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

I had heard of it, but never considered it until a good friend did it. It still took me 2 years to decide to do it. I watched her transform it was amazing. I then figured it would give me the tool by which to keep my caloric intake low, and not get frustrated and give up. I now can lose weight almost like a normal person. I still maintain around 800 to 900 calories a day, and work out 5 times a week for 2 hours doing aroebics.

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

I had no problem with insurance once it was discovered the Nurse practitioner int he surgeons office had altered the psych evaluation. She was never reprimanded, but had to write to the insurance company and tell about the mistake made. She was a vindicitive little power tripper. I was not the only person who had problems with her. She lorded her position over people weilding the approval at her whim. She should never have been put into that position.

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

It was a lecture, then supposed question and answer. He was in a hurry so only 4 questions were taken. Then the nurse prationer took over. She took only 2 questions after the Doc left, and closed the meeting. There was some info, but not enough to give possible patients a reall informed overview of what they could really expect. Instead of Doc's and nurses who have never gone through the surgury themselves, they should bring in some of their patients that have. Let them describe what they went through. That is more valuable than statistics.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My health and not being able to get around the way I wanted to. I hit the wall and had to do something drastic. This was it for me.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

DS seemed the lazy way to do it. You don't have to change your eating patterns, you just eat smaller but whatever you wanted. That was not a way to get healthy. wanted health, not food. The lapband was in my mind not an option due to the possible adhesions and slippage that could occur. That left RNY. For me it was the solution to my problem. It would help me to avoid foods that were not good for me. I have learned to eat good foods in a small amount and cook so that even my family is enjoing this.

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?

Normal fears, but I also know me. I am stubborn beyond belief, and will not let anything get me down. I had a serious complication the second day. After getting my medical records it was found out that the heprin and follow up coumedin in the IV was not good for me. I had a partial revision done, and this time no blood thinners, and no problems what so ever. I bounced through the second one easier than I did haveing a C-section.

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?

Family was very supportive. I didn't tell my friendsuntil afterwards. It was none of their business. I would not change anything about how I communicated this.

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

unemployeed. I'm now working on two different home based jobs. One is as a publisher of a photography magazine. The other is as a metalsmith connected with the Utah Shakespearan Festival doing reniasannce metal work. It keeps me busy, and I have fun doing both.

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

It was horrible. I was ignored, and left to fend for myself. They would not have even helped me the day I vomited up enough blood I need two transfusions if my husband had not arrived and yelled at the staff. I would never send my worst enemy to Stanford Medical Center for a hangnail. Rude nurses, insensitive staff, No real care or concern, other than for them to pass the time they had to be in the hospital. I was even left in the shower room to fend for myself the thrid day. I had troubles getting dressed, and when I called for help, no one came. No one accompanied me when I walked, and I was told I would not be allowed to walk unless a nurse was with me. They even put my call button on a stand far from the bed the first night so I couldn't call them. They were lazy and bored. They should not be there to help people who depend on them for help.

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

I was sick the second day. I went to have my leak test done, and almost vomited then. I passed the test. When I tried drinking something, it made me really nausous, so I only took 3 sips. That is when I started to vomit blood. I vomited over a half gallon of fluids, that were almost all blood, before my husband showed up at around 4 pm. (this started at 11 am) He was the one who yelled at the staff, and got them moving to help me. I had no access to my call button, and when I yelled for help they ignored me. The lady in the room with me even called them to come help me, and they just when "Oh" and left both of us without helping me while I was lying in pools of bloody vomit. Once the dr's arrived, they did something and after 2 transfusions, I came out of the semi coma I had gone into. I was pissed then. I infoirmed the head of the hospital about this, and nothing was ever done to recitfy the situation. It is like they leave you to fend for yourself in that hospital. I could have died, and they wouldn't have given a damn.

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

excited. It wasn't until 3 days before the surgery I got anxious about it. All I did then was remember what I had gone through on the photography workshop 4 months earlier and the pain I was in. I had made up my mind, and I was going to do it.

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

The first week I was in pain, and semi nausious. Then on day 7 I woke up and was fine. I had energy, and felt human again. Every day after that was better than the last. I would do it all again in a heart beat.

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

It was about 80 miles, and depending on traffic in the San Francisco Bay Area, it could take over 2 hours to drive there. Yes it did effect the after care. I was told to go to my PCP or an emergency room if I had any problems.

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 slowly graduated into full liquids the first week home. Then for the next 7 weeks I was only on full liquids. Then graduated to mush, by adding slowly things like soft boiled egg or oatmeal or yogurt type of things. Finally at three months I could add soft foods such as cooked chicken, and tuna fish. I slowly from that point on tried different things but avoided red meat, raw veggies, and bread. I found that at 6 months I was allowed to eat anything. I still can't tolerate much in the way of refined carbs. Fruits are no problem. But potatoes, rice, breads, and pastas if I eat them, it only takes a few bites and I have a mild dumping syndrome. My dumping syndrome is really weird. I get a bit flushed, and a little queasy, but find me a bead becasue I will go to sleep for the next 2 hours, where ever I am at.

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

sedentary. I hurt just walking from the severe adema that was more than just being fat. It is a major problem I have along with the hasimotos even now that I am 170 pounds. As the weeks went by, I increased my activity level as I lost weight. After 4 months I could keep up with anyone of normal weight.

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

multi vitamin, calcium, vit. D, Magnesium, iron, B-12, actigall, armour thyroid, spironolatone, laysix

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?

hiar loss was extreme. Partially due again to the hasimotos which already had me losing hair, it just accelerated it. I still have mild dumping syndrome, but I actually like it since it keeps me from eating things I shouldn't. I really only end up taking an unplanned nap for two hours with it.

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

Stanford Hospital, and the way I was not treated by the staff.

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

I went to several support meetings in the few months following, but found them to not be beneficial. I'm an uber geek, and researched out many things online. I find obesityhelp.com my best aide, and talking to people who are interested in the surgery. Motivation is not my problem. I will succeed.

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

small and not really noticeable. I expected much worse.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

As time goes by I lose very slowly. The last two months I have only lost 9 pounds, but that was a yo yo time where it would go up and then go down constantly. I find that if I don't weigh everyday, I tend to gain. If I weigh, I can keep on top of it. I know it will fluctuate, but it is not supposed to swing upward 8 pounds overnieght on 900 calories a day. That is my body and the weirdness I live with.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

No one laughs or makes jokes about me now. I'm just one of the normal crowd. I did have a funny incident a few months back. I was at a resturant, and a girlfriend and I sat at the counter. It had a weird set up and the seat next to me was one that literally shared leg space with me. I had just commented to my friend that I doubted anyone would sit next to me with that cramped space. 3 seats down a lady who weighed around 300 sat down. Then a man came up and looked at the two open seats, and sat next to me. He didn't care that we were cramped, he didn't sit next to the heavy woman. I felt sorry for her. I had been there and remember the same kind of thing happening to me. It shocked me that he chose to sit next to me. In my mind I'm still that fat person.