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

I first heard about bariatric surgery several years ago. I thought those people must be really desperate to be willing to be cut open just so they can lose weight - I'll never let MYSELF get that fat. Well, after letting myself GET that fat, and after trying everything under the sun to lose the weight, I started thinking maybe it wasn't such a bad idea. A friend of a friend was having the surgery and I had the opportunity to talk to her about it. The more I thought about it the more it seemed to be a good idea. I had to battle the fear of having the surgery, but that seemed like a small thing compared to what I could expect if I stayed at my current weight. The final deciding factor for me was a scripture in the Bible - Matt 5:30 - "And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members (body parts) should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell". Basically, my stomach offends me. I have tried to control my eating habits but they ended up controlling me. I felt that surgery was my final stance on losing weight. I have a 9" 'battle scar' on my stomach - it's a badge I can wear proudly because I fought a life-long, DEADLY battle with obesity. I'm now on my way to getting better.

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

I was approved within 2 weeks of application for approval. But then, I have a medical history that pretty much 'proved' I needed the surgery to save my life. I would tell others to be persistent. If you are turned down, write a personal letter - include the information on all of the different weight loss plans you've ever been on. Include the time and amount of money you spent on the plan, and the amount of weight you lost, then gained back. Be truthful and sincere. Most of all, be persistent.

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

My first meeting with my surgeon went so well that I decided to have the surgery right then and there. My husband came with me - I would urge others to bring a spouse or a friend as moral support. We saw a detailed video first, then had a 2 hour meeting with the surgeon. I would tell others to have a list of questions ready. Ask anything you want to know. Don't go in blind - I wanted to know EVERYTHING! How long will the surgery take? What do they do in pre-op? What happens when I come out of surgery? What will I be eating? Can I still have children after the surgery? I asked a LOT of questions. My doctor answered them all and even addressed things I hadn't thought of. I felt very informed when I left.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I finally decided to have the surgery because my health was deteriorating. I found out from my primary physician that in addition to my UNCONTROLLED high-blood pressure (uncontrolled after being on medication for 5 YEARS!) and my on-going female problems, that I was developing kidney problems. I am 29 years old. I am a newlywed. I want a family. I want to live long enough to see my children grow up. These were reasons that I decided to have the surgery.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I didn't really decide which procedure to have. A friend of a friend was having the surgery and she was on the same insurance I have so I went to her doctor. He only does the Vertical Banded Gastroplasty so that's what I had. I did look up the other procedures on the internet. But although some of them were less surgically invasive, I wasn't too keen on re-routing my internal organs (intestines). I felt I made an informed decision on my choice.

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 was totally afraid of having the actual surgery. I am a Christian and I prayed about it a lot. What helped me more than anything was my friend who had the same surgery by my same surgeon. She had the surgery about 1 month before I did and she told me step-by-step what to expect. I mean, she left NOTHING out. I knew what tests I was going to have in pre-op. I knew what would happen step by step on the day of surgery. I knew I would have a tube up my nose going down into my stomach, my legs would be wrapped in pressure bandages, I knew I would have a morphine drip, a catheter, etc. Knowing what to expect made a HUGE difference in my fears.

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 family was very supportive of me. They know how sick I've been because of being overweight. They know I've had female problems, kidney problems and high blood pressure. Everyone was happy for me. My family has been my rock. They have been so helpful and supportive since my surgery. I wish everyone had family support like me.

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

My stay in the hospital was much better than I thought it would be. I had a private room which made me very happy. I was in there for 4 days. Bring a pillow from home to hold over your stomach on the ride home. It helps brace you - otherwise you will feel EVERY bump.

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

The only complications I had were when I started eating solid food. I didn't have actual surgical complications. My biggest problem was that I had a cough even before I went into surgery. When I came out of surgery the nurses gave me this little 'breathing thing' that I was supposed to use every hour. It makes you take deep breaths and blow it out again which makes you cough. Well, with 19 staples, coughing hurt! That wasn't too thrilling but it wasn't unbearable. The breathing thing was too make sure I coughed up anything in my lungs so I wouldn't develop pneumonia.

