked potato, scrambled egg w/cheese. I have put these things in food processor: any type of chicken dish, spaghetti, taco meat(ground beef)w/cheese & hot sauce, pizza. I have s/f jello, s/f popcicles, s/f fudgecicles. I drink water & iced tea w/sweet & low. Anything I have tried has not bothered me. The only thing I do not eat is sugar. The only thing I have noticed is if too much sweet & low-I really don't like the sweet after taste, or anything that leaves a sweeet aftertaste.

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

I was up & around hours after my surgery. I never thought I would feel like I do 3wks after surgery. I havn't had a day that I thought I can't do anything. The 1st 3 days I would take a nap in the afternoon but havn't since then. We have been going places almost everyday since I had surgery. I have noticed my feet don't hurt like they used to if we have been out. I have also started a low impact aroebic tape too.

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

I take 2 childrens chewable multivit's ea. day, 1 vit. C ea. day, 2 Tums for calcium. I drink 16oz of protein drink ea. day w/half banana.

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 havn't had any side effects from surgery as of 3wks out. No side affects from surgery 6wks out.

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

Loosing my best friend---FOOD!! The surgery is not the hard part. If you can get past that, the rest of the ride is mostly mental. I realize now that I ate our of bordem & for entertainment.

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

I attend the support group @ the hospital where I had the surgery done. I go every other Mon. of the month. I truly believe I will be successful w/this if I go to all meetings & see my own mental health professional also.

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

My sacr is approx. 9 1/2 inches long. It is very thin though & not so red anymore. I suspect it will get lighter all the time. I expected it to be alot wider than it is.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

No plateau's yet but only 3wks out. None @ 6wks.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Not yet. I have only lost 27lbs so far.