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

Watched friends/co-workers have the surgery over a period of years. Finally decided it was for me.

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

Insurance approval was fairly simple. I had a history of obesity and several obesity related conditions. (high blood pressure, depression, arthritis in knees, newly diagnosed diabetes.)

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

Straightforward. Comprehensive.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Health concerns. Grew tired of trying the same thing again and again and expecting a different result. Wanted the next chapter of my life to be different.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Counted on an appropriate recommendation from my physician and surgeon.

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?

No fears, really. Did write a will out first, just in case something happened. Dr. Ali has a good track record for successful surgeries and I felt he wouldn't have elected to do the procedure if the risks were too great.

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?

Mostly positive. Some negative comments ("taking the easy way out, huh?")

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

Positive reaction from employer. Disclosed everything. Out for 7 weeks.

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

The hospital stay was horrible. Fortunately tho, the woman in the bed next to me had had the surgery right before me so we could commiserate together. Day shift nurses were competent and responsive. Night shift staff were HORRIBLE.

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

None. Just pain.

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 felt relieved. I had already lost the recommended amount of weight pre-surgery and was READY!

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

Very difficult transition. Felt awfully fatigued. Wondered if I had done the right thing. Cried a lot.

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

120 miles. Yes, it affected aftercare in that I had to spend 5 of so days after discharge in a hotel near the med center, with a friend helping me. Also, distance created a barrier to keeping up with scheduled aftercare.

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 don't recall. I followed the instructions the surgeon/dietician provided.

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

The first week I pretty much spent lying down. Did a couple of outings, but not much. A week or so after, I was able to actually do some shopping. But still quite fatigued. By week 6 or so, I felt pretty much back to normal.

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

What was recommended. A multi-vitamin, B-12 and Calcium with D.

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 dumping. Vomiting when I ate too quickly or too much. Minimal hair loss.

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

The two-three week period following. Pain after surgery. Emotional upset during transition to eating again.

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

I only have friends at work who have also had the surgery. We compare notes. Especially in the first 2-6 months following.

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

What scars?? I hardly can find them.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I lost fairly evenly/steadily for the first 4-6 months. Then stopped. Have not lost much since.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes. People do not treat you like a second class citizen when you are an acceptable weight. It is very sad, but true.