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

In the weeks after my surgery, my biggest anxieties were about throwing up and about my scar. My scar was hard to look at in the beginning. But it's my battle scar. It's sort of a badge of honor now. Also, I had real problems with solid food at first and I had to stay on a liquid diet for 2 weeks instead of 1. I was ready to gnaw on the table legs by then. You really regain your desire to chew when you're only able to drink liquids! I just kept thinking of the bathing suits I'm going to be able to buy next year. That was real motivation for me to follow doctor's orders.

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

I was pretty sore for the first couple of weeks after surgery. It was nothing unbearable, not even really painful (unless I twisted wrong). The hardest thing was not being able to sleep on my side or my stomach. I could only sleep on my back. I didn't do much moving around for the first few days. I got stronger every day and I was ready to go back to work in 2 weeks.

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

I didn't have to travel for my surgery - it was right here in downtown Houston - about an hour from my house. The ride home was no picnic - bring a pillow to the hospital to hold over your stomach on the ride home. Otherwise, you will feel EVERY bump!

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.

The first two weeks I was on a complete liquid diet - only taking in 2 oz. of liquid every hour. Sugar free jello, pudding, clear broth, yogurt (with no fruit pieces), popsicles, shakes, etc. After 2 weeks, I was able to add noodles, baked or broiled chicken, mashed potatoes, and a few other soft foods. As of 10/5/00 - I am 5 months post-op. I have lost 65 lbs. so far!! I still have a little trouble in the eating department. I absolutely cannot eat any kind of bread other than a 1/2 slice of toast everyonce in awhile. I also still have problems eating most raw veggies unless they are shredded or finely chopped. Other than bread and raw veggies, I can pretty much eat anything.

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

The first couple of weeks were almost totally in-active. It hurt to stand up or sit down - you don't realize how much you use your stomach muscles to stand and sit. I moved around more each day. After 2 weeks I felt really energetic and started back at work. I feel more energy each day. 10/5/00 - I have so much energy now! Having lost 65 lbs. of flab and fat really makes you feel lighter! I never feel the urge to veg out on the couch - I'm always on the go.

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

The only vitamins I took for about the first 2 months were 2 Flintstones chewables per day. Now, I take a multi-vitamin that I found at GNC. I also take extra B12 and Folic Acid vitamins daily and I drink a protein powder shake every morning for breakfast.

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 haven't had many problems other than a little hair loss and occasional vomiting. At first, I just wasn't ready for solid food. Later, it was because I forgot to chew as well as I should. This lasted for about 3 weeks after surgery. I try to be very careful about really chewing everything well. The hair loss issue is less than thrilling. Two months after surgery, I noticed that a lot of hair seemed to be in my brush. I have stepped up my vitamin intake to help that out.

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

The worst part was really seeing my scar. It was scary at first. I kept having nightmares about the staples popping out and having my insides spill out (fun huh?). Once the staples were removed I was okay. I can look at it now and it's not bad. It's healing quickly and will be barely noticeable in a year or two. It's a better alternative then big ole stretch marks!

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

There is a support group at the hospital where I had the surgery, but I haven't been yet. I am planning to go, I just haven't been able to get information on exactly where and when it is.

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

My scar was kind of hard to look at in the beginning. I have never had major surgery before and I can look at scars on other folks, but seeing one on me was a different story. I have a 9" scar and I had 19 staples. It is fading fast.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have hit 3 plateaus since surgery. The first plateau was about 6 weeks after the surgery. I didn't lose any weight for about two weeks. The second plateau was about a month and a half later - another couple of weeks with no weight loss. I seem to be on another plateau now (about 5 months post-op). I know it's just temporary.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I don't really notice that people are necessarily treating me differently - I still have about 100 lbs to lose so I'm still overweight. I have had many people tell me how wonderful I look. That's a big ego boost